The Heisman Trophy

Could Woodson be the best?

A few more seconds, and he would've done it. Right leg up. Right arm extended stiffly to ward off pursuers. Left arm tucking in its treasure tightly, as if the ball were the Heisman Trophy he hopes to receive when the winner is announced Saturday.

After his 78-yard punt return for a touchdown that sparked No. 1 Michigan to victory over Ohio State on Nov. 22, however, Charles Woodson couldn't strike the pose made famous by the Heisman's statue. "I was going to do it," he said, "but my teammate

MARGARET MYERS/Daily Charles Woodson could become the first primarily defensive player to win the Heisman Trophy.

s mobbed me too fast" in the end zone, and the moment was gone.

Had he been able to, Woodson would have looked strikingly similar to the most recent Wolverine to win the Heisman, wide receiver Desmond Howard. In 1991, Howard punctuated his bid for the award by returning a punt 93 yards for a touchdown against the Buckeyes - and celebrated by pretending he was frozen in bronze. But Woodson has had a harder time associating himself with the Heisman than Howard did, even though he is the self-proclaimed "best player in the country."

A two-time All-America cornerback and the recipient of this year's Walter Camp player of the year award, Woodson might be Charles Would-son in Heisman terms, if you listen to what people have been saying all season: He would win it, but even his talent as a cornerback-wide receiver-punt returner hasn't produced enough impressive statistics. He would win it, but Tennessee quarterback Peyton Manning has it locked up. He would win it, but the award never has been voted to a primarily defensive player.

"There are so many people who are saying that I'm the best and that I deserve it, and then those same people say I won't win it," Woodson said. "I don't understand. What are you judged on?"

According to its sponsor, New York's Downtown Athletic Club, the award annually goes to the "most outstanding college football player in the United States." And a growing corps of Woodson supporters - including Detroit Lions running back Barry Sanders, who gets a vote as a former winner - has said he is just that.

Even Washington State quarterback Ryan Leaf, a Heisman finalist who will test Woodson in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1, said Woodson "does so many things for his team, that makes him the best college football player. I'll just ride on (Woodson's and Manning's) coattails and go to New York to hang out with them."

Ohio State Coach John Cooper said: "I'd vote for Woodson. His punt return reminded me a little bit of Howard's. It was a good punt. We had guys down there. I don't know how many tackles he broke. He's an outstanding football player."

Woodson, who has played significant minutes on both sides of the ball for the past two years, has rather humble statistics this season.

His offensive yardage total has been eclipsed by Manning in single games, and his defensive statistics aren't record-breaking. But his teammates argue that he has more of an effect on games than anyone else does.

As good as he is offensively, he's better defensively. He lines up at cornerback on the wide side of the field or in the slot every snap and is rarely tested, intercepting nearly a third of the passes thrown in his direction.

When speaking of Woodson recently, Michigan Coach Lloyd Carr said that "big players come up big in big games." Carr was referring to the Ohio State game, in which Woodson also intercepted a pass in the end zone and caught a 37-yard pass that set up the Wolverines' only offensive touchdown.

"I think it's obvious he's the best player in America," Michigan quarterback Brian Griese said. "The spark he gives our team is something that can't be matched. I don't think any player in the country does that for his team."

Woodson has helped make the Wolverines winners. Michigan, which had suffered four straight four-loss seasons, is 11-0 for the first time since 1971 and has a chance to win its first national title since 1948. Its intimidating defense was ranked as the nation's best for the majority of the season.

"The Michigan swagger is back, and Charles is the one who restored it," co-captain Jon Jansen said. "The feeling is like, 'We're better than you, and you aren't going to beat us.' And that's been missing for a while."

Despite his considerable self-confidence, Woodson has remained one of the most popular players on the team. When asked who is his top choice for the Heisman, he said, "Me." But Woodson has recognized when it is time to talk and when it isn't. He won't trash-talk before a game, he said, because "we're not supposed to do that at Michigan." And postgame chatter, no matter how heady, isn't cocky "if you've backed it up on the field."

Carr said Woodson's Heisman candidacy could "only harm the team if we let it take precedent over obtaining our team goals. I am proud that Charles is not a selfish person, and if it came down to winning a championship or winning the Heisman, Charles would choose the championship."

After all, a national title is what Woodson wanted most when he defected from Fremont, Ohio, his small-town home in Buckeyes country. He always rooted for the Wolverines despite his friends, who wore scarlet and gray almost every day, and he said he always has hoped for one thing.

"I want a ring," he said after Michigan's 24-3 victory over Minnesota Nov. 1, a game in which he scored a 33-yard touchdown on a reverse. "I want a big, fat ring with a lot of diamonds in it. If I get that, and the Heisman doesn't come around, I'll still be happy. I'll be set."

Woodson's quick smile and quick feet should earn him a mountain of endorsement dollars and a lucrative NFL contract as soon as he pursues them. He could be another three-way star such as the Dallas Cowboys' Deion Sanders. But, since he is a junior, the NFL draft is about the only subject he doesn't care to touch on, yet.

Embroiled in the emotion of the Wolverines' victory over Ohio State, Woodson spoke with a rose in his mouth on the field at Michigan Stadium and told a reporter he would return for his senior season. Last week, however, he was more reserved.

"I have to sit down and talk to my mom after the season," Woodson said. "We'll lay everything out, and we'll make a decision from there."

For now, Woodson is trying to enjoy the moment. After accepting the Walter Camp award last week, he frowned a bit and said he didn't think it would improve his chances of winning the Heisman, though nine of the past 10 Camp winners have gone on to win it.

But he celebrated anyway.

That night at Rick's, the campus club, Woodson settled into a quiet corner and played pool, far away from the commotion of the throbbing dance floor. He stood in line to check his coat and looked very human at the pool table.

First shot - scratch. His teammates ribbed him: "You can't play! You have no game!" He just smiled, pointing to the television overhead.

And there he was, running back that punt against Ohio State all over again, but this time with the Heisman rotating under a golden light in the corner of the screen as analysts speculated about his chances of winning it.

No one said a word as Woodson, laughing, finally struck his Heisman pose, tucking the eight ball under his right arm.

"Yeah," he said, "now that's more like it."

Saturday

When: 8 p.m.

Television: CBS, ESPN

Finalists: Washington State quarterback Ryan Leaf, Tennessee quarterback Peyton Manning, Marshall wide receiver Randy Moss and Michigan cornerback Charles Woodson

Note: Michigan has had two Heisman winners - Tom Harmon ('40) and Desmond Howard ('91)

WOODSON'S HEISMAN CASE

Tackles	Int.	Yds.	TD	PD*
43	7	7	0	5

OFFENSE

Receiving

Rec.	Yards	TD
11	231	2

Rushing

Att.	Yards	TD
3	15	1

Passing

Comp.	Att	Yds
1	1	28

PUNT RETURNS

No.	Yds.	Avg.	TD	Long
33	283	8.6	1	78

*Passes defensed

THE VOTING PROCESS

There are six regions - the North, South, East, West, Midwest and Southeast - each of which has 145 voters for a total of 870 voters. All are members of the print and electronic media. In addition, each of the 51 living Heisman Trophy winners has the right to vote, bringing the total number of voters to 921. Blank ballots, with three black lines on them, were mailed to voters in November. They are due tomorrow.

12-10-97