Heisman Trophy: Joel Klatt's answer to repair the voting course of

Choosing the Heisman Trophy winner isn't any straightforward job, however creating a good, well-thought-out voting course of to find out the finalists ought to be.

That's actually what FOX Sports activities lead faculty soccer analyst Joel Klatt believes.

Following the announcement of this 12 months’s Heisman finalists — USC’s Caleb Williams, TCU’s Max Duggan, Georgia’s Stetson Bennett and Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud — Klatt proposed a three-step answer to repair the Heisman voting course of on the newest episode of his podcast, "The Joel Klatt Present."

"I nonetheless consider within the Heisman," Klatt mentioned. "I consider in what it represents, I consider within the enormity of it each for the participant and this system, and I believe there are some issues inherently throughout the Heisman course of that have to be fastened."

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Joel Klatt talks concerning the Heisman award voting course of and the way it wants to alter now.

Whereas Klatt made it clear that he didn’t take difficulty with any of the 4 gamers who might be current in New York for Saturday evening’s Heisman Trophy ceremony, he did level out the inclusion of Bennett — who handed for 3,425 yards however solely 20 touchdowns — permits instances to be made for different gamers who have been not less than as deserving.

"Stetson (Bennett) is a good participant. I like his recreation so much, however whenever you embrace him as a finalist, and that is only a four-person record, it instantly opens the door to snubs."

Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker and Michigan operating again Blake Corum additionally had the mandatory credentials to warrant an invite to New York, Klatt mentioned.

Hooker led the SEC with a 70% completion share whereas throwing for greater than 3,100 yards and 27 touchdowns. The Vols senior had the second-best Heisman odds (+400) heading into Week 12, when he suffered a season-ending harm in a 63-38 loss to South Carolina. The loss took Tennessee out of competition for a spot within the Faculty Soccer Playoff and Hooker noticed his Heisman odds take a major hit.

"I don’t assume an harm ought to knock you out of the Heisman Trophy ceremony or voting block, specifically when it occurs late within the season," Klatt mentioned of Hooker. "He was first-team All-SEC and rotated a Tennessee program that was within the dumpster. They have been 60 minutes away from being a playoff group.

"He had the numbers essential to go to New York, and he’s not gonna be there."

Corum was one of the best offensive participant on an undefeated Michigan group that received the Huge Ten Championship and secured a spot within the Faculty Soccer Playoff for a second straight season. He rushed for 1,463 yards and 18 touchdowns, which was tied for the fourth-highest complete within the nation. He did that regardless of a knee harm that primarily price him two-and-a-half video games of motion, together with the Huge Ten title recreation in opposition to Purdue.

"If we’re gonna speak about coronary heart and willpower, Blake Corum is in the very same mildew as Stetson Bennett," Klatt mentioned. "He was the catalyst to that offense for an enormous portion of this season."

Klatt additionally talked about Texas operating again Bijan Robinson — who led the Huge-12 in dashing — and Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. — who led the FBS in passing yards — as different gamers who ought to have been thought-about as Heisman finalists.

Heisman Trophy Finalists: Who acquired snubbed?

FOX Sports activities' lead faculty soccer analyst Joel Klatt takes a deep dive into this 12 months's Heisman Trophy finalists and can not seem to make sense of the factors.

"What we have to begin to notice is you may love Stetson Bennett as a participant and assume there are some guys that acquired snubbed," Klatt mentioned. "I believe these two issues can dwell equally collectively."

This led to Klatt providing up a three-part answer to repair the Heisman voting course of:

1. Scale back the pool of Heisman trophy voters.

"This can be a actually essential piece. These votes ought to be extremely coveted and uncommon. They need to be protected, and if we vetted out who acquired Heisman votes, I believe you would weed out a few of the ‘regionalization’ of the award. There may be sufficient know-how for a smaller group of voters, like 100 and never 900, to get it proper. That vetting course of actually must happen."

2. No voting till after the convention championship video games.

"Some would argue that not everyone will get the chance to play a convention championship recreation, so it’s solely truthful in the event you put your vote in earlier than the convention championship recreation. I disagree. I believe the extra alternative to see these gamers on the soccer discipline, the higher. So I'd not open up the submission course of till after convention champ video games. I don’t perceive why we might enable voters to vote when there's nonetheless soccer to be performed."

3. Develop the variety of finalists to 5.

"Being a finalist is a big deal. It is big for the participant, and it’s huge for this system and the stage you place this system on. Josh Heupel would do something to see Hendon Hooker be in New York in order that he can say to a recruit … ‘Should you come right here, you will be in New York, you generally is a Heisman finalist, and possibly in the event you play effectively sufficient, you may win the Heisman Trophy.' That’s an enormous, highly effective recruiting device. It ought to at all times simply be 5 finalists."

Klatt mentioned that his proposed adjustments would enhance the method of deciding "the singular most essential particular person award in American sports activities."

"There isn't a different particular person award that comes shut," Klatt mentioned. "Heisman Trophy winners are legends eternally."

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Every week, FOX Sports activities faculty soccer analyst Joel Klatt dives into his Prime 10 groups, solutions questions and discusses the largest storylines in faculty soccer on his podcast. Download "The Joel Klatt Present" right here.

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