Michigan State's star is on record-setting pace right now. Through four games, the senior tailback has averaged 174.8 rush ypg while scoring 11 touchdowns. Those eleven touchdowns are good for number one in the country. Just as remarkable may be that the guy has been named Big Ten offensive player of the week for the third straight time following his 39 carry, 201 yard, 2 touchdown performance against Notre Dame last Saturday. Michigan State may not be an elite team this season. Maybe not even in their own league. But if the Spartans turn out to be a surprise in the smash mouth Big Ten, Ringer will be the catalyst.
Since 2000, forty-nine Big Ten running backs (about 6 per year) have finished the season with 1,000 yards rushing (33 different players, 49 occurrences). Of those forty-nine times, once has a player topped 2,000 yards rushing (Penn State tailback Larry Johnson in 2002). As of today, Javon Ringer is on pace to become the second 2,000-yard rusher in the Big Ten this decade. In fact, his current pace would put him ten yards ahead of LJ's 2002 campaign. In that same span, and among those forty-nine 1,000-yard performers, thirty-four of them had 10+ touchdowns with four guys tallying 20+ scores. Ringer is on pace for 33 TDs.
Now, I'm not saying that Javon Ringer will finish with 2,097 yards and 33 touchdowns. But it is a possibility. You may argue that he has only played Cal, Eastern Michigan, Florida Atlantic and Notre Dame. Okay, but I was in attendance for half of Larry Johnson's games in '02 and saw him get hot mid-season, topping 200 yards four times (including 327 yds @ Indiana) against Big Ten foes. Don't expect Ringer's load to decrease any, as the games will only get tougher.
I just threw a lot of stats your way. Thing is, they were only rushing numbers. Javon happens to also have 37 receiving yards and 200 kick return yards through four games. That means Mr. Ringer has 936 all-purpose yards through a third of the season. No Big Ten running back has won the Heisman Trophy this decade. But very few of those forty-nine 1,000-yard rushers were huge contributors to their special teams units. Javon Ringer is.
Whatever your excuse is as to why this guy shouldn't be seriously considered for college football's most prestigious (er, overrated, over hyped, biased, strictly offensive) award, consider this: The current generation of college football is different than any other. "Nobodies" can beat anybody these days. High school kids are finding opportunities to play big-time college ball at Utah, South Florida, Boise State and the like. Football recruiting is no longer monopolized by the Notre Dames, Nebraskas, Alabamas and Michigans of the world. Anything can happen, any time.
The top challengers for the Heisman so far are a running back from Georgia who plays in America's toughest conference, last year's Heisman winner from Florida who plays in that same conference and a few Big 12 quarterbacks who put up gaudy stats. But the "system" quarterbacks from Mizzou and Texas Tech are in just that, a system, and have very iffy defenses. I love the quarterback from Oklahoma but some say the Big 12 is just as difficult to come out of unscathed as the SEC is. What I'm saying is, there may not be a better chance to pull off the Heisman upset than this year.
All things considered, my vote goes to Javon Ringer. I know it's still early, but the guy is on pace for 2,808 all-purpose yards and 33 touchdowns in the Big Ten. This is the conference where running the ball and being able to stop the run gives you a great shot at winning the conference title. And Ringer sure can tote the rock. The Big Ten currently has nine of its eleven teams ranked in the top-42 in run defense. So clearly, MSU's conference opponents can provide stiffer competition to their Heisman candidate. But remember what I told you about Larry Johnson and how he ran over and around his conference schedule? So keep an eye open for my boy, the best running back in the Big Ten.
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