In the midst of another difficult rebuilding football season, Vandal tight end Eddie Williams is having an extraordinary year that may result in some serious hardware and national exposure for him and the University of Idaho football program.
Each season there are many collegiate football awards given to the nation’s best at each position.
You’ve got the Butkus Award going to the country’s top linebacker and the Doak Walker Award going to the top running back.
Without the fanfare of awards like those or the Heisman Trophy, the John Mackey Award annually goes to the top tight end in college football.

At this point in the season, the Mackey Award committee needs to take serious notice and give consideration to Williams as a top contender.
I’ve done extensive research on the Mackey Award and talked on the phone with a representative of the Nassau County Sports Commission, which chooses the winner each year.
In fact, that particular representative agreed to appear on the Johnny Ballgame Show if Williams remains in the hunt for the award.

Williams could make history if he does win this year’s Mackey.
No non-BCS player has ever won the award.
Williams should be either second or third in the running for this year’s trophy.
Right now, Rice tight end James Casey appears to be the leading candidate. Casey is a similar player to Williams in the respect he not only catches the ball, but also carries the rock from time to time. They are clearly both do-it-all tight ends.

One setback Williams and his teammates will encounter during award season is the lack of national exposure Idaho and the Western Athletic Conference receive.
Past Mackey Award winners include Kellen Winslow II, Dallas Clark and Heath Miller, who were big name players on big time teams.
I say forget that. Give the award to the best player at the position regardless of conference prestige or win-loss records.

Williams’ case to be in contention for the Mackey is obvious. Here is where he ranks nationally among all FBS tight ends:
•36 receptions- 2nd
•500 receiving yards- 3rd
•5 TDs- 2nd
•56 yards rushing- 2nd

Statistically, Williams is one of the best tight ends in the country up to this point.
However, here is why I think the lack of exposure will continue to hurt Williams or any of this teammates chances at gaining national acclaim.
Each week the Mackey Award committee releases a “tight end of the week” award given to the top player for that week.
I must say this entire process is already frustrating me.
Arizona tight end Rob Gronkowski won the weekly award for his performance last Saturday against Washington.

Williams should have won the weekly award for his murder-facing performance against Nevada.
Here are each players stats last week:
•Gronkowski- 5 catches, 109 yards, 3 tds
•Williams- 10 catches, 142 yards, 2 tds
Come on, committee. I realize Gronkowski had three teeders, but Williams had twice as many receptions and 33 more yards receiving. I understand three touchdowns is a great performance, but I’ll take the guy with the most catches and yardage any day.
It’s not like Williams didn’t find the endzone, he scored twice and compiled his numbers with an offense much inferior to Arizona’s.

I guess the committee doesn’t take things like that into consideration.
At seasons end, ESPN puts on its annual College Football Awards show and the top three candidates along with their head coach are in attendance at the televised ceremony.
If Williams keeps going at this pace, and is not one of the three elected representatives, I think Vandal fans will have a justified beef with the selection process of the Mackey Award.

Keep a close eye on Williams the remainder of the season. He could be the first modern Vandal to win an award this prestigious.
You can research the award and be frustrated for yourself by logging onto www.johnmackeyaward.org.

Listen to the Johnny Ballgame Show on 89.3 FM or kuoi.org each Thursday at 10:30 am and Sunday at 8:30 pm.

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