I’ve never been a fan of Heisman Trophy voting. In the end, it’s a popularity contest and I can’t stand it. Instead of “Best Collegiate Football Player,” it should just be changed to “Best Player on Best Team.” That’s what it often boils down to. It’s also too reliant on preseason rankings. Just like team rankings, the Heisman Trophy watch list is generally narrowed down to five players before the season even starts, which makes it tough for lesser known players to make a statement.

2000 winner Chris Weinke probably shouldn’t have won the Heisman Trophy; LaDainian Tomlinson was the best player that season. Weinke just played on the best team and threw for an ungodly amount of yards. 2003 winner Jason White was an even bigger disgrace. Oklahoma was hands down the best team in the country and White’s regular season numbers gave him the Heisman Trophy. He then made a mockery of the award by playing awful in the Big 12 Championship and the Sugar Bowl. The more deserving winner that year was Larry Fitzgerald. But he played for Pittsburgh, a team that didn’t sniff the BCS. Fitzgerald was more dominant, actually got drafted (3rd overall no less), and played for a team that wasn’t full of All Americans. Not to mention his knees actually worked.

This year will be a similar story. Unless Ohio St. manages to lose a game (which is possible, Michigan looms on the schedule), Troy Smith is all but assured of the trophy. And with respects to him, he’s played great. But he’s not at the top of any stats among Division 1A quarterbacks, which is usually the main indicator of a Heisman Trophy winner. Who do I think is the most deserving winner of the Heisman Trophy so far this season? Garrett Wolfe, running back for Northern Illinois.

Wolfe has already put up an astounding 1343 rushing yards just halfway through the season. That puts him on a pace to break the record for most single season yards in NCAA HISTORY. He leads the nation in rushing by a mere 500 yards. His 224 rushing yards per game is 60 more than any other player in the country. His 15 total touchdowns lead the nation. His 353 rushing yards vs. Ball St. was only 53 shy of LaDainian Tomlinson’s single game record, which is even more ridiculous.

Before you say “Wolfe doesn’t play anyone,” hear me out. In Ohio State’s season opening win versus Northern Illinois, Troy Smith threw three touchdowns against the Huskies defense. But against the vaunted Buckeye defense, Wolfe racked up 285 total yards, 171 rushing and 114 receiving. This is against Ohio State, the nation’s top defense in points allowed. Clips from his performance can be seen here. Last season, Wolfe ran for a combined 393 yards versus two other Big Ten teams, Michigan and Northwestern. His conference schedule may not be as difficult as some, but the numbers he’s put up against teams like Ohio St. and Michigan should speak for itself.

Wolfe stands only 5′7″ and weighs less than 180 pounds, leaving people to wonder what his future in the NFL may bring. But he comes from a school that has generated a great running back already. Michael Turner, the Chargers’ other star running back, set the NIU records that Wolfe is currently destroying. Wolfe will succeed in the NFL, just like Warrick Dunn, Brian Westbrook, and now Maurice Jones-Drew have. The voters need to make a statement and give the award to the most deserving player, not simply the best player from the best team.