[NU Sports] FORTY DAYS OF FOOTBALL: Day 25

[SjT (Stephen J. Truog)]

Midway through the third countdown ...

FORTY DAYS OF FOOTBALL
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> DAYS 1-10: The top coaches of the decade

10) Glen Mason, Minnesota
09) Bret Bielema, Wisconsin
08) Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern
07) Barry Alvarez, Wisconsin
06) Randy Walker, Northwestern
05) Lloyd Carr, Michigan
04) Kirk Ferentz, Iowa
03) Joe Tiller, Purdue
02) Joe Paterno, Penn State
01) Jim Tressel, Ohio State

> DAYS 11-20: The top games of the decade

10) 2000: Purdue 32, Michigan 31
09) 2001: Michigan State 26, Michigan 24
08) 2005: Michigan 27, Penn State 25
07) 2003: Minnesota 37, Wisconsin 34
06) 2004: Northwestern 33, Ohio State 27 (OT)
05) 2008: Penn State 13, Ohio State 6
04) 2009: Ohio State 27, Iowa 24 (OT)
03) 2002: Ohio State 10, Purdue 6
02) 2000: Northwestern 54, Michigan 51
01) 2006: Ohio State 42, Michigan 39

> DAYS 21-30: The top players of the decade

10) Laurence Maroney/Marion Barber, Minnesota
09) Antwaan Randle El, Indiana
08) Jamar Fletcher, Wisconsin
07) Dallas Clark, Iowa

> DAYS 31-40: The top teams of the decade

TOP PLAYERS
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06) Troy Smith, Ohio State

During the 1990s, the Big Ten produced four Heisman Trophy winners, but in the last decade, it had only one - Troy Smith of Ohio State. We'll get to how ridiculous that is when we see some of the names later in this countdown who did not win - but today we'll look at Mr. Smith.

There are two schools of thought on Troy Smith: One is that he has always been underrated and is a natural leader who compiled an outstanding record and ran a well-oiled machine to Big Ten dominance. The other is that he was an overrated player who won all the awards because of the people around him.

I fall a little more towards the latter. Smith was an outstanding player for sure, and he's in the countdown, but he never dazzled like the Buckeyes current quarterback, Terrelle Pryor, has on occasion (he's also been much more inconsistent than Smith). Maybe if he had led the Buckeyes to a national title against Florida after his top receiver went out ...

But Smith is still worthy of a place on the list if for no other reason than his stats and that famous trophy. In his two years as a full-time starter, the Buckeyes lost only three games and tallied 2000+ yards in the air each season. In the 2006 undefeated regular season, Smith threw for 30 touchdowns while sweeping the Heisman, O'Brien, Silver Football and more. And he shined the brightest in the biggest game of each year, going 3-0 against Michigan as a starter.

Detractors will say that Smith was surrounded by NFL-caliber talent at just about every position and merely got the ball to playmakers, which has some merit, but also forgets how skillfully he lead that juggernaut 2006 team. It also neglects his personal dedication after being suspended for the start of the 2005 season in making it up to his teammates and regaining his leader status.

But that title game in Phoenix hangs like a dark cloud over all those accomplishments. Just 35 yards and two turnovers when OSU needed him most - it was tough to watch. It wasn't a lack of effort, more like he was trying too hard, but whatever it was, it hurt his reputation. He never really recovered and started slow in the NFL and fizzled out.

Smith certainly deserved his Heisman in 2006 and had the Buckeyes won the game, he probably would have been battling for the top spot on this list - but he lost that last game and that left the dreaded title of "game manager" hanging over his head. Not fair, but not top five material.

Coming Friday: It's not the size of the cat in the fight but the fight in the cat.

GO CATS!!!
-SjT

* * * * * * * * *
STEPHEN J. TRUOG
sjtruog at yahoo.com
GO CATS!!! GEAUX SAINTS!!!
Super Bowl XLIV Champions!
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