LSU quarterback Joe Burrow stands alone today as the best college football player in the land. He garnered the most first place votes in the history of the Heisman Trophy award with over 90 percent of the vote. Burrow and his Tiger teammates will play Oklahoma and Heisman runner-up Jalen Hurts in the Peach Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 28.
The Magnolia State high school football teams have produced only one Heisman Trophy winner. That honor belonged to Saint Stanislaus alum Felix 'Doc' Blanchard. Blanchard was also the first junior to ever win the award in 1945 playing for the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
He was nicknamed 'Mr. Inside' playing for Army coach Red Blaik. His backfield running mate and 1946 Heisman winner Glenn Davis was nicknamed 'Mr. Outside' by the New York press. Army was 27-0-1 in Blanchard’s three varsity years.
HILL GOING PRO
Mississippi State junior running back Kylin Hill has decided to enter the NFL draft. Hill says he will take part in the Music City Bowl later this month. Cornerback Cameron Dantzler also applied for the NFL draft but will sit out the bowl game. Three other juniors Willie Gay, Errol Thompson and Marquiss Spencer are still waiting feedback from the NFL before making a decision to enter the draft or return for their senior season.
ELI ERA CLOSES
Former Ole Miss legend Eli Manning might have played his last game for the New York Giants. The 16-year veteran threw for 283 yards and two scores to lead the Giants past Miami this past Sunday. Eli is now 117-117 as starting quarterback for the Giants but did win two Super Bowls, claiming the game’s MVP award each time. He left the field to a standing ovation by the fans.
ODDS & ENDS
— This Wednesday, many of our Mississippi high school football players signed college scholarships as part of the early NCAA signing date. The next signing date will be the first Wednesday of February.
— Alcorn State (9-3) will play North Carolina A&T this Saturday in the Celebration Bowl in Atlanta.
—A.J. Brown of Tennessee and D.K. Metcalf of Seattle are top candidates for the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year. Both are former Ole Miss standouts.
— Ole Miss defensive lineman Benito Jones was invited to play in the Senior Bowl in Mobile on the last Saturday of January. He will be joined by Raekwon Davis of Alabama (Meridian native) and Brian Cole of MSU.
— Itawamba Community College linebacker Keshun Parker was named the national junior college Defensive Player of the Year.
— The San Diego Padres traded former MSU baseball great Hunter Renfroe to the Tampa Bay Rays this past week.
Dale McKee is a native of Waynesboro and has been writing sports in Mississippi since 1973. His column appears in several weekly papers throughout the state. You may contact him at ddmckee18@yahoo.com
