What if Gerald, not Colt, was the McCoy in the Heisman derby?
Published: 7/30/2009 4:43 PM
Last Modified: 7/30/2009 4:43 PM
Silly question? Probably. But at least one guy out there is asking.
He's Curt McKeever of the Lincoln (Neb.) Journal Star, who recently wrote of the Oklahoma defensive tackle, "Could this guy be good enough to now give (Sam) Bradford a run for the Heisman? You'd definitely find some offensive coordinators willing to take up that campaign."
I just spent a half hour with both McCoys at Big 12 Media Days in Dallas, and I wish I would have remembered McKeever's statement when I was in Gerald's crowd. I'd have loved to get that big smile of his as a reaction. I'm sure I would have, and a long, slow shake of the head. McCoy is as grounded as they come.
Someone asked him about finishing behind Nebraska D-tackle Ndamukong Suh as Big 12 preseason defensive player of the year, which seems to make him the second-best D-tackle in the league.
"I don't do any of that comparison stuff," McCoy said. "The guy's a great player. That's the thing about the Big 12. There's great players everywhere. He's another one. People consider me good. I think I'm pretty decent. I don't think I'm that good."
Actually, he's really, really good, certainly the closest thing OU has had to Tommie Harris at that position since Harris himself wrecked shop on Owen Field. But the Heisman? He's out of the running by default. Great D-tackles are double- or triple-teamed, leaving them with meager statistics as their teammates benefit from all that attention.
Ask Travis Lewis, the OU linebacker with a thousand tackles last year, about McCoy sometime, and how he easy he makes his job. He might give McCoy a Heisman vote. So might Suh, who I hear is a big fan of his Sooner peer.
McCoy? He'd just as soon let his Heisman-winning quarterback get all that attention, and have a little fun in the back of the pack. Like Tuesday, when McCoy finished his interview session, noticed Bradford was still surrounded by reporters and growled into a microphone, "If you can hear this, this is your conscience! Leave! Sam! Alone!"
-- Guerin Emig
Written by
Guerin Emig
Sports Writer
