Why Hutchinson Should Win the Heisman Trophy
The University of Michigan defensive end was named one of four finalists for the award Monday night, and his coach and teammates explain why he deserves it
Aidan Hutchinson pursuing the quarterback by coming off the edge.
Photo Courtesy of Michigan Photography
By Steve Kornacki
INDIANAPOLIS – The Heisman Trophy goes to college football’s most outstanding player. We all know that.
Defensive players don’t generally get so much as considered. We all know that, too.
And, so, what Michigan defensive end Chris Hutchinson has done in being named Monday night as one of four finalists for the Heisman is impressive and rare.
Wolverine cornerback Charles Woodson, in 1997, is the only primarily defensive player to win one of the previous 86 bronze trophies cast with the leather-helmeted, facemask-less player straight-arming an oncoming defender, ball securely tucked under his left arm.
However, Woodson, also a 2,000-yard rusher in high school, did have a limited, albeit highly-effective role in the national championship team’s offense. He had a 33-yard run, threw a 28-yard pass and had a 37-yard catch. He returned 36 punts, and his longest of 78 yards was a touchdown against Ohio State.
Woodson accumulated 588 all-purpose yards with three touchdowns as a passer or receiver, and returned eight interceptions for four yards.
Hutchinson never picked up one yard this season while amassing 58 tackles, 15.5 tackles for lost yardage, 14 sacks, 10 quarterback hurries, two forced fumbles, one recovered fumble and three pass breakups. He did briefly have a fumble recovery touchdown in Michigan State’s end zone until a controversial video review reversed the call of a fumble.
So, if Hutchinson surprisingly tops Alabama quarterback Bryce Young to win, he would become the Heisman’s only complete and total defensive winner.
While being interviewed on the victory stage in the middle of Lucas Oil Stadium following Michigan’s 42-3 Big Ten Championship game win Saturday night over Iowa, his teammates and others broke into a chant: “HUTCH FOR HEISMAN!”
He was overcome by that thunderous show of vocal support, and I asked him about that after the game.
Hutchinson said: “Man, it’s just so cool to have – to see my teammates have my back like that and see them supporting me and doing all that, man. That was such a cool moment. And, man, it was so great just to see that and experience that.”
He’s humble. He’s a leader. He’s someone his teammates and everyone around the team loves like a true brother.
When Wolverine center Andrew Vastardis and tailback Blake Corum took their seats in the post-game interview room, I asked them why they believe Hutchinson should be the Heisman Trophy winner.
Vastardis smiled widely, and said, “I think it’s pretty self-explanatory. I think he deserves to be the Heisman Trophy winner. He showed out every week, been a game-changer, not just Saturdays. That guy puts it on the line every day in practice, every day in meetings. He’s more dialed in, more committed and more dedicated than any guy I’ve ever been around. So, how can you not root for a guy like that, that in our opinion deserves it fully?”
Corum smiled, too, and nodded, saying: “I agree. He should win the Heisman. He comes in the (Schembechler Hall) facility every day. He leads by example. And he just gives it everything he has every time he steps on the field. Meetings. It doesn’t matter what it is, you know.
“I think he’s proved to the world why he should win the Heisman. You know, he’s just a tremendous player…I think he should be drafted number one (overall). But it’s great having a player like that on our team.”
None of the “experts” were so much as placing Hutchinson, a senior from Plymouth, Mich., in the Heisman conversation until he chopped down the giant beanstalk that was Ohio State, a Big Ten-ravaging team that hadn’t lost a conference game in Coach Ryan Day’s three seasons.
Hutchinson sacked Buckeyes quarterback C.J. Stroud, then a Heisman front-runner, three times in a 42-27 victory to set the school’s single-season sack record, which stands at 14 after adding another one against the Hawkeyes.
Now, according to those who place odds, Hutchinson is expected to finish second or third behind Young. The other two finalists are Pittsburgh quarterback Kenny Pickett and Stroud.
Hutchinson is the only one who doesn’t play quarterback to receive an invitation to New York for the trophy presentation.
So, Aidan should finish no worse than the third-place Heisman finish his coach, Jim Harbaugh, had in 1986 as the quarterback of the Big Ten champion Wolverines.
Harbaugh credits many players, but primarily captain Hutchinson, with demanding accountability and total dedication from this team.
“Aidan did lead that,” said Harbaugh. “That was – you know, from January (on) you could see, you know, when he went into the weight coaches and said, ‘I’m coming back, and every time I step into this weight room, make sure you wring me out, get everything out of me.’
“You could tell he was hungry. And the weight coaches said, ‘Yeah, this can be an all-you-can-eat buffet here.’ And he ate it up. And I think that’s contagious and others followed.”
When your best player is your best leader, you have a true blessing as a coach.
Hutchinson, his eye black smeared from the sweat of the game, sat next to Harbaugh, and it was easy to see their clear connection to doing things with the same dog-on-a-bone constancy demanded by Bo Schembechler, Harbaugh’s coach.
Harbaugh recalled Bo’s mantra:
“To walk past the sign we all walk by: ‘Those who stay will be champions.’ To make that valid and that true. You know, for guys to – to live on, really, in Schembechler Hall. I mean, (Hutchinson’s) picture is going to be up there on the All-American wall.”
The black and white photos of Michigan’s All-Americas wearing their letter sweaters line the walkway players take from the locker room to the second-floor meeting rooms and cafeteria. Chris Hutchinson, father of Aidan and an All-America defensive end and team captain of the 1992 Big Ten champs, is in one of those framed photos.
Aidan is a standout student just like Chris, now an emergency room physician in Royal Oak. He’s also a great fellow student, having led schoolmates in “It’s Great to be a Michigan Wolverine” on the field after upsetting the Buckeyes.
But, above all, Aidan is a truly special person.
The Wolverines wore a patch with No. 42 with four red hearts and the initials TM on their uniforms against Iowa. That was a tribute to Tate Myre, a gritty football player and one of four Oxford High students killed in senseless gunfire from a fellow student. His family attended the game in Indianapolis and were recognized amid their grief. He will be buried Tuesday.
“It was Aidan who came to me and wanted to dedicate the game to Tate Myre,” said Harbaugh. “…That was huge. And then when it was 42 points and we all looked up there (at the scoreboard), we were like…”
Hutchinson added, “God works in mysterious ways. Man, it’s crazy…Goosebumps.”
Players like Aidan Hutchinson are rare.
People this selfless and generous are what make the world a better place.
And so, wouldn’t it be fitting and deserved if he was named the Heisman winner? It sure would be. But know this: Hutchinson doesn’t need a bronze trophy or any award or any photo on a wall to be remembered.
That, you can count on.
Aidan Hutchinson and Coach Jim Harbaugh spoke with media members after Saturday night’s 42-3 win over Iowa in the Big Ten Championship game.
Why Hutchinson Should Win the Heisman Trophy
I agree 100%! He has earned it in my book! Great article Steve!
Without trivializing anyone’s impact, offensive stars are a dime a dozen. But, a pure defensive game-changer is worth his weight in gold, or whatever material the Heisman is made of. Isn’t that why the saying is Defense wins Championships?