Montee Ball is the Big Ten’s Offensive Player of the Year and next up should be a legitimate shot at the Heisman Trophy.
Ball is having an incredible season but if it weren’t for a few inspiring words and self motivation, it may have never happened.
Last year Ball never saw the field in an upset win against then #1 ranked Ohio State. He was happy for his team but dejected that he never got an opportunity to contribute. Ball was not mad at his coaches for failing to put him in the game because he knew he had no one to blame but himself. After the game, Ball sat in his apartment alone and did a self-evaluation. The realization was that something must be done if he wanted to become the player he knew he could be.
After his breakout game against TCU in last year’s Rose Bowl, Ball lost twenty-six pounds coming into this season. He was lighter, faster, stronger and could make quicker cuts. His film study habits were better and his work-ethic in practice was greatly improved. The results? One of the greatest statistical seasons of any running back in Wisconsin Badger history.
The Heisman frontrunner is Trent Richardson but what makes him any better than Ball? Is it because he plays in the SEC where the competition is fierce? Last time I checked the Heisman Trophy is suppose to go to the best player in college football.
Below are the 2011 statistics for Montee Ball and Trent Richardson as well as Ron Dayne’s 1999 Heisman Trophy season, the last Wisconsin player to win the award. It should be noted that Ball will play one more additional game than Richardson due to the Badgers advancement to the Big Ten Championship.
| Attempts | Yards | TD | Rec | Yards | TD | Total TD | |
| Montee Ball | 248 | 1,622 | 29 | 17 | 248 | 5 | 34 |
| Trent Richardson | 263 | 1,583 | 20 | 27 | 327 | 3 | 23 |
| Ron Dayne | 337 | 2,034 | 20 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 20 |
Ball has 39 more rushing yards despite 15 less carries. Richardson has more receptions and receiving yards but Ball’s statistics are actually more productive because he averages fourteen and a half yards per catch, where as Richardson averages a little over twelve. Ball’s 34 total touchdowns is a Big Ten record and ranks second all-time to Barry Sander’s 39. If the voting is based purely on numbers then Montee Ball deserves to be awarded the Heisman, hands down.
Clearly the candidates are not based just on their solo performances but how they impact their team. Richardson is getting a lot of first place votes because he is on a team that will most likely play for a National Championship. If the Badgers never lost a game this season and ranked in the top two then I guarantee Ball would be the favorite to win.
However, if Wisconsin defeats Michigan State in the Big Ten title matchup and Ball has a productive game, I think we will see voters start to change their minds on who the best player is.
Montee Ball deserves a seat in the spotlight and a trip to New York as one of the finalists for the Heisman Trophy.
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