University of Georgia Athletics
Champ Bailey for the Heisman?
August 14, 2006 | Football
He won't win the Heisman Trophy, but maybe he should. Is there a better player in college football than Georgia's Champ Bailey? I don't think so.
Okay, okay, I know that's a pretty broad statement, but have you watched the 6-1, 186-pound cornerback and wide receiver play? He's the heart and soul of the Georgia Bulldogs-defense, offense, and special teams. You name it, he does it. There are rumors he's playing with the Georgia Redcoat Marching Band at halftime, but I haven't been able to confirm them.
Okay, okay, I know I'm getting a little carried away, but this guy is special. When Georgia beat Wyoming two weeks ago, all he did was catch six passes for 100 yards including a 51-yarder for a touchdown, and he came up with a one-handed interception to boot. All of this despite missing most of the second half with leg cramps.
"He carried their team as an offensive threat, and I think that's what he's best at, is an offensive player," Wyoming coach Dana Dimel said. "He's better offensively than defensively, that would be fair to say." Bailey is the Bulldogs' leading receiver - 11 receptions for 218 yards and two touchdowns in three games. But then, he's also the spiritual leader of the defense. Offense or defense? It may be a wash because he's outstanding at both.
"He's the first guy we look to when we need a big play," says Georgia coach Jim Donnan. "If we need him to win a game on offense, we'll play him more. We don't want to eat all the candy in the jar. There's a fine line between playing him too much and not playing him enough."
There is precedent for such versatility at Georgia. Recently graduated Hines Ward set the standard by playing every offensive position but interior line, throwing passes, catching passes, running the football, returning kicks and there was that band rumor about Ward as well. Bailey has the versatility, only he can go on either side of the football.
"Champ Bailey is the premier multi-purpose threat in the nation," wrote Tom Dienhart of The Sporting News. "His big-play ability on offense and defense makes him a threat to break open any game. He is a guy worth watching."
Indeed. He is a guy worth writing on ballots as well, like in Heisman Trophy ballots. But he has so little chance to win because of what happened last year. Michigan's Charles Woodson won the Heisman as a "defensive" player, although it was his dabbling in offense that caught the attention of the voting media. Woodson was not the best football player in the country last year, he just came up big in a couple of big television games and then he became the trendy candidate. Heisman voters voted him in as a backlash against complaints that the most cherished college football award always went to a quarterback or running back. Woodson gave them a chance to say, in essence, see how smart we are? We picked a defensive player for the Heisman?
Now understand I don't blame Woodson for that at all. He was merely the recipient of the backlash and he rode it to the Heisman Trophy. But with Woodson winning the award, the door has probably been slammed shut against a defensive player for the next 15 or 20 years. Bailey, who is twice the football player that Woodson was, would have to come up extra big whenever the Bulldogs get television exposure on a national level to even get into the national media's mindset.
Those games - LSU, Tennessee, Florida and Auburn - will be his best chance. But one problem that may hurt him is the cramping that cost him a lot of playing time against Wyoming.
"The cramps come and go, I can't explain it," Bailey said. '"I think it's mostly heat. It was frustrating. I tried to go as much as I could. I take plenty of fluids. I don't know, I guess it's from low body fat."
Bailey will get the first chance to really impress this weekend when the Bulldogs face LSU. A big game and an upset of the Tigers just might start the ball rolling for Champ Bailey just as the Notre Dame game did last season for Woodson.
"A little advice for those of you with Heisman ballots," says Tony Barnhart of ESPN and the Atlanta Journal, "this guy does things Charles Woodson never dreamed about."
Greg Williams is Georgia's receivers coach, but he coached the secondary the previous two seasons. He's had a chance to see Champ Bailey up close and personal.
"I've been lucky enough to coach Champ on both sides of the ball," says Williams. "A lot of what he does simply doesn't show up on a stat sheet, but when every coach leaves the stadium, he knows. Champ Bailey had as much of an impact on the outcome of the game as anyone."
He will continue to do his double- and triple-duty for the rest of the season. At that point, Champ Bailey may have a very heavy decision to make-return to Georgia for his senior season or jump to the NFL for big bucks. But that's down the road, for now the Boss Bulldog has some games - and perhaps a big trophy - to win.
