[Hulk01]

It's ridiculous.

These voters cannot understand football.  If they did, they would realize both the unique pressure that Mac causes for a defense, and the remarkable flexibility he gives to Stanford's offense.

His threat alone, standing in the huddle, gives him enormous value.  Will he set in the slot?  Wide?  Forward in the inside zone rad?  Wildcat?  The defense immediately has to recognize the formation and the options Stanford might run from it; this alone ensures we get a befuddled defense several times a game, where a defender, as a vivid example, doesn't know to account for Mac slipping out the backfield, finding a hole in the zone, and scoring on a flip for Hogan without being touched--e.g., the clinching score against SC.

Henry, and backs lack him, don't create this pressure at all.  The only pressure he creates is the need to move a safety up close, and for the defensive backs covering wide to come hard to the line of scrimmage in support.  But Mac's ability to find a seam and then a cut in the second level creates similar pressure.

He's the most lethal weapon in college football, by a standard deviation.  If you started a college football team, you'd draft him first, without question.  (You can always get the second best quarterback, or even third--at least this season--and be just fine; the wins over replacement value are negligible.  Similarly, I don't see much wins over replacement value in skipping Henry and taking Fournette, or even Elliot. 

But there is no one can you can sub in for Mac, although Cook would be a nice get.

So yes, the Voldemort is a joke, chosen by men who played football and others who comment on the sport and who, despite all of that, still don't fully understand it

[Hulk01]

It's ridiculous.

These voters cannot understand football.  If they did, they would realize both the unique pressure that Mac causes for a defense, and the remarkable flexibility he gives to Stanford's offense.

His threat alone, standing in the huddle, gives him enormous value.  Will he set in the slot?  Wide?  Forward in the inside zone rad?  Wildcat?  The defense immediately has to recognize the formation and the options Stanford might run from it; this alone ensures we get a befuddled defense several times a game, where a defender, as a vivid example, doesn't know to account for Mac slipping out the backfield, finding a hole in the zone, and scoring on a flip for Hogan without being touched--e.g., the clinching score against SC.

Henry, and backs lack him, don't create this pressure at all.  The only pressure he creates is the need to move a safety up close, and for the defensive backs covering wide to come hard to the line of scrimmage in support.  But Mac's ability to find a seam and then a cut in the second level creates similar pressure.

He's the most lethal weapon in college football, by a standard deviation.  If you started a college football team, you'd draft him first, without question.  (You can always get the second best quarterback, or even third--at least this season--and be just fine; the wins over replacement value are negligible.  Similarly, I don't see much wins over replacement value in skipping Henry and taking Fournette, or even Elliot. 

But there is no one can you can sub in for Mac, although Cook would be a nice get.

So yes, the Voldemort is a joke, chosen by men who played football and others who comment on the sport and who, despite all of that, still don't fully understand it