(UHND.com) — In past years the four or five finalists for the Heisman Trophy were invited to the Downtown Athletic club, this year however just three, USC’s Reggie Bush and Matt Leinart, and Texas’ Vince Young, will be in New York Saturday night while players like Brady Quinn will be home.
It had been debated over the last few weeks how many players would be invited to the Downtown Athletic Club with the Heisman really being a three horse race between this year’s national championship participants’ star players.
There had still been hope for Quinn to get an invite since it was believed he would be 3rd on many of the ballots after Vince Young and Reggie Bush with Matt Leinart having a less spectacular season than a year. Quinn had more yards and touchdowns than both the quarterbacks invited, but Young and Leinart had more wins which counts even more than stats in the Heisman most of the time.
Quinn should finish 4th in this year’s voting which will set him up for a more serious run at the coveted trophy next year.
All was not lost for Quinn today however as he was named the winner of this year’s Sammy Baugh Award given to the nation’s best quarterback by the Touchdown Club of Columbus.
Quinn will receive his award at the Touchdown Club of Columbus’ 51st Annual Sports Banquet in early February. Some past winners of the Sammy Baugh Award include John Elway, Bob Griese, Daunte Culpepper, David Carr, Steve Young, and Vinny Testaverde. Quinn is the 2nd Notre Dame quarterback to receive the award. Terry Hanratty won the award in 1967.
