The Heisman Trophy is awarded to the best player in college football each season. This year Orlando Pace is by far the best player and should be the first offensive lineman to take the trophy home.The chances of Orlando winning are slim but, not impossible. He needs a big game and a little help from John Cooper against the Maize and Blue Saturday, his last opportunity to wow the voters.There is some history to a lineman vying for the Heisman. OSU lineman Jim Parker was in the running in 1956, but it was Buckeye great John Hicks who came the closest. Hicks, an offensive tackle, was an All-Big Ten selection, the Lombardi Award winner, and the Outland Trophy winner in 1973.That season he finished second in the Heisman voting to Penn State halfback John Cappelletti. That proves that the voters do recognize lineman for the most coveted award in college football.First let’s look at Pace’s competition. Running backs Troy Davis of Iowa State and Byron Hanspard of Texas Tech are both worthy candidates but, let’s face it, my grandmother could run for 2,000 yards in the Big 12 conference.Florida quarterback Danny Weurffel is probably the closest competitor. His horrid game versus South Carolina last week has lowered his stock and the tough defense that he will face against Florida State next weekend will show his true colors, black and blue.The offense that the Gators run produces a 3,000 yard passer every season, what makes Weurffel any different? Some people say that Northwestern’s Darnell Autry is a candidate. For what, the best college thespian? The fact that the Wildcats didn’t miss a beat when he was injured shows how average he really is.Orlando Pace is the best in college football. He proves it every game as he ‘pancakes’ opposing players on a regular basis, often beating his running backs down the field. There’s a reason why OSU has had a 1,000 yard rusher the last three seasons and Eddie George won last year’s Heisman.Cooper should play the ‘Big O’ on defense as well as offense Saturday. Rotate him into the defense with Winfield Garnett and watch him wreak havoc in the Wolverine backfield. Why not let him pancake quarterbacks as well as opposing defenders?Who remembers the Chicago Bears’ William ‘Refrigerator’ Perry running for touchdowns in the 1980’s? Put Orlando into the lineup as a fullback, a very large fullback, and let him run for a few touchdowns Saturday.Besides, it wasn’t very long ago that a certain turncoat from Cleveland ran a punt back for a Michigan touchdown against OSU and did the Heisman pose in the end zone. Its time for a little payback.Nothing would be sweeter than to see Orlando smash through the Michigan defense into the north end zone and do the Heisman pose for 96,000 crazy Buckeye fans.So, Coop, I’m begging you, pleading with you to give the ‘Big O’ a chance to run one in against the team from up north. If we can’t have back-to-back Heisman winners, let’s pour a little more humiliation on the Wolverines.GO BUCKS !!!!

Jeff Forward is a senior majoring in journalism who wants to wish all the Michigan fans a happy time at the Alamo Bowl.