BleedGopher
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per CBS:
1. Allow voters to discuss their ballots beforehand. Heisman voters used to be allowed to do this only a few short years ago. During the season, websites and newspapers would take straw polls of Heisman voters to find out where things stood. There'd be stories written about the results, and it kept people talking about the award all season long. The Heisman then mandated its voters stopped doing this. The reasoning behind it was that it spoiled the outcome, and drama was desired.
Well, there hasn't been much drama in the Silent Age of Heisman Voting, but even if there had been, I think the rule is a disservice to the award.
In this age of social media, when we are taking in more information on a daily basis, and doing it at lightning speed, it's easy for something to be forgotten. Without as much discussion about the Heisman going on, that's exactly what is happening to the award. Voters should be allowed to discuss their ballots just to put the word Heisman in your Twitter timeline, on your Facebook feed, on Instagram, everything. This is a time when more information is available than ever before, and by silencing voters, the Heisman is going against this grain and suffering for it.
2. Allow voters to vote for five players. There are currently three spots available on a Heisman ballot. There are times when that's all you need because there are only three viable candidates. Hell, this year you could argue there was only one, but that made it more difficult to fill out the rest of my ballot. I knew I was going to put Baker Mayfield at No. 1 and Lamar Jackson at No. 2, but that third spot had plenty of potential suitors. I would have liked to include players like Rashaad Penny and Saquon Barkley (I went with Bryce Love) on my ballot because they deserved the recognition for outstanding seasons.
Other than making things easier on voters, though, expanding the ballot would also lead to more finalists for the award, and more candidates. The more available spots there are, the more motivation there is for schools to put together Heisman campaigns for their players. The more campaigning there is, the more Heisman discussion.
The more discussion, the more attention.
3. Allow the public to vote. Now, I'm not saying every college football fan gets an equal vote, but there should be a fan vote. Whether the Heisman would want to break the entire fan vote into one actual Heisman vote or my preferred method of doing it regionally just like it does with current Heisman voters, it needs to happen.
If fans have an actual impact on who wins the award -- even if it's a minor one -- that gives them more reason to care. I mean, look at how fan voting for All-Star games helps drive interest in those games on the professional level. Doing it for the Heisman gives fans some skin in the game.
https://www.cbssports.com/college-f...isman-trophy-matter-more-in-college-football/
Go Gophers!!
1. Allow voters to discuss their ballots beforehand. Heisman voters used to be allowed to do this only a few short years ago. During the season, websites and newspapers would take straw polls of Heisman voters to find out where things stood. There'd be stories written about the results, and it kept people talking about the award all season long. The Heisman then mandated its voters stopped doing this. The reasoning behind it was that it spoiled the outcome, and drama was desired.
Well, there hasn't been much drama in the Silent Age of Heisman Voting, but even if there had been, I think the rule is a disservice to the award.
In this age of social media, when we are taking in more information on a daily basis, and doing it at lightning speed, it's easy for something to be forgotten. Without as much discussion about the Heisman going on, that's exactly what is happening to the award. Voters should be allowed to discuss their ballots just to put the word Heisman in your Twitter timeline, on your Facebook feed, on Instagram, everything. This is a time when more information is available than ever before, and by silencing voters, the Heisman is going against this grain and suffering for it.
2. Allow voters to vote for five players. There are currently three spots available on a Heisman ballot. There are times when that's all you need because there are only three viable candidates. Hell, this year you could argue there was only one, but that made it more difficult to fill out the rest of my ballot. I knew I was going to put Baker Mayfield at No. 1 and Lamar Jackson at No. 2, but that third spot had plenty of potential suitors. I would have liked to include players like Rashaad Penny and Saquon Barkley (I went with Bryce Love) on my ballot because they deserved the recognition for outstanding seasons.
Other than making things easier on voters, though, expanding the ballot would also lead to more finalists for the award, and more candidates. The more available spots there are, the more motivation there is for schools to put together Heisman campaigns for their players. The more campaigning there is, the more Heisman discussion.
The more discussion, the more attention.
3. Allow the public to vote. Now, I'm not saying every college football fan gets an equal vote, but there should be a fan vote. Whether the Heisman would want to break the entire fan vote into one actual Heisman vote or my preferred method of doing it regionally just like it does with current Heisman voters, it needs to happen.
If fans have an actual impact on who wins the award -- even if it's a minor one -- that gives them more reason to care. I mean, look at how fan voting for All-Star games helps drive interest in those games on the professional level. Doing it for the Heisman gives fans some skin in the game.
https://www.cbssports.com/college-f...isman-trophy-matter-more-in-college-football/
Go Gophers!!
