No Respect

Doak Walker Award Finalists (Best RB)
- Mike Hart, Michigan
- Steve Slaton, WVU
- Darren McFadden, Arkansas

Marshawn does not have the stats that these three do. Mostly because of injuries and the fact that he averages under 20 carries a game. Hart gets something like 80 a game and averages 1.5 yards per carry. All these player and Marshawn are deserving of being finalists. But if you want one player to start a team, Marshawn is the man.

Jim Thorpe Award Finalists (Best DB)
- Leon Hall, Michigan
- Reggie Nelson, Florida
- Aaron Ross, Texas

Seriously??? The best DB in the nation, Daymeion Hughes, can't even crack the top 3 for this award. Good job Leon Hall getting torched by OSU on Saturday. You were a real stopper.
Reggie Nelson and Aaron Ross, if you played for different teams we would hardly know you. Hughes was a shut down corner in a pass happy league. He deserves better than this.

Biletnikoff Award Finalists (Best WR)
- Calvin Johnson, Georgia Tech
- Jeff Samardzija, Notre Dame
- Jarett Dillard, Rice

They should change this to the All Rep Award. Both Johnson and JS are finalists based on reputation and hype. They certainly did not have the numbers this year to be up for this award. Let's list some numbers (ranking is based on receiving yards):

Rank Name Games Rec Yards TD
2) Robert Meachem 11 61 1149 10
9) Jarett Dillard 11 76 1031 17
17) Calvin Johnson 11 57 886 13
18) Jeff Samardija 11 64 879 10
22) DeSean Jackson 11 47 852 9

These are some numbers for the top receivers in the nation this year. Obviously, Johnson and Jeff are finalists based on last year's stats. Jackson's stats are very similar to Samardija and Jackson did not have the luxury of piling up numbers against Army, Navy and the Coast Guard. Johnson is the most overrated of the WR. Voters probably have not seen him play especially considering in one of his biggest nationally televised games this season he was shut out, zero catches. Meachem's stats are obviously better than Johnson's against significantly better competition.
This trend does bode well for Cal next year. DeSean should be a lock for making the finalist list for this trophy regardless of his stats next year.