Before seeing this post, I actually put $2 on Purdy and it was 750-1 odds. Said $2 would win $1500 (and some change), so it is actually 750-1. Don't think he will win (and my bet cashes), but I had some extra money from the NBA Opening Night promo they did so figured why not.
Purdy ESPN Heisman List #7
- Thread starter Scruff
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Before seeing this post, I actually put $2 on Purdy and it was 750-1 odds. Said $2 would win $1500 (and some change), so it is actually 750-1. Don't think he will win (and my bet cashes), but I had some extra money from the NBA Opening Night promo they did so figured why not.
Troy finishing 5th in 1995 and 2nd in 1996 was an Amazing Feat! Did not mind that he lost to Danny Wuerffel - who set a record for QB rating efficiency and threw for 5 TD passes against the #1 ranked pass defense (Alabama) in the SEC Championship Game. I wanted Troy to win, but Danny was very worthy. At least he lost to somebody at a different position.
The problem with Troy was the era and where Iowa State was at in those days, we have come a long way since then. You put Troy on one of the teams the last couple years or this years team, he wins. You put him on a 9 win ISU team, he wins. It has never really been about the actual player, it is only the best player on the best teams.
What Troy did was way more impressive in those days, with how terrible we really were, and how bad our blocking was for him. But we handed him the ball 40 times and away he went. And with the very minimal TV coverage ISU got in those days. It took a lot for people to even know who he was.
Troy was great, but his blocking was not terrible. ISU had offensive linemen who were decent run blockers but highly suspect blocking for the pass. Tim Kohn made all conference teams in 1995 and '96, with Pat Augafa joining him in '96. The receivers on that team also were dialed in on blocking for the run as you might suspect when they have that good of a back to block for.
In addition the defense on those teams was as big of a problem as anything. ISU's average score in '95 was 24-37 and in '96 it was 28-36. In those days before everyone in the conference was running a spread, 28 points a game should have been good enough to win more than 2 games.
Lamar Jackson won it a Louisville and that team ended up 9-4 and ranked #20. They lost their last 2 regular season games and their bowl game as well, so they were ranked as high as #3.
Purdy would need to be statistically phenomenal and ISU would need to get to or most likely win the Big 12 Championship.
Yes, ISU had maulers that could run block, good FB play and TEs that could run block. Run blocking was far better in Troys days than what Montgomery had. The league was more defense-oriented in Troys day, though.
I heard from @UNI1ISU2 ESPN sources that Stanley was never a realistic possibility to get an invite to New York. There were serious concerns that the camera man wouldn't be able to fit Stanley in the whole shot.
Keep in mind that the Heisman is awarded before bowl season so a bowl game loss or win and any post bowl ranking isn't in the equation.
Personally I think the Heisman is a joke. When a guy has back to back 2000 yard seasons and doesn't win it. And we all know who that was !!!! It became a popularity award. Don't pay much attention to it anymore. I understand him getting passed up the first year .....but the second year ....come on.
Keep in mind that he did it with true 11 game seasons. He didn't get to play in a bowl game but bowl game stats weren't included in season stats at that time anyway. Today there is a 12 game regular season along with conference championship games and a bowl game or even a 2 game playoff. So many of today's 2000 yard rushers are doing it in 13-15 games.
There are only two instances where a player has only played 11 games and rushed for 2000 yards. In both instances the player was wearing a cardinal and gold #28.
Heck, the only players to only play 12 games and get more yards in a season than Troy did in '96 were Tomlinson, Williams, Allen and Sanders. It probably should say it all that I didn't have to identify the first names of those players.
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I was also looking at a list that had all of the bowl game numbers added back in which put Tomlinson and Williams ahead of Troy but without the bowls (11 games) they were behind him. Marcus Allen also was ahead of Troy without the bowl and just 11 games.
I was not trying to throw shade at Marcus and Barry. Both were better backs than Troy.
I had a family member that worked at ISU who could score field passes during the TD era. I was in jr high/early high school and remember thinking, how in the hell does anyone tackle this guy. I can remember teams were always pumped up and tackled decent early in the game but as it wore on, their will just disappeared, they didn't want any of him. I remember one particular play against KU (I think), TD was slowing up near the sideline to go out of bounds, a DB flew in, hit him directly on his thigh pad, put a great hit on him but he just bounced off and fell to the ground. About 10 of us fans just laughed right in his face, TD just kind of looked down at him and tossed the ball the refs. Just a beast.
Gotta replace 4 seniors that start or play sig. Minutes. Tall task. OL hasnt been stellar, but hall has been excellent at using what he has been given.
I wish I could find the quote but one opposing defender was quoted as saying that tackling Troy was like trying to tackle a cube.
I think I have a surprise for you. Iowa State, Matt Campbell, Brock Purdy and kids like Breece Hall are blossoming into media darlings right before our eyes.
Keep on winning, win big, and ISU is going to be a Cinderella story media darling for everyone.
I remember TD would injure people on runs. Not just DBs but linebackers and linemen. I don't think I've ever seen a RB truck people the way TD did.
