USD Football 1992

Part 4 in a five-part series addressing important issues in college football.

THE I IYPE– SMAN - . - - - - - . 'Ml"

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• • - - - . - - • •• • - . - - . - BY JACKCLARY Heisman Hype has overcome college football's most coveted individual award. Winning the Hei sman Troph y has become a fu ll-time industry that is being trumpeted by the media...and by some schools looking for an opportunity to boast about their program. That is not to say that its imponance is diminished, but the Heisman Hype has. in the minds of many, tarnished the singular nature of this famed honor. A season is barely underway when television and national publications begin a countdown. and stan checking off worthy contenders. much as race track touts go through the day's best bets. Each week USA Today and The Sporti11g News tell us who's hot and who's not. So do other big dailies such as Newsday and The New York Times. The endless televi– sion college football scoreboard shows throw around the term "Heisman Trophy.. as if it was just another adjective. and every player who has a big day suddenly becomes a candidate for the award. Network television has gotten into the • •

Right: Junior Achievement: Herschel Walker won the Heisman as a junior in 1982, not coin– cidentally the same year that his Georgia Bulldogs won the National Championship. Above: Statuesque: A pioneer in foot– ball's forma-

award's name– sake, believed in rewarding the game's best players, plural.

Jack Clary is a regular co11trib11tor a11d a111hor ofseveral books 011 collegefootball.

TOUCHDOWN ILLUSTllATED