It’s one of those oddities that no player from Georgia Tech has ever won the Heisman Trophy, named for one of the Jackets’ greatest coaches, John Heisman.
As you know, Heisman coached Tech from 1904-1919 and led the Golden Tornado, as Tech was nicknamed then, to 33 consecutive wins.
Could this year snap the 74-year streak?
Could Jonathan Dwyer bring the Heisman Trophy to Atlanta?
The credentials are obvious: 2008 ACC Player of the Year, 107.3 yards per game rushing average from his B-back spot, 1,395 rushing yards overall last season.
This after just one season in coach Paul Johnson’s offense.
Just think what could be accomplished in Year 2.
The competition will be tough: Tim Tebow, Sam Bradford and Colt McCoy will likely top everyone’s lists of favorites.
And, throw in the possibility that Dwyer’s stats may not be as good as they were last year. Why? Because Tech has a lot of players who figure to get a lot of touches this year. So, while Dwyer’s stats could theoretically go down a bit, his impact could still be as, well, impactful (I work with words you know).
The campaign gets going early: Jacksonville State followed by national TV games against Clemson and Miami, followed by North Carolina, Mississippi State, Florida State and Virginia Tech.
I think if Tech can make it through that tough stretch, and Dwyer gets his 100 yards a game, it’ll be tough to keep him off the top 5 favorites.
And please don’t discuss how Johnson’s offense is geared toward the rushing game so of course he’s going to have great stats. That’s a silly argument, especially considering the three favorites listed above. Those offenses are also geared toward their skills, just as Dwyer’s skills are utilized best in Johnson’s offense.
So, what do you think?
Who are your Heisman favorites?
Should Dwyer be listed among the top 10, the top 5, the top 3?
145 comments Add your comment
cometkz
May 23rd, 2009
9:35 am
SEC thinks Adrian Peterson is better than Dwyer????? He is a 3rd string back on a team desperate for running backs. Maybe you just don’t like GT players, hummm.
michael
May 23rd, 2009
9:49 am
can we just stick to the TEAM concept and win all the games and piss the media (outside of the south) off.
huh?1?
May 23rd, 2009
10:10 am
If you think Tech is only going to win 8 games YOUR smoking crack.
What makes UGAG think they can beat CPJ? You had the argueably the most talent has ever had during his tenure at UGAG last year (#1pick/#12pick) yet still gets BEAT AT HOME BY THEIR RIVAL UNDERDOG IN CPJ”S FIRST YEAR.
Paddy
May 23rd, 2009
10:19 am
Dwyer won’t win but top 5 is reasonable.
SEC
May 23rd, 2009
10:29 am
yeah i think that he was, just my opinion. It has nothing to do with me hating tech players. These are just kids playing football and getting an education. I am a dawg fan first, but a football fan 2nd. Uga has always had problems with that style of offense. Even when we played southern they would hang around for awhile until around late 3rd quarter. Whenever we go up against that style of offense its like willie martinez is a deer in headlights. Enjoy your time until we get rid of him
Cedric
May 23rd, 2009
10:47 am
lol
Veteran Fan
May 23rd, 2009
11:20 am
Jonathan has the intangibles (heart and competitive fire)! He is the best player in college football and it should be a horserace with Tebow. The other candidates schedules are loaded with CUPCAKES so if Jonathan performs well on the early TV games and the team is better and wins, he should be the front runner! Forget the stats, it is about leadership and wins so this is why I say it is Tebow and Dwyer and it may come down to the championship game with them going head to head! Unfortunately, I think the vote will already be in!
DawginLex
May 23rd, 2009
1:25 pm
To win a Heisman, you have to be the dominant player at your position and your team must win its conference and compete for the national title or at least seriously be in the discussion. Dwyer won’t dominate the RB’s around the country. GT won’t win the ACC. GT won’t be in the national title discussion.
Case closed.
David M
May 23rd, 2009
2:30 pm
Quit blaming Willie for the Tech game. He came out with a good game plan-shifting from a 4-3 to a 4-4. In fact, we shut em down (12 pts including a pick 6 from Burnette) in the first half. We only had 2 safeties who had practiced for the new scheme and one of them(Bryan Evans) injured the arch in his foot on his first series. Rashad got completely gassed, probably ran three miles. And I tip my hat to the Tech players for not giving up. Dwyer is a very good back but he probably won’t have the numbers to win the Heisman.
Jack P
May 23rd, 2009
2:53 pm
Who?
Paddy
May 23rd, 2009
2:56 pm
SEC… I respect your opinion. His accomplishment at Ga So are legendary and many stats will never be broken. A tip of the cap to both players.
Absolutely
May 23rd, 2009
4:50 pm
Dwyer can and will absolutely be in the Heisman discussion. Everyone likes to argue that he has sick yards because of all the touches he gets, but if you compare his number of carries to other teams, he’s just like any other tailback. Dwyer was #3 (2 above #4) in carries in the ACC last year (87 behind Evans of VT; the #2 in yards by 130)- it’s his yards per that’s sick and why he’ll be in the discussion. He absolutely owned NoShow in every category if you compare sophmore years and is absolutely more talented. Just wait for this year…
macrotech
May 23rd, 2009
5:43 pm
i don’t think it unreasonable, that dwyer would get some consideration for the award. however, it has become more of a ‘glamour’ award than anything. quarterbacks seem to be in the lime light and i would consider dwyer more of a work horse. he’ll get his opportunities to do something with the ball, but he’ll be one of many options each and every play…he’ll do well, but he’d have to do something extraordinary to garner true consideration. personally, i’m ALL for a Tech player to get it! i’d RATHER win out the season and let the awards fall where they may. either way, i am stoked about this upcoming season! the more we win, the less we’ll see dog fans on our blogs…with a few obvious exceptions, of course. GO TECH!!!
GT computer nerd with UGA boss
May 23rd, 2009
6:23 pm
I hope we don’t play LSU in 2009 since they totally shut down dwyer and our 1932 triple option offense….
Baba O'Riley
May 23rd, 2009
6:40 pm
The above poster is living off of LSU’s win since UGA couldn’t “finish the drill”.
Assistant Chef @ Mickey D's
May 23rd, 2009
7:47 pm
I hope we don’t play Al or UF or GT who all totally humiliated our #1 ranked team on national TV.
Tech Fan?
May 23rd, 2009
8:15 pm
Finish in the top 10 and maybe, just maybe, he slides into top 5 talk. I love how Tech has 1 average year and everyone thinks they are the team to beat. Don’t feed me all the crap about players to fit the system and all that huey puey. Fact is, you ain’t getting a better B back than him coming while CPJ is at Tech. Face it guys, if year two is as average as year 1, the moron who fakes a punt from his own 30 with a DE running the ball in the first half will be hailed a coaching genius and bolt for another school with easier academic standards. How many times have you guys beat Georgia in the 2000’s? Idiots!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MUHAHAHAHA!
BS Patrol
May 23rd, 2009
8:37 pm
Tech Fan?, Tech has four backs now better that GA’s top back(whoever that turns out to be). You have not had a back except Herschel EVER who is as good as Dwyer. This year you may not have as good a record as AU. And that’s BAD. Suffer Toad!
Not Disappointed
May 23rd, 2009
8:37 pm
Dwyer is an excellent Running Back. I give him the top 5! Ramble Wreck!
Not Disappointed
May 23rd, 2009
8:37 pm
Enter your comments here
GT Rich
May 23rd, 2009
9:14 pm
Ask Colt Brennan or Graham Harrell about Dwyer’s chances? I am a Tech fan, but the media sees this offense as a gimmick, just as they do Hawaii and Texas Tech. Those QBs dominated in passing yards and TDs in their careers, but never could get runner up let alone the actual Heisman. GT would need to go 13-0 and Dwyer would need to break the single season rushing record to get invited to NY. A few early season bulldozer runs on Sportscenter would also help get the hype going….
DawginLex
May 24th, 2009
7:52 am
Not had as good a back as Dwyer since Herschel? BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Did you stick your finger in the electrical socket while playing your video games ?
UGA SUX
May 24th, 2009
8:06 am
I agree with BS Patrol. Tech probably has the best set of running backs in the Country. They will prove it in the upcoming year…also our air attack will be much improved, although we will not need it very much because of our running game.
Hey DawginLex, get me my fries and coke.
BS Patrol
May 24th, 2009
8:21 am
I didn’t say since Herschel, I said EVER!
m
May 24th, 2009
8:47 am
The two best backs on the field last November at sanford and son stadium were named Dwyer and Roddy Jones. NOshow moreno was not even a factor.
Also, it is a complete falacy that lsu shut down the option in the chikfila bowl. Both teams had around 300 yards. Where lsu beat tech was special teams and that is being corrected.
Thanks to God and Greyhound, the future is so bright at Tech that we all need to wear shades. You idiotic dawgs are really gonna miss chan gomer gailey…but he is long gone.
Technite
May 24th, 2009
10:12 am
Prediction, next year Tech beats UGA for 2 in a row. Then in some low level Bowl game Tech embarrasses the school and the ACC (again) to the tune of 38-3 or worse on national TV. Heisman players/teams don’t disgrace themselves on national TV just before the Heisman vote. Dwyer is good but won’t even be among the finalist. Not a lot of 4 loss teams (5 if you count the next year Bowl disgrace) get Heisman mention for any of their players.
Erk
May 24th, 2009
10:32 am
Tech’s offense was sloppy last year and still beat Georgia. Just imagine what they will do this year, now that they have a full offseason under CPJ. The Jackets are going to be THE story in college football this year. I think they will go undefeated and win the ACC championship game. Unfortunately, BCS bias will keep GT from playing for a national championship, leaving Tech to play and defeat Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl.
pensacola dawg
May 24th, 2009
10:39 am
OMG they beat UGA one time in eight years and now they have a Heisman Back…better than Moreno. WOW, what next CPJ for president????
Brewer
May 24th, 2009
11:50 am
I’ll take UGA’s defenders bouncing off Jon Dwyer and Roddy Jones like BBs off a battle tank over Moreno hurdling 3rd tier football players everyday. That same “ESPN Face Time” mentality is a lot of what’s wrong with UGA’s defense. That stuff works on a Chan Gailey team, not a Paul Johnson team.
Absolutely
May 24th, 2009
11:58 am
Let’s compare Dwyer and NoShown from sophmore years shall we. There’s just no comparison for all you who think NoShow is even in the same league as Dwyer. You can’t argue with stats as much as your red tinted glasses may want you to.
NAME CAR YDS YPC LONG TD
Jonathan Dwyer, Ga Tech 200 1395 7.0 88 12
Knowshon Moreno, Georgia 248 1336 5.4 80 14
Hell, even look at last year. NoShow got more TDs because he was utilized on the goalline more than GT needed to use Dwyer because of the A-Back sweep, but the YPC are nowhere close.
Knowshon Moreno, Georgia 250 1400 5.6 68 16
Technite
May 24th, 2009
1:03 pm
“Absolutely”
Give me a puff of that stuff. You think Dwyer will be a first round draft pick? You gotta be kidding. We beat UGA by 3 points and now we think we are “world beaters”? LSU showed us what a typical game against a mid-level SEC team is like. We got lucky against UGA for once in 8 years and now we got a Heisman winner? Remember the 38-3 embarrassment against LSU? That was reality. We will have at least 4 losses when we beat UGA again this year but Dwyer will never be able to carry Moreno’s jock. We are building, but one lucky win over UGA is a long way from us being really significant nationally.
AtomicEagle
May 24th, 2009
1:25 pm
Dear Huh,
Your life savings, huh? 22 one-dollar bills, an old can of snuff, a doq-eared Readers Digest, and 17 cans of Similac.
You are da high-rolling dude, Mr. Huh.
Iceman
May 24th, 2009
1:26 pm
Always good to get a laugh from the Tech folks.
joseph
May 24th, 2009
3:47 pm
top 5 GO GT go Dwyer
Starship Enterprise strikes back
May 24th, 2009
3:57 pm
Pensacola Dawg,
It’s not that we just beat UGA one time in eight years it’s that we RUSHED FOR 408 YARDS AND TOTALLY KICKED YOUR A$$ IN YOUR OWN YARD AFTER SPOTTINMG YOUR TWO TOUCHDOWNS AT HALFTIME AND YOU GUYS ARE NOT SMART ENOUGH TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO STOP THE TRIPLE OPTION. IT HAS CALCULUS IN IT AND FEW PEOPLE AT GEORGIA CAN SPELL IT MUCH LESS PASS IT LIKE ALL OF OUR STUDENT ATHLETES MUST. LOL 45-42. get used to it.
BS Patrol
May 24th, 2009
5:07 pm
AtomicEagle, You left out his most valuable asset. A 1980 NC commemorative 6-pack.
Absolutely
May 24th, 2009
5:34 pm
Technite- I absolutely think Dwyer will be a first round draft pick. He was picked as the #1 or #2 RB by NFL scouts after the season (for 2010) with CJ Spiller. So yes, that sounds like a first rounder to me. Show me another back that has the same speed and size as Dwyer and puts up those stats.
DawginLex
May 24th, 2009
6:20 pm
UGASUX,
Considering how “smart” all of you think you are, it would seem you could come up with something different than get me fries and a coke. Maybe you are only as smart as I think you are, which is not very………………………………
gtforever
May 24th, 2009
6:55 pm
m, We scored 3 points against LSU. Yes, our special teams sucked, but so did our offense and our defense. Come on, think about what you write before you hit “enter” Jeez, talking about being a homer!
BUZZ
May 24th, 2009
7:16 pm
Class versus Crass
This just in: Georgia Tech will host yet another NCAA Baseball Regional and the University of Georgia will NOT.
Other regional sites: Arizona State, UC Irvine, Cal State Fullerton, Clemson, East Carolina, Florida, Florida State, LSU, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Rice, Texas, and TCU.
Another 45-42 in my opinion.
Not Disappointed
May 24th, 2009
8:32 pm
Georgia Tech will be better this year, along with Dyer, Jones, Nesbit, etc!! Dwyer is a top 5 and the season hasn’t started! “Be afraid! Very afraid!” Ramblin Wreck!
Not Disappointed
May 24th, 2009
8:34 pm
excuse the spelling Dwyer! “Go Jackets!
GT
May 26th, 2009
4:22 pm
Dwyer won’t win the Heisman. But I wouldn’t trade him for any player in the nation for what Tech does. Tebow may be the best college player ever, but Dwyer helps Tech more than Tebow would. Dwyer is basically Michael Turner. He is the complete running back, no matter what offense he plays in. He can run over people, bang it up the middle, and hit the outside with break away speed. CPJ is lucky to have him.
Kevin
June 2nd, 2009
5:54 am
Dwyer for Heisman oh my a great laugh there he no match for flordia tebow he win his 2nd hiesman oh wait win let GT play floridia here oh no can’t then we show all awful dwyer n the ACC with a Tebow would pass for 4 touchdowns rush for 2 in a 51-0score!
Kevin
June 2nd, 2009
5:57 am
this just in GT will host stayin home again from Omaha again….hey we stayin home to so its okay…at least we did win College world series in 1990 even though u folks at Tech and the AJC still do not care to remember it.