Walter Payton Award, a Big Joke?

[Wildcat Ryan]

There are 3 finalist for the Walter Payton Award, and one of them will win it on Dec. 18th


James Madison Quarterback- Rodney Landers

Appalachian State Quarterback- Armanti Edwards

Western Illinois Runningback- Herb Donaldson

Thier Numbers:

JMU QB- 2,905 All purpose yards and 18 tds

APP St QB- 3,517 all purpose yards, and 29 Tds

WIU RB- 1,860 all purpose yards, and 21 TDs Impressive numbers?

Cameron Higgins the Quarterback for the Weber State Wildcats had more yards than all of them, and finished 6th. Cameron Higgins has 4,207 all purpose yards and 36 tds. Those numbers are far superior to all 3 of the finalists listed above. Nobody has done more for thier team this year than Cameron Higgins.

Trevyn Smith the runningback for Weber State, a player not even nominated for the Walter Payton award, has 2,130 all purpose yards, and 27 tds. He leads the nation in rushing tds.

Somebody got Screwed

And they cant use the excuse that Higgins or Smith arent seniors, cause neither is Edwards.

[dbackjon]

Weber was cursed by the not-ranked at the begining of the year curse.

[grizzaholic]

It is ok, he will have 2 more chances and I fully expect him to get one before he graduates.

[Col Hogan]

I don't want to say I told you so....but I told you so...

[Mvemjsunpx]

You could argue Higgins should be a finalist, be Edwards should win the thing.

Here are the numbers (incl. the first round). Keep in mind Edwards missed a game, too.

• Completion % - CH: 67.2%; AE: 64.2%
  
  Passing Yards - CH: 4190; AE: 2579
  
  Avg/Att - CH: 9.88; AE: 9.73
  
  TD Passes - CH: 36; AE: 29
  
  TD % - CH: 8.5%; AE: 10.9%
  
  Interceptions - CH: 12; AE: 4
  
  INT % - CH: 2.8%; AE: 1.5%
  
  Efficiency Rating - CH: 172.6; AE: 179.0
  
  Rushing Yards - CH: (-)89; AE: 938
  
  Yards Per Carry - CH: (-)1.8; AE: 5.1
  
  Rushing TDs - CH: 2; AE: 10
  
  Total Offense - CH: 4101; AE: 3517
  
  Total TDs - CH: 38; AE: 39

The underlined stats are the main reason Edwards should beat Higgins.

[UNI T]

There are 3 finalist for the Walter Payton Award, and one of them will win it on Dec. 18th


James Madison Quarterback- Rodney Landers

Appalachian State Quarterback- Armanti Edwards

Western Illinois Runningback- Herb Donaldson

Thier Numbers:

JMU QB- 2,905 All purpose yards and 18 tds

APP St QB- 3,517 all purpose yards, and 29 Tds

WIU RB- 1,860 all purpose yards, and 21 TDs Impressive numbers?

Cameron Higgins the Quarterback for the Weber State Wildcats had more yards than all of them, and finished 6th. Cameron Higgins has 4,207 all purpose yards and 36 tds. Those numbers are far superior to all 3 of the finalists listed above. Nobody has done more for thier team this year than Cameron Higgins.

Trevyn Smith the runningback for Weber State, a player not even nominated for the Walter Payton award, has 2,130 all purpose yards, and 27 tds. He leads the nation in rushing tds.

Somebody got Screwed

And they cant use the excuse that Higgins or Smith arent seniors, cause neither is Edwards.

Have you seen this dude play?

#3 RB Herb Donaldson, 5-11, 225, Sr., St. Louis, Mo. (CBC)
Led all of Division I in both rushing (162.2 ypg) and scoring (12.0 ppg)... set the conference record for career rushing yards and career 100-yard games... 1,784 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns are fifth in the league's single-season record book... had nine 100-yard games and four 200-yard games... owns four of the nation's top 22 rushing games this year... conference player of the week three times and national player of the week once... ranks ninth in the country in all-purpose yardage (169.1 ypg).

[godukes]

There are 3 finalist for the Walter Payton Award, and one of them will win it on Dec. 18th


James Madison Quarterback- Rodney Landers

Appalachian State Quarterback- Armanti Edwards

Western Illinois Runningback- Herb Donaldson

Thier Numbers:

JMU QB- 2,905 All purpose yards and 18 tds

APP St QB- 3,517 all purpose yards, and 29 Tds

WIU RB- 1,860 all purpose yards, and 21 TDs Impressive numbers?

Cameron Higgins the Quarterback for the Weber State Wildcats had more yards than all of them, and finished 6th. Cameron Higgins has 4,207 all purpose yards and 36 tds. Those numbers are far superior to all 3 of the finalists listed above. Nobody has done more for thier team this year than Cameron Higgins.

Trevyn Smith the runningback for Weber State, a player not even nominated for the Walter Payton award, has 2,130 all purpose yards, and 27 tds. He leads the nation in rushing tds.

Somebody got Screwed

And they cant use the excuse that Higgins or Smith arent seniors, cause neither is Edwards.

First, you have to get something straight. Landers doesn't have 18TDs; he has 33TDs. Landers also has to play in the toughest conference. Plus, for Landers and Edwards; those all purpose yards might not look too impressive from a QB, but most of those yards come from running the ball.

[native]

There are 3 finalist for the Walter Payton Award, and one of them will win it on Dec. 18th

James Madison Quarterback- Rodney Landers

Appalachian State Quarterback- Armanti Edwards

Western Illinois Runningback- Herb Donaldson

Thier Numbers:

JMU QB- 2,905 All purpose yards and 18 tds

APP St QB- 3,517 all purpose yards, and 29 Tds

WIU RB- 1,860 all purpose yards, and 21 TDs Impressive numbers?

Cameron Higgins the Quarterback for the Weber State Wildcats had more yards than all of them, and finished 6th. Cameron Higgins has 4,207 all purpose yards and 36 tds. Those numbers are far superior to all 3 of the finalists listed above. Nobody has done more for thier team this year than Cameron Higgins.

Trevyn Smith the runningback for Weber State, a player not even nominated for the Walter Payton award, has 2,130 all purpose yards, and 27 tds. He leads the nation in rushing tds.

Somebody got Screwed

And they cant use the excuse that Higgins or Smith arent seniors, cause neither is Edwards.

I love Cam and would not trade him, but Higgins threw four INTs to blow the EWU game.

Take us to the finals and then we can talk! ...Maybe next year!

Nobody at WSU got screwed. No whining.

[Wildcat Ryan]

James Madison QB has 18 tds THIS YEAR,
Cameron Higgins has 36 tds THIS YEAR.

Yeah having a running Quarterback is great and all, but I would take a passing Quarterback over a running quarterback anyday.

Running Qb's have not been sucessful in the NFL.

[BigApp]

Yeah having a running Quarterback is great and all, but I would take a passing Quarterback over a running quarterback anyday.

good! You keep your "passing Quarterback" and I'll keep ours. We'll see who finishes with more championships.

Running Qb's have not been sucessful in the NFL.

great thing is, this isn't the NFL, it's college.

[godukes]

James Madison QB has 18 tds THIS YEAR,
Cameron Higgins has 36 tds THIS YEAR.

Yeah having a running Quarterback is great and all, but I would take a passing Quarterback over a running quarterback anyday.

Running Qb's have not been sucessful in the NFL.

Are you ever going to get your facts straight???? Landers has 33TDs(18passing, 15 rushing)
Plus, Higgins competition in the conference he is in, is much easier.

[Col Hogan]

James Madison QB has 18 tds THIS YEAR,
Cameron Higgins has 36 tds THIS YEAR.

Yeah having a running Quarterback is great and all, but I would take a passing Quarterback over a running quarterback anyday.

Running Qb's have not been sucessful in the NFL.

Are you ever going to get your facts straight???? Landers has 33TDs(18passing, 15 rushing)
Plus, Higgins competition in the conference he is in, is much easier.

His QB doesn't have those "rushing" TDs, so they shouldn't count...

[ASUMountaineer]

James Madison QB has 18 tds THIS YEAR,
Cameron Higgins has 36 tds THIS YEAR.

Yeah having a running Quarterback is great and all, but I would take a passing Quarterback over a running quarterback anyday.

Running Qb's have not been sucessful in the NFL.

Just some thoughts...

1) Randall Cunningham, Mike Vick (for a while, what an idiot), Steve McNair (to an extent)--same with Warren Moon (those are as QBs). Then you have guys like Antaawn Randle-El who was a college QB and now is a multi-tasker in the NFL.

2) What may happen in the future has no (and shouldn't) bearing on the award. Especially since not many FCS QBs have huge impacts. We're seeing the rise of Flacco (a FBS transfer) and Romo (former Payton winner) do well, and of course we all know about McNair who finished third in the Heisman, if I'm not mistaken. Unfortunately, usually only the absolute best in FCS get a chance. I'm glad to see Thigpen getting a chance, and we all know about Rich Gannon.

3) I guess, by your standards, Hansbrough shouldn't have won player of the year last year in Bball because he will probably not be real successful in the NBA, or Christian Laettener for that reason. Come on, you have to take all TD's into account, not just the ones you want to benefit your argument. Hey, football originally didn't have passing, and QB's frequently ran throughout the history of football.

[Wildcat Ryan]

Whatever JMU's QB's stats are it doesnt matter, they are not as good as Higgins's numbers.

How can you say the CAA is tougher than the Big Sky?

How many Big Sky teams did the CAA beat this year?

[godukes]

Whatever JMU's QB's stats are it doesnt matter, they are not as good as Higgins's numbers.

How can you say the CAA is tougher than the Big Sky?

How many Big Sky teams did the CAA beat this year?

Well, JMU has lost ZERO games to FCS. 6 teams from the CAA were in the top 25 at seasons end. 5 CAA teams made the playoffs. No conference has had 5 teams from their conference make the playoffs the same year except for last year and that was the CAA. 4 out of the 5 caa teams from the 16 teams in the playoffs have made it to the final 8. It's common sense that the CAA is tougher. Yea I know Weber St. has came out of no where and they are in the top 12. That's great for them. You should be happy. I can't wait until my baseball team(Pittsburgh Pirates) comes out of no where and becomes good. But you got to come down to reality. Plus there is a reason why Higgins didn't make it to the final 3. Personally, I think Edwards is going to win it.

[Appaholic]

Those numbers are far superior to all 3 of the finalists listed above. Nobody has done more for thier team this year than Cameron Higgins.

Let's see.....you include all-purpose yards (which Higgins has more), but do not feel it necessary to include all-purpose TD's....because games are decided by yards and not TD's?

And nobody has done more for their team than Higgins? Let's dissect that......when App was on the ropes against Ga South and needed plays, Armanti delivers a win.....when Weber plays EWU with a chance to win the BSC outright, the first time someone not named Griz can win the conference in 18yrs(?), Higgins coughs up 4 interceptions to allow a monumental 2nd half comeback and share the conf title with, yes, the Griz again......In three years, Armanti Edwards has led his team to 3 conf championships (shared one last year) and two national titles while working on a possible third.....Higgins couldn't lead his team to an outright conf title and are traveling to Montana this weekend despite his impressive numbers....

This is not to diminish Higgin's accomplishments in any way, but to say he was screwed when he loses out to proven commodities like Landers and Edwards....well, that's just crazy talk....

[weberwildcat]

they dont want weber winning stuff since the west doesnt care about FCS and the FCS doenst care about the west....

maybe next year, as a jr, higgins can throw for 5,000 yds and 50 TD's and maybe make the top 3.

[Col Hogan]

they dont want weber winning stuff since the west doesnt care about FCS and the FCS doenst care about the west....

maybe next year, as a jr, higgins can throw for 5,000 yds and 50 TD's and maybe make the top 3.

FCS schools, as a whole, care about all FCS partners in the country...to say The FCS doesn't care about the west is simply nonsence...

Eric Myer and Tony Romo both won the Payton Award...both from schools west of the Mississippi...

We can't help it there are hundreds of miles between schools...that your travel costs prohibit a strong OOC schedule...and prohibits eastern schools from coming out there...

That doesn't mean we don't care...

[Mountaineer]

Those numbers are far superior to all 3 of the finalists listed above. Nobody has done more for thier team this year than Cameron Higgins.

Let's see.....you include all-purpose yards (which Higgins has more), but do not feel it necessary to include all-purpose TD's....because games are decided by yards and not TD's?

And nobody has done more for their team than Higgins? Let's dissect that......when App was on the ropes against Ga South and needed plays, Armanti delivers a win.....when Weber plays EWU with a chance to win the BSC outright, the first time someone not named Griz can win the conference in 18yrs(?), Higgins coughs up 4 interceptions to allow a monumental 2nd half comeback and share the conf title with, yes, the Griz again......In three years, Armanti Edwards has led his team to 3 conf championships (shared one last year) and two national titles while working on a possible third.....Higgins couldn't lead his team to an outright conf title and are traveling to Montana this weekend despite his impressive numbers....

This is not to diminish Higgin's accomplishments in any way, but to say he was screwed when he loses out to proven commodities like Landers and Edwards....well, that's just crazy talk....

[AZGrizFan]

they dont want weber winning stuff since the west doesnt care about FCS and the FCS doenst care about the west....

maybe next year, as a jr, higgins can throw for 5,000 yds and 50 TD's and maybe make the top 3.

FCS schools, as a whole, care about all FCS partners in the country...to say The FCS doesn't care about the west is simply nonsence...

Eric Myer and Tony Romo both won the Payton Award...both from schools west of the Mississippi...

We can't help it there are hundreds of miles between schools...that your travel costs prohibit a strong OOC schedule...and prohibits eastern schools from coming out there...

That doesn't mean we don't care...

No offense, there, Colonel, but just because a school is West of YOU, doesn't make it "West".

Ain't nobody out out here that considers Illinois WEST. And on MY map, Illinois is EAST of the Mississippi.

[Col Hogan]

Let's see.....you include all-purpose yards (which Higgins has more), but do not feel it necessary to include all-purpose TD's....because games are decided by yards and not TD's?

And nobody has done more for their team than Higgins? Let's dissect that......when App was on the ropes against Ga South and needed plays, Armanti delivers a win.....when Weber plays EWU with a chance to win the BSC outright, the first time someone not named Griz can win the conference in 18yrs(?), Higgins coughs up 4 interceptions to allow a monumental 2nd half comeback and share the conf title with, yes, the Griz again......In three years, Armanti Edwards has led his team to 3 conf championships (shared one last year) and two national titles while working on a possible third.....Higgins couldn't lead his team to an outright conf title and are traveling to Montana this weekend despite his impressive numbers....

This is not to diminish Higgin's accomplishments in any way, but to say he was screwed when he loses out to proven commodities like Landers and Edwards....well, that's just crazy talk....

EDIT

[Col Hogan]

FCS schools, as a whole, care about all FCS partners in the country...to say The FCS doesn't care about the west is simply nonsence...

Eric Myer and Tony Romo both won the Payton Award...both from schools west of the Mississippi...

We can't help it there are hundreds of miles between schools...that your travel costs prohibit a strong OOC schedule...and prohibits eastern schools from coming out there...

That doesn't mean we don't care...

No offense, there, Colonel, but just because a school is West of YOU, doesn't make it "West".

Ain't nobody out out here that considers Illinois WEST. And on MY map, Illinois is EAST of the Mississippi.

Hey, Mr. Geography...If you are west of Albany NY, you are west to me...

OK, Eastern ILL ain't west of the Mississipi...but it is west of the 50% line for FCS schools...

[Llamaguy]

Looks like Superman's cape has been officially passed for 2008. Or lets say Armanti "the great" passed his way out-of the Payton race today. Rodney Landers had his usual ho-hum 146yrd rushing and a TD + 3 TDs passing in the semi-finals. A far cry from 4 picks against a team from that conference with "how many teams in the quarters, and semis? Guess there was something to that head-to-head meeting in September. There will be no rematch as Rodney will be playing on Sundays next year. Enjoy the offseason as there is always 2009 for Armanti's army to win it all again.

[Appaholic]

Looks like Superman's cape has been officially passed for 2008. Or lets say Armanti "the great" passed his way out-of the Payton race today. Rodney Landers had his usual ho-hum 146yrd rushing and a TD + 3 TDs passing in the semi-finals. A far cry from 4 picks against a team from that conference with "how many teams in the quarters, and semis? Guess there was something to that head-to-head meeting in September. There will be no rematch as Rodney will be playing on Sundays next year. Enjoy the offseason as there is always 2009 for Armanti's army to win it all again.

If Landers leads his team to the finals, he deserves the award this year...Armanti has a chance next year..

[Mvemjsunpx]

If Landers leads his team to the finals, he deserves the award this year...Armanti has a chance next year..

Lucky for Armanti they already voted before the playoffs.