Tyrann the Real Heisman

The Heisman trophy is annually awarded to the best player on the best team in College Football.  In 2011 the Louisiana State Tigers have been the best team in college football going 12-0 in the toughest conference in America the Southeastern Conference also known as the SEC.  With all this being said, there is no secret to who the best player on their extremely talented roster is.  Affectionately known in college football circles as the Honey Badger, Tyrann Mathieu is clearly the most dominant game-changing player in all of college football.  If you need an example of why I believe this, my reference only needs to go back two days, when he clearly changed the complexity of the Lsu-Arkansas game with an electrifying 92 yard punt return for a score.  He followed the game-changing score by forcing two fumbles and taking over the game while playing out of position at free safety.  With starting Free Safety Eric Reid injured Tyrann was asked to convert from his position at Cornerback to Free Safety on one weeks notice, if that's not versatility than I don't know what is, and the fact that he can take over a game from Cornerback, Free Saftey or Nickelback adds to what he means to the No. 1 ranked team in the country. As Jay-Z said, "men lie, women lie, numbers don't", and Tyrann's numbers speak for themselves as a Cornerback Tyrann leads a top 5  Lsu defense in tackles with 67, is tied for second on the team in interceptions with 2, leads the team in fumbles forced with 6, has 3 touchdowns, leads the team in fumble recoveries with 4, and is tied for second on the team in pass breakups and pass deflections with 7 and 9 respectively.  I just want to ask one question what Cornerback have you ever heard of with statistics like this? I'll wait.... Teams have to gameplan around this man and for a true sophomore at 5'9 175lbs their is no question he leads the nation in Heart.  His intensity on every snap of the game spreads like a disease and has propelled the Tigers defense and swagger.  Despite his 1 game suspension for the use of synthetic marijuana, I still believe he is the undoubted true winner of this award, there is no man in college football that has meant more to his team than the Honey Badger and Lsu's record and national championship possibilities prove that.  Charles Woodson is the only primary defensive player to win the Heisman in 1997 and Tyrann Mathieu has every right to be the second in 2011.

Summary Notes:  Lsu vs. Tennesse earlier this year he was asked to shadow their best receiver future First Round Draft Pick Da'Rick Rodgers to 3 catches for 63 yards. Complete football player end of story

Arkansas Defensive Gameplan vs Lsu Analysis

Watching the Arkansas-Lsu game today, I had to ask myself one question was Arkansas even prepared for this game? When I see Jordan Jefferson throw for over 200 yards I question a teams secondary.  I apologize if you think I'm hating on Jordan Jefferson, but for a kid who came in to college promising four Heisman trophies I view him individually as a failure.  Is he a winner? No question, his record speaks for itself and he's won some very important games but as nothing more than as a game manager.  The way I see it, even though Arkansas has a very subpar secondary they could have neutralized him very easily.   Lsu's strength offensively is no secret their clearly a powerful running team who can either beat you with scat backs such as Alfred Blue and Michael Ford or with the power running game with Spencer Ware and the mammoth Lex Hilliard.  So, how I make them ineffective and force Jordan Jefferson to beat me is simple, load up the box and disguise coverage's!! I want Jordan Jefferson to have to beat me with his arm, today I saw a lot of soft man to man coverage's that made it easy for him to make simple reads and rather elementary throws. As a Defensive coordinator my game plan is to disguise coverage's force him to think, he's not one of those quarterbacks who mentally comes in prepared every week and can dissect a defense, that's not his M.O. and even though he has a very capable receiving core I'm not worried about them beating me.  As we saw Arkansas has a pretty skilled front four so I'm going to allow my d-line to match-up against their o-line and allow my linebackers to focus on stopping the run, the only thing I want them to do is in passing situations show him different looks make him read the defense.  Arkansas didn't do that today so in turn they allowed too many 3rd down conversions and got dominated 41-17.