The Herbie Awards

[Bull Dozer]

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/preview08/news/story?id=3548678

With the kickoff to the college football season just days away, it's time to step back and celebrate the players, coaches, color and pageantry of the sport. And for the eighth straight year, the Herbie Awards will try to do just that.

This list has everything to do with the playmakers, the difference-makers and, in short, all that's great about college football. Herbies are given to the best college football players, coaches, teams and fans from across the nation.

Also, this is just my list. These are my choices and not everyone will agree. That's the beauty of it. Let the second-guessing begin.

So, without further ado, here are the eighth annual Herbie Awards:

Best Running Backs -- The Veterans

1. Chris Wells, Ohio State

2. Knowshon Moreno, Georgia

3. DeMarco Murray, Oklahoma

4. LeSean McCoy, Pitt

5. James Davis, Clemson

6. Javon Ringer, Michigan State

Best Running Backs -- The Next Wave

1. Joe McKnight, Southern California

2. Noel Devine, West Virginia

3. Mike Goodson, Texas A&M

4. Chris Rainey, Florida

5. Mike Ford, South Florida

Best Wide Receivers

1. Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech

2. Brandon Gibson, Washington State

3. Aaron Kelly, Clemson

4. Brian Robiskie, Ohio State

5. Demetrius Byrd, LSU

6. Mike Thomas, Arizona

Hybrid -- Can Do It All

1. Jeremy Maclin, Missouri

2. Percy Harvin, Florida

3. Arrelious Benn, Illinois

4. Jacoby Ford, Clemson

5. Brandon Saine, Ohio State

Dream Offensive Line -- The Hogmollies

1. Andre Smith, T, Alabama

2. Alex Boone, T, Ohio State

3. Jonathan Luigs, C, Arkansas

4. Duke Robinson, G, Oklahoma

5. Herman Johnson, G, LSU

Best Tight Ends

1. Jermaine Gresham, Oklahoma

2. Rob Gronkowski, Arizona

3. Travis Beckum, Wisconsin

4. Richard Dickson, LSU

5. Brandon Warren, Tennessee

Best Quarterbacks -- Old School: Classic Dropback Style

1. Matt Stafford, Georgia

2. Sam Bradford, Oklahoma

3. Curtis Painter, Purdue

4. Nate Davis, Ball State

5. Willie Tuitama, Arizona

Best QBs: New School -- Spread Offense -- Run and Throw

1. Tim Tebow, Florida

2. Chase Daniel, Missouri

3. Pat White, West Virginia

4. Matt Grothe, South Florida

5. Jake Locker, Washington

6. Dan LeFevour, Central Michigan

Quarterbacks -- What A Difference A Year Makes

1. Mark Sanchez, Southern California

2. Todd Boeckman, Ohio State

3. Jimmy Clausen, Notre Dame

4. Jonathan Crompton, Tennessee

5. Cullen Harper, Clemson

6. Kevin Riley, Cal

Defensive Ends -- Sack Masters (could have gone 15 deep!)

1. Tyson Jackson, LSU

2. George Selvie, South Florida

3. Jeremy Lomax, Georgia

4. Auston English, Oklahoma

5. Ricky Sapp, Clemson

6. Brandon Graham, Michigan

7. Brian Orakpo, Texas

Defensive Tackles -- Not Your Everyday Run-stuffers

1. Ricky Jean-Francois, LSU

2. DeMarcus Granger, Oklahoma

3. Mitch King, Iowa

4. Geno Atkins, Georgia

5. Sen'Derrick Marks, Auburn

Outside Linebackers -- All Over The Field

1. Brian Cushing, Southern California

2. Marcus Freeman, Ohio State

3. Zack Follett, Cal

4. Ryan Reynolds, Oklahoma

5. Eric Norwood, South Carolina

6. Martez Wilson, Illinois

Inside Linebackers -- Definition Of The Position

1. Jasper Brinkley, South Carolina

2. James Laurinaitis, Ohio State

3. Rey Maualuga, USC

4. Brandon Spikes, Florida

5. Dannell Ellerbe, Georgia

Cornerbacks -- Just Throw The Other Way

1. Malcolm Jenkins, Ohio State

2. Vontae Davis, Illinois

3. Jairus Byrd, Oregon

4. Walter Thurmond, Oregon

5. Josh Pinkard, Southern California

6. Victor "Macho" Harris, Virginia Tech

Safeties -- These Guys Belong On A Poster

1. Taylor Mays, Southern California

2. Eric Berry, Tennessee

3. Chad Jones, LSU

4. William Moore, Missouri

5. Patrick Chung, Oregon

Return Stars

1. Brandon James, Florida

2. Jeremy Maclin, Missouri

3. Jahvid Best, Cal

4. Deon Murphy, Kansas State

5. A.J. Wallace, Penn State

Top True Freshmen -- From High School To The Big Time

A.J. Green, WR, Georgia

Terrelle Pryor, QB, Ohio State

Darrell Scott, RB, Colorado

Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame

DaQuan Bowers, DE, Clemson

Marcus Forston, DT, Miami

Richard Samuel, RB, Georgia

What's My Name -- Household Names By September's End

Keiland Williams, RB, LSU

Markus White, DE, Florida State

Chris Rainey, RB, Florida

Derrick Washington, RB, Missouri

Damian Williams, WR, Southern California

Everson Griffen, DE, Southern California

Joe Ganz, QB, Nebraska

Jamere Holland, WR, Oregon

Players Who Don't Get Enough Respect

(Don't Worry Fellas, I've Got Your Back)

Entire Wake Forest football team, including head coach Jim Grobe

Nick Reed, DE, Oregon

Stafon Johnson, RB, Southern California

Brian Hartline, WR, Ohio State

Chris Brown, RB, Oklahoma

Sean Weatherspoon, LB, Missouri

Brian Johnson, QB, Utah

Going Bowling -- First Time In A While

1. Arizona

2. Ole Miss

3. North Carolina

4. Pitt

5. UNLV

Movin' On Up

1. Nebraska

2. Notre Dame

3. Arizona

4. Florida State

5. Miami

6. Ole Miss

Headin' On Down

1. Hawaii

2. Kentucky

3. Virginia

4. Arkansas

5. Kansas

6. Virginia Tech

Conference Picks -- Mark It Down

CONFERENCE CHAMP SLEEPER

ACC Atlantic Clemson Wake Forest

ACC Coastal Miami North Carolina

ACC Champ Clemson

Big East USF Connecticut

Big Ten Ohio State Penn State/Michigan State

Big 12 North Missouri Nebraska

Big 12 South Oklahoma Texas

Big 12 Champ Oklahoma

Pac-10 USC Arizona

SEC East Florida Tennessee

SEC West Auburn Ole Miss

SEC Champ Florida

C-USA Champ Tulsa

MAC Champ Central Michigan

Mountain West Champ Utah

Sun Belt Champ Florida Atlantic

WAC Champ Fresno State

Top Playcallers -- Based On Projected Player Personnel

1. Dan Mullen, Florida

2. Chip Kelly, Oregon

3. Dave Christensen, Missouri

4. Mike Bobo, Georgia

5. Steve Sarkisian, Southern California

6. Kevin Wilson, Oklahoma

7. Frank Cignetti, Cal

Top Defenses And The Geniuses Behind Them

1. Pete Carroll, USC

2. Willie Martinez, Georgia

3. Will Muschamp, Texas

4. Jim Heacock, Ohio State

5. Tom Bradley, Penn State

6. Paul Rhoads, Auburn

7. Vic Koenning, Clemson

Coaches Whose Teams Will Shine Coaches Who Will Exceed Expectations

1. Urban Meyer, Florida 1. Bo Pelini, Nebraska

2. Pete Carroll, USC 2. Charlie Weis, Notre Dame

3. Jim Tressel, Ohio State 3. Butch Davis, North Carolina

4. Mark Richt, Georgia 4. Mike Stoops, Arizona

5. Bob Stoops, Oklahoma 5. Randy Shannon, MIami

6. Gary Pinkel, Missouri 6. Mike Riley, Oregon State

Head Coaches-In-Waiting

1. Will Muschamp, Texas

2. Steve Sarkisian, Southern California

3. Paul Chryst, Wisconsin

4. DeWayne Walker, UCLA

5. Dan Mullen, Florida

6. Mike Locksley, Illinois

New Coaches -- Instant Success New Coaches -- Will Take Some Time

Bo Pelini, Nebraska Rick Neuheisel, UCLA

Rich Rodriguez, Michigan Bobby Petrino, Arkansas

Bill Stewart, West Virginia Paul Johnson, Georgia Tech

Houston Nutt, Ole Miss Paul Wulff, Washington State

June Jones, SMU

Best Student Sections

1. Penn State -- If you haven't been to Happy Valley in the fall, you're missing out on one of the great happenings in all of sports. Quite simply the loudest, most supportive student section in college football.

2. Florida -- Still the loudest place to watch a college football game for four quarters. With Tim Tebow chasing a second Heisman and the Gators chasing a national title, I wouldn't want to be a visiting team at the Swamp in 2008.

3. LSU -- Typically, in most stadiums, the student section challenges the rest of the stadium to cheer at a certain level. At Tiger Stadium, that has never been the case. The everyday fans are just as crazy as the students, and because of that, the LSU student body has never been mentioned in the Herbies. But after two trips last year and seeing them a third time in the title game, this student section doesn't have to take a backseat to anybody.

4. Ohio State -- Over the past five years, the Buckeyes' home field has proved to be one of the toughest places to play in the country. New student seating configuration with 15,000 students at each end zone will create an even more hostile environment at the Shoe.

5. Oregon -- It looks like "GameDay" answered my call last year as we visited Eugene twice. And my memories were substantiated and then some. The place is louder and nastier than I remember it. Good luck winning there.

All-Uni Team -- What A College Football Team Should Look Like

Offensive Team Defensive Team

QB - Tim Tebow, Florida DE - Tyson Jackson, LSU

RB - James Davis, Clemson (offensive captain) DE - Carlos Dunlap, Florida

RB - Chris Wells, Ohio State DT - Ricky Jean-Francois, LSU

RB - DeMarco Murray, Oklahoma DT - DeMarcus Granger, Oklahoma

WR - Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech LB - Rey Maualuga, Southern California

WR - Jeremy Maclin, Missouri LB - Martez Wilson, Illinois

WR - Arrelious Benn, Illinois LB - James Laurinaitis, Ohio State

TE - Jermaine Gresham, Oklahoma LB - Zack Follett, Cal

T - Andre Smith, Alabama S - William Moore, Missouri

T - Alex Boone, Ohio State S - Taylor Mays, Southern California (defensive captain)

G - Herman Johnson, LSU CB - Vontae Davis, Illinois

G - Anthony Parker, Tennessee CB - Malcolm Jenkins, Ohio State

C - Alex Mack, Cal

Sites "GameDay" Must Get To (I'm not quitting until we visit)

1. Georgia Enough is enough. Can we please get to Athens? We haven't been there since 1998. That's WAY too long.

2. Missouri

3. Washington

4. California

5. West Virginia

Favorite Restaurants

1. Lil' Dooey (Starkville, Miss.): Still the undisputed champion. I've been saying it for years: It has the best barbecue and the friendliest service in America.

2. Mark's U.S. Prime (Gainesville, Fla.): After years of eating at Arby's every time "GameDay" visited, I was introduced to Mark's U.S. Prime two years ago. I was reminded again in the spring what a great meal can be had there.

3. El Arroyo (Austin, Texas): Much like Lil' Dooey, it's a local authentic restaurant, in this case, Tex-Mex. I go there every time I'm in Austin, and it never gets old.

4. Ruffino's (Baton Rouge, La.): Are you kidding me with the crabmeat cheesecake appetizer? A great mix of Italian with a Cajun twist.

5. Chuck's (Tuscaloosa, Ala.): Sushi and scenery.

6. Hyde Park Steakhouse (Columbus, Ohio): Hometown favorite. Best steak you'll ever have and an outstanding atmosphere.

In a special class of its own: Emeril's (New Orleans): This was probably the best meal I have ever had. I don't know where to begin. Starting with the barbecue shrimp to the salmon on cornbread (and whatever other appetizers we ordered) to the ridiculous entrées and unreal dessert spread -- highlighted by the banana crème pie and the sweet potato cheesecake -- it was a night to remember. Emeril himself came from the kitchen to greet our table, help serve and talk football. Can't beat that!

Edited by JimUSFSig for format

[cmhatter]

if ford actually tried at practice he'd get enough carries to legitimize those awards

[deters-]

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/preview08/news/story?id=3548678

Some USF players on the list.

[TheBullies]

http://thebullspen.com/index.php?topic=51393.0

[ctbrown24]

I wonder why Selvie isn't on his 'What a college team should look like' category.

[amie_abull]

Sites "GameDay" Must Get To (I'm not quitting until we visit)

1. Georgia Enough is enough. Can we please get to Athens? We haven't been there since 1998. That's WAY too long.

2. Missouri

3. Washington

4. California

5. West Virginia

Edited by JimUSFSig for format

12-06-2008 would work for me!!!!!!!!!!!