THE CHEAP SEATS WITH STEVE CAMERON: Smith for real, but is he the best?

We might as well start with the obvious…

DeVonta Smith is a fantastic college football player.

If I were still voting for the Heisman Trophy, I’d probably have…

But, wait!

I DON’T vote for the Heisman Trophy, because of things just like this.

Smith is a human highlight reel, and of course millions of people have seen him making those eye-popping plays because he plays for Alabama.

Ironically, there were Bama fans who worried that Smith might not win the Heisman because the Tide had three players worthy of the award — Smith (obviously), quarterback Mac Jones and running back Najee Harris.

Just like a political race, the Tide Nation feared that their three stars would split up the votes.

Plus, the anti-Alabama crowd was howling that Smith only rolled up those 20 receiving TDs because Jones was the QB, and that Harris’ running threat left him wide open on play after play.

Ironically, the argument against Jones was similar – just a pretty good QB with the luxury of throwing to Smith or letting Harris run wild to make the passing game just purr along.

FRANKLY, I don’t care about any of that.

The three Tide players – who finished among the top five in the Heisman voting announced Tuesday night – are all terrific football players.

My beef with the Heisman is printed right on the ballot.

As a voter, you are asked to select the “most outstanding football player” in the American college game. There are so, so many things wrong with that notion, I barely know where to begin.

But let’s start with this…

With all due respect to DeVonta Smith, do we actually KNOW he was the most outstanding player in 2020?

Different players perform at different positions.

Smith, who was the first wide receiver to win the Heisman since Desmond Howard in 1991, probably wouldn’t have won if he’d had to play offensive tackle.

Yes, that sounds ridiculous, but…

What if a tackle from Western Michigan or Sacramento State actually had a better year than Smith?

No, you wouldn’t know about it, because neither school – nor its players – got non-stop national coverage like Alabama.

If there WERE an offensive lineman or a linebacker from a smaller school who was so ridiculously good that pro scouts began drooling whenever they saw the tape, well…

That player, who might go No. 1 in the NFL draft, still would have no hope of winning the Heisman.

It’s a PR contest among quarterbacks – occasionally featuring a running back or wide receiver – from the glamor schools.

Period.

AH, BUT that’s just one reason to disregard the Heisman Trophy.

For one thing, as we’ve just shown, the winner is going to be somebody you already know – and likely have seen on TV many times.

DeVonta Smith now can jump into those silly “Heisman House” commercials for…

What ARE they selling, anyway?

I’ve forgotten.

Other than that, it’s not like Smith – soon to be a gazillionaire (a cinch even if he’d finished second or eighth in the voting) – needed the Heisman to prove he can play.

That brings me to another reason why the whole thing is a silly bit of nonsense.

There were 870 media members who voted for this year’s Heisman, plus all previous winners.

How many of them, do you suppose, saw ALL the outstanding players in college football?

WE CAN start with this twisted ball of yarn…

Let’s say a media member covers Alabama.

He or she is busy every week, watching all the Crimson Tide superstars.

When would that media member see Utah State or Coastal Carolina?

Hint: They wouldn’t.

In fact, how could ANY media voter (let alone a previous winner) see all the nation’s best players – including offensive guards and defensive backs?

Hah.

Look…

DeVonta Smith is for real, and then some.

The Heisman Trophy, no matter who wins it each year, is an overblown stunt.

One less piece of mail I have to answer.

DeVonta, if we hook up someplace, I’ll buy you lunch to make up for that vote I didn’t cast.

You’ll understand, right?

Email: [email protected]

Steve Cameron’s “Cheap Seats” columns appear in The Press on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. “Moments, Memories and Madness,” his reminiscences from several decades as a sports journalist, runs each Sunday. Steve also writes Zags Tracker, a commentary on Gonzaga basketball which is published each Tuesday.