How Lucky Are We?

As you probably noticed Monday on HuskerExtra, Marlon Lucky is one of the ten players most likely to win the Heisman Trophy according to HeismanPundit.com.

Now, this is just one person's opinion but it is the opinion of the one person who probably spends more time researching and writing about the Heisman race than anyone in college football, mainstream media included. But more interesting than Lucky's inclusion on the list is that you're unlikely to find a Nebraska fan who would've placed their own starting running back on it.

Why is that? Lucky's undeniably Nebraska's best returning offensive player. His stats from 2007 stack up with just about anyone in the country: 1000+ yards rushing, 4.9 yards per carry, 700+ yards receiving. He's on everyone's preseason All-Big 12 team and the leading returning rusher in the conference. Pro scouts love him. Every pass he's ever completed has gone for a touchdown.

Yet, despite all of these things, heading into 2008 it feels like a lot of Nebraska fans are more excited about Roy Helu than they are Marlon Lucky. Again, the question is why?

I think the answer lies below. Here's a highlight reel of Lucky's 2007 season (odds are always good that online football highlights will contain some objectionable lyrical content...this one is no different):




Now, by way of comparison, here's an unfortunately titled compilation of Noel Devine's 2007 highlights:




What's the difference? Devine can make a 7-yard gain off a toss look spectacular (and last seven seconds, going sideline to sideline). Lucky doesn't make anything look spectacular. He doesn't run over, around or away from people. There is no quintessential Marlon Lucky highlight. If you had to name the most memorable play of his Nebraska career what would it be? The touchdown pass against Texas? Granted it's hard to compile much of a highlight reel running stretch plays and catching screen passes for three years straight but the simple fact is Lucky just isn't very flashy. He gets the job done, quite well I might add, but quietly.

There used to be a time in Nebraska football history where quietly getting the job done as a running back was just about the best thing you could do. But Marlon came along at a difficult time. He was the first big recruit the new regime reeled in, everything that Frank Solich had failed to do wrapped in one very highly touted package.

And now, four years later, Lucky is still trying to live up to that lofty Rivals ranking. When you get the #3 ranked running back in the country you almost instantly expect your jaw to start dropping. You expect to be floored early on and then more often after that.

But Marlon's not that kind of back. It doesn't seem like any Nebraska fans think to themselves, when facing an Oklahoma or a Missouri, "But we have Marlon Lucky." He's not that kind of back either.

He is, however, a Heisman contender according to the one guy who makes it his business to evaluate such subjective matters and, in the end, isn't that just about what you would expect out of a blue chip running back four years later?

A Quickie Heisman Watch [Heisman Pundit]