Manning deserved it that year...

1997 Michigan would have been destroyed by Nebraska

Heisman trophy on the '97 National Championship team. Doubled as outstanding cornerback as well as wide receiver. Anytime the Wolverines needed a big play, they went to Woodson who always delivered.

you can't change the criteria for the heisman just because woodson didn't get very many chances...so he had some big plays....peyton had big plays too. woodson was 70th in ypr that year, and no, don't give me the crap about how he had "big plays in big games" the media handed woodson the award because he was flashier and more exciting. peyton goes down as one of the best college QBs of all-time, and he had plenty of big plays. he also has the stats to back it up, unlike chuck.

only defensive player to ever win the heisman...part of the greatest pass defense in college football history...beat out probably the best heisman class ever (ricky williams, randy moss, peyton manning, ryan leaf)

http://kissmesuzy.blogspot.com/2007/01/hi-im-peyton-manning-and-you-can-go-f.html

f woodson and the heisman

there is no denying his greatness in all facets of the game.

O.K. Payton left Tennessee only to see his alma mater without him win the National Title. Wow! I mean Payton is a great guy, and one of my favorite QBs of all time being a sapporter of UT, but he was 0 for 4 against florida including his senior campaign with what was probably a better team. My household is split between UM and UT so I got to watch both guys frequently. Woodson, carried his team to the NT, and when I saw the OSU game there was no doubt who was more deserving of the hiesman. And for the stat lovers you all must understand Woodson probably was in on offense 2 plays a game and people rarely through to him on D absolutely shuting down one side of the field. Comming through only in the clutchest of times. Payton was great but Woodson had the better season.

Stats don't matter when you play on the island. Made Lloyd Carr seem competent, which was a miracle unto itself.

What was amazing about woodson was the very few chances he got on both offense and defense and how he turned the game on each chance. Sure, a QB can throw 40 passes a game against central-western-mid university and 10% of them may be touchdowns. However, Woodson was the guy that got one pass in the Penn State game -- Touchdown to him with the whole defense watching him. In the Ohio State game, woodsone shut down the best receiver in the big 10 that year - David Boston --- and once again in his handful of touches got a punt return touchdown. Game after game with less than a handful of touches Woodson made the huge play. P.S. for those Manning lovers, Manning never showed for the big game. The difference between the Heisman and the runner up is the guy who shows for the big game.

no one player in college football history did what he did as completely as he did (maybe UM great Tom Harmon). only primarily non-offensive player to win the heisman. helped michigan win a national championship. watch the 1997 UM vs. OSU game and you will see.

PBeavr is right on. ESPN hyped Woodson right into the Heisman Trophy. Only Michigan fans thinks he still deserved it. Peyton Manning had one of the best college football seasons that a quarterback has had EVER. And when the voting was taken, Tennessee had just as much chance to win the National Title as Michigan. The Heisman got a great spokesman too with Woodson.... fur coat and cheap women on each arm with all his bling-bling.... what a thug!

Let's dispel with this notion right now. Charles Woodson didn't win the Heisman Trophy because of his defensive abilities. He should have, but he didn't. Woodson won the 1997 Heisman because of his highlight kick returns and receptions to go along with his breathtaking interceptions. Had he stayed on the defensive side full-time, there would've been no way he would've won the award as the voters just aren't that progressive. However, as just a defensive player, he was the best college football player in 1997 and one of the greatest defensive backs to ever play the game with a peerless combination of quickness, tackling ability and athleticism. Ok this part is for the guy a couple spots below me who wrote about 3 pages on why woodson sucks...All he is basing his knowledge on is stats...Maybe stats don't tell the whole story genius..YOU WANNA KNOW WHY HIS STATS WERE LOWER THEN SOME OTHERS..because since he was a freshman he was the most feared DB on the field..no one would throw to the reciever he was covering..still he had 8 Interceptions that year..he only caught a few passes because when he went onto the field the other team would double cover him because he was so dangerous and still he would make plays...Sometimes it's not all about stats PBeavr..I watched Payton Manning play 2 of the games he played that year..He looked like he could throw the ball but he wasn't anything special...Put a player at every position and have everyones attention on you at all times...Why am I defending this guy when I'm a spartan fan..well because sometimes you have to agree when you see the best... I saw him play here..That interception he had was probably the best play of the year..even us state fans admit he deserved the heisman..and michigan deserved the championship with him as the leader.

Charles Woodson was no doubt the best player in college that year.

Great Punt Returner?

I realize you must live down south and never saw much of Woodson by your assumption that many have played both positions and have done it better. The Heisman clearly goes to the best player in the Nation that comes up big in big games. Hence Charles Woodson, It was a no brainer, Simple Dimple.

charles woodson is the greatest player ever he shut down every recevier he played against he made first team all american as a sophmore and won the heisman as a junior and led his team to the national championship and would have kicked nebraska ass in 1997

Best collegiate athlete in history.

No way. We'd have whipped Woodson in Michigan in 1997. They barely beat a four-loss Wazzu team led by headcase Ryan Leaf in the fraudulent Rose Bowl. Meanwhile, we crushed Peyton Mainning-led Tennessee in the Orange Bowl.

PBeavr, your the idiot. #1, who cares about stats. Who cares about how many return yards on INT's Woodson had. Who cares how many receptions he had. Who cares how many yards he had per reception. Who cares how many punt return yards he had.. And since you are an Alabama Fan, (sorry about your luck), I will enlighten you: Charles Woodson totally shut down any receiver he played against. The best that year was All-American David Boston, who he embarrassed all game.. And since you obviously didn't watch Michigan Football that year, all you did was pull up his stats and claim that he didn't deserve the award because of Stats. Charles Woodson had an absolute enormous impact on three very imortant games that year to lead them to A National Championship. Not only was his catch against Penn State and Ohio State HUGE, but his punt return and interception against Ohio State won that game for them, along with his interception in the MSU game. See, what YOU don't understand is that Charles Woodson played very very few snaps on Offense, and very very few times did he return punts, however, when he actually was put in situations to win games for his team, he did. When you are a defensive back you don't have the chance to show case your talents unless you get the ball in your hands, because most qb's will not throw the ball your way. So what did Michigan do, they tried, at certain points in certain games, the important ones, where their offense and special teams needed some help, to get Charles more involed. They did and he came through for them. You act like he returned punts and started at Wide out all year long. He didn't, however, what he did do was make big play after big play WHEN he was called upon to do so. Your stats don't mean didally poo. You can whipe you ass with those stats. Stats are very overrated in any category of football. Winning, however is not. If all you do is win, you can take all of your stats and stick them where the sun don't shine. Not only did Charles Woodson WIN the Big Ten for Michigan that year, but he played another HUGE role in the National Championship game against Washington State with a pick in the endzone which stopped a scoring drive. Charles Woodson did the most for his team in 1997. He was the best player in the Country against the best teams in the Country that year. You know nothing about football when you compare a corner's stats from Wyoming to A corner's stats from Michigan. You no nothing about football when you state the fact that he made great catches is silly, the fact that he made great INTS is silly What do you want the guy to do?? He made plays when he had the chance to!! And you right Peyton Manning did not win the Heisman because he couldn't beat Florida. If you want to be considered the best player in the league to win the best award in the league, you better beat the best team on your schedule. Peyton Manning couldn't but Charles Woodson sure could!! By the Way, Michigan would have f'n killed Nebraska that year. Scott Frost was a joke, along with that poor excuse for a defense.

doninant on both sides of the ball...name one other college player to do that!

Overrated. He couldn't win the big games when it came time to doing so. If Michigan had to play Nebraska and 1997, they wouldn't have been close to a national championship.

for all you stupid people out there that still think amnning should have gotten the hiesman back in the 97-98 season, get your heads out of your asses. i saw woodson play live for 3 years, and i have seen some other great hiesman trophy winners play too, but none were like woodson. he shut down one side of the feild on defence, and when he did come out on offence, he always put that thought of a big play in everyones head. people have to remember that the hiesman goes to the MVP of that year, and is not awarded to a guy who had a great carrer. oh yeah woodson helped lead his team to a national championship, something payton could never do!!!!!

GOOD BUT NOT THE H-TROPHY

There hasn't been very many players as fun to watch as Charles Woodson.

The first mainly defensive player to win the Heisman trophy. enough said.

His one handed pick against MSU was probably the most incredible play I've ever seen made on a footbal field at any level, playing or coaching. He was robbed of the Heisman that year!

The best college cornerback ever (and proving to be an All Pro in the NFL as well). His leaping, one handed interception grab against Michigan State was the most impressive pick-off I've ever seen. People can make the arguement that Peyton Manning should have won the Heisman, but it was Woodsen (on offense, defense, and Special Teams) that lead his team to the National Championship.

I hate UofM, so I don't particularly care for him.

One of the greatest college players ever. Excelled on offense, defense and special teams. Yeah, Manning should have won the Heisman -- if they change the rules to reward the second-best player that year who didn't lead his team to a National Championship.

An excellent corner in college, but he should not have won the Heisman trophy. Peyton Manning was a better pick for the Heisman.