Tyrann Mathieu, Robert Griffin III Headline 2011 Blitizies
By Kyle Kensing
Bloggers around the Fansided Network contributed to the inaugural Blitzies — SaturdayBlitz.com’s National College Football Awards. Voters cast ballots for the Football Bowl Subdivision’s Offensive Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Special Teams Player of the Year, Freshman of the Year and Coach of the Year. Voters also submitted their favorite moments of an outstanding 2011 campaign.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Robert Griffin III, Baylor
Don’t call Robert Griffin III a dual threat quarterback. He is one, but the title just doesn’t do him justice. Griffin was among the most efficient passers in the college game, and just happened to complement it with a great rushing presence. He guided the almost annual Big 12 cellar dweller Baylor to nine wins, and is a Heisman finalist.
Runners-Up
Andrew Luck, Stanford
Matt Barkley, USC
Brandon Weeden, Oklahoma State
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Tyrann Mathieu, LSU
It only makes sense Tyrann Mathieu stripped away balls like he was mid-1990s Gary Payton. His six forced fumbles were a cornerstone of the vaunted LSU defense that has the Tigers 13-0 and playing for the BCS Championship, of which Mathieu was also the tackles leader.
Runners-Up
Vinny Curry, Marshall
Dont’a Hightower, Alabama
Morris Claiborne, LSU
Luke Kuechly, Boston College
Jarvis Jones, Georgia
Mark Barron, Alabama
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Tyrann Mathieu, LSU
Not only is the Honey Badger a phenomenal defensive back, he’s also arguably the most dangerous punt returner in college football. Mathieu solidified his Heisman candidacy, and almost assuredly became the first Blitzies Special Teams Player of the Year, on the strength of his final two weeks.
Runners-Up
Tavon Austin, West Virginia
Jamaal Miles, Arizona State
Joe Adams, Arkansas
Tyler Lockett, Kansas State
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Sammy Watkins, Clemson
For more than half the season, Sammy Watkins was a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate. That’s almost unheard of for a true freshman, and certainly worthy of claiming the Blitzies Freshman of the Year. Watkins finished his debut campaign with the most receiving yards in a single season by any Tiger wideout. He was also among the most dangerous punt returners in college football.
Runners-Up
Brett Smith, Wyoming
JaDeveon Clowney, South Carolina
Marqise Lee, USC
COACH OF THE YEAR: Bill Snyder, Kansas State
Not one major publication or website had Kansas State tabbed for No. 2 in the Big 12 Conference or anywhere near the BCS radar. That in and of itself would be enough to land Bill Snyder the Blitzies Coach of the Year, but add that at 71 he began the year as the oldest head coach (and is now *the* oldest active) and it makes this season that much more impressive. Snyder won in old school fashion, employing a ball control style that clashed perfectly with the rest of the free wheeling conference.
Runners-Up
Brady Hoke, Michigan
Lane Kiffin, USC
David Shaw, Stanford
Dana Holgorsen, West Virginia
- OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
– Brandon Weeden, Oklahoma State
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
– Tyrann Mathieu, LSU
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
-Tavon Austin, West Virginia
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
– JaDeveon Clowney, South Carolina
COACH OF THE YEAR
-Dana Holgorsen, West Virginia
MOMENT OF THE YEAR Iowa State beating Oklahoma State in 2OT
- OPOY- RG3
DPOY- Mo Claiborne
STPOY- Joe Adams
FOY- Sammy Watkins
HCOY- Brady Hoke
- Griffin III
Mathieu
Mathieu
Smith
Snyder
Moment of the year — Keith Nichol catching the hail mary winner against Wisconsin as time expired. Great catch, but the replay suspense made it even that much better for fans in the stadium and on TV.
- Offense: RG3
Defense: Mathieu
ST: Mathieu
Coach:Shaw
Moment: RG3’s final TD pass to beat Oklahoma with seconds left.
- Offensive POY: Robert Griffin III
Defensive POY: Tyran Mathieu
ST POY: Tyler Lockett
Fresh POY: Sammy Watkins
Coach: Bill Snyder
Joe Suhoski, SaturdayBlitz.com
- Offensive POY – Robert Griffin III (please don’t call him RG3!)
Defensive POY – Tyrann Mathieu
ST POY – Tyrann Mathieu
Freshman – JaDeveon Clowney
Coach – Bill Snyder
Moment of the year (tie) – Michigan State’s hail mary against Wisconsin; last couple minutes of Michigan against Notre Dame
GoJoeBruin.com, The110Report.com
- Offensive Player of the Year: Andrew Luck, Stanford
Defensive Player of the Year: Dont’a Hightower, Alabama
- OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
– Andrew Luck, Stanford
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
– Mark Barron, Alabama
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
– Tyler Lockett, Kansas State
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
– Sammy Watkins, Clemson
- Offensive POY: Griffin
Defensive POY: Kuechly (homer vote)
ST POY: Mathieu
Freshman: Lee
Coach: Kiffin
Moments of the year: (1) Michigan State Hail Mary to beat Wisconsin, (2) Iowa State beats Oklahoma State in 2OT
Seth Saunders, SaturdayBlitz.com
- Offensive: RG3
Defensive: Jarvis Jones
Special Teams: Honey Badger (Tyrann Mathieu)
Freshman: Sammy Watkins
Coach: Bill Snyder
Moment – kind of a mix of two. In consecutive weeks, Wisco lost on
hail Mary’s by Mich. St. and Ohio st.
Knock down those 2 balls and
Russel Wilson and montee ball and the badgers are heading to Nola to
take on a differrnt kind of badger and the Cajun nation. They were 12
seconds from being undefeated.
Kyle Kensing
- Offensive: Robert Griffin III
Defensive: Vinny Curry
Special Teams: Tyrann Mathieu
Freshman: Sammy Watkins
Coach: Bill Snyder
Moment:
Kyle Anderson, SaturdayBlitz.com
- Offensive: Matt Barkley, USC
Defensive: Tyrann Mathieu, LSU
Special Teams: Jamal Miles, Arizona State
Freshman: Marqise Lee, USC
Coach: Bill Snyder
Jeff Twining, SaturdayBlitz.com
- OFFENSIVE PLAYER: RGIII, ’nuff said. Runners-up: Montee Ball, Case Keenum
DEFENSIVE PLAYER: Vinny Curry. Sure, Tyrann Mathieu and the big-time schools get most of the attention but check out these numbers for a Defensive End…you know how I love D-ends… 72 total tackles: of those 72, 21 were tackles for a loss and another 11 were sacks (I believe sacks don’t count toward TFL’s). Not only that, but he forced 6 fumbles, blocked three kicks and got one safety. Those are incredible numbers. Runners-up: Nordly Capi (finished the year poorly) Tyrann Mathieu
SPECIAL TEAMS: Tyrann Mathieu. He may not have made the biggest impact on the season as a whole…but what I like from a return guy is someone who doesn’t succedd because of the sheer number of opportunities, but somebody who uses special teams to make an impact on a game when it is needed. I saw that from Mathieu and boasting a 16+ yards-per-punt-return and seeing him abuse punt coverage units…he gets my pick. Runner-up: Sammy Watkins
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Sammy Watkins. That dude had a huge impact on helping Clemson get to 8-0. Plus, I cry when I watch him carry the ball high-and-tight – he is PERFECTIOOOON.
COACH OF THE YEAR: At first I was thinking David Shaw, based on how he was able to follow Harbaugh and not lose a beat. Then I remembered that he had Andrew Luck. You know who didn’t have Andrew Luck in his first year on the job? Brady Hoke. I think any coach that can get 10 wins out of a Denard Robinson led offense in year one deserves this award. Runner-up: Dave Christenson, Lane Kiffin
Offensive Player of the Year
Andrew Luck
Defensive Player of the Year
Dont’a Hightower
Special Teams Player of the Year
Tyrann Mathieu
Freshman of the Year
Sammy Watkins
Coach of the Year
Brady Hoke
Moment of the Year
Notre Dame at Michigan game where 3 touchdowns were score in less than 90 seconds. Michigan won the game with :08 seconds to go from a Denard Robinson pass to Roy Roundtree in the corner of the endzone.
What a great game and what a party afterwards and I can say I was there.