Edwards vs. Landers

[AshevilleApp]

Although some could put up arguments for other players the Payton Award is likely to come down to Armanti Edwards vs. Rodney Landers (barring injury)

Here is how the two shape up head-to-head

Passing
Edwards 129-210 61.4% 1999 yds 22 tds 2 ints 174.06 rating
Landers 66-107 61.7% 938 yds 11 tds 3 ints 163.63 rating

Rushing
Edwards 154-786 5.1 avg 9 tds
Landers 169-1115 6.6 avg 10 tds

Scoring
Edwards 31 tds (22 passing, 9 rushing)
Landers 21 tds (11 passing, 10 rushing)


Both players have 2 regular season games to go

Debate?

[mcveyrl]

At this point, the ONLY thing that Landers has going for him is the head-to-head win, but I don't think that's enough.

It's Edwards' to lose.

[th0m]

I think Edwards will get it over of Landers. But there are more than these two players lighting up the league.

[Eight Legger]

This award may be renamed for Edwards by the time he is done next year. I don't think the voting will be close this year.

[HiHiYikas]

Although some could put up arguments for other players...

That's my thinking...Is there a good reason so many people are so sure that it's down to Edwards and Landers? I'd love for AE to win as much as any ASU fan, but shouldn't some of the other candidates be taken into consideration?

Weber's Cameron Higgins, for instance, has 33 TD and almost 3,500 yards passing. His QB rating is 178.6. Granted, he has rushed for -72 yards on the season, but his passing stats are very good.

[mcveyrl]

I'm not even sure Landers will be in the Top 3 by the end of the year. The only argument he would have against somebody like Higgins is a tougher schedule, but Higgins numbers are impressive no matter what.

[mountaineer_dax]

If their passing numbers were the same then i'd say give it to landers because the Head to Head. But Armanti has doubled up landers in the passing category.

Personally it is too hard to decide right now.

But Armanti does have 786 more yards total than Landers. If going by that alone Armanti has it.

[appstate1998]

Take away my App status.....AE should win this hands down.

[NYJMUSupporter]

I think it should be Armanti, but if you look at the spirt of the award, you could make a serious case for Landers. Where would JMU be without him? He is, in my opinion, the most valuable player to his team in all of FCS competition.

[andy7171]

AE by a mile. It's his to lose for the next two seasons.

[AppGrad06]

That's my thinking...Is there a good reason so many people are so sure that it's down to Edwards and Landers? I'd love for AE to win as much as any ASU fan, but shouldn't some of the other candidates be taken into consideration?

Weber's Cameron Higgins, for instance, has 33 TD and almost 3,500 yards passing. His QB rating is 178.6. Granted, he has rushed for -72 yards on the season, but his passing stats are very good.


My though exactly. Higgins and AE are the top 2 in my mind. Landers, is a great player and pivotal part of JMUs offense, but his number just are not as good. Even in the head-to-head against AE his stats weren't really better than AE's other than the W, (and that I really credit to Scotty McGee and JMUs special teams for changing the momentum of the game, and JMUs defense for holding us.

[mcveyrl]

My though exactly. Higgins and AE are the top 2 in my mind. Landers, is a great player and pivotal part of JMUs offense, but his number just are not as good. Even in the head-to-head against AE his stats weren't really better than AE's other than the W, (and that I really credit to Scotty McGee and JMUs special teams for changing the momentum of the game, and JMUs defense for holding us.

xeyebrowx xeyebrowx

I've already said that the award is Edwards to lose, but you realize that Landers blew past the secondary for a pretty game-changing 62 yard score, right? Then, based on his running, the safety got duped on a 35 yard TD pass.

But, even with that, I think it's Edwards award. And Landers might not be a finalist.

[AshevilleApp]

http://www.sportsnetwork.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=sportsnetwork&page=cfoot2/payton/payton08.aspx


OK so pulling out the QBs on the watch list here are the passing stats

Passing
Bomar (SHS) 177-312 2512 yds 22 tds 9 ints 141.9 rating
Brown (CA) 205-307 2626 yds 27 tds 3 ints 165.7 rating
Coen (UMASS) 171-275 2459 yds 21 tds 10 ints 148.5 rating
Edwards (ASU) 131-208 1999 yds 22 tds 2 ints 176.7 rating
Higgins (Weber) 240-350 3479 yds 33 tds 8 ints 178.6 rating
Landers (JMU) 66-107 938 yds yds 11 tds 3 ints 163.6 rating
Nichols (EWU) 233-376 2705 yds 17 tds 11 ints 131.5 rating
Randolph (Holy Cross) 296-444 3100 yds 28 tds 14 ints 139.8 rating

[HiHiYikas]

http://www.sportsnetwork.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=sportsnetwork&page=cfoot2/payton/payton08.aspx


OK so pulling out the QBs on the watch list here are the passing stats
Passing
Bomar (SHS) 177-312 2512 yds 22 tds 9 ints 141.9 rating
Brown (CA) 205-307 2626 yds 27 tds 3 ints 165.7 rating
Coen (UMASS) 171-275 2459 yds 21 tds 10 ints 148.5 rating
Edwards (ASU) 131-208 1999 yds 22 tds 2 ints 176.7 ratingHiggins (Weber) 240-350 3479 yds 33 tds 8 ints 178.6 rating
Landers (JMU) 66-107 938 yds yds 11 tds 3 ints 163.6 ratingNichols (EWU) 233-376 2705 yds 17 tds 11 ints 131.5 rating
Randolph (Holy Cross) 296-444 3100 yds 28 tds 14 ints 139.8 rating
It's interesting that the 2 QBS in question have the lowest passing yard totals on the list. Obviously, that's not the only measure of the quality of these two players, but it does make me wonder if the eventual winner is really a foregone conclusion.

[StrikeJMU]

AE's got the award over my secret lover Mr. Landers...although I did conduct an interview with a VERY famous young lady who had some questions about just how great Armanti Edwards really is...

Lucy Van Pelt: He never got his picture on bubblegum cards, did he? Have you ever seen his picture on a bubblegum card? Hmmm? How can you say someone is great who's never had his picture on bubblegum cards?

...I think she has a point.

[mcveyrl]

If their passing numbers were the same then i'd say give it to landers because the Head to Head. But Armanti has doubled up landers in the passing category.

Personally it is too hard to decide right now.

But Armanti does have 786 more yards total than Landers. If going by that alone Armanti has it.

I would also point out that Edwards has almost doubled Landers up in attempts, but the numbers are still too impressive to overcome.

[Dukie95]

http://www.sportsnetwork.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=sportsnetwork&page=cfoot2/payton/payton08.aspx


OK so pulling out the QBs on the watch list here are the passing stats

Passing
Bomar (SHS) 177-312 2512 yds 22 tds 9 ints 141.9 rating
Brown (CA) 205-307 2626 yds 27 tds 3 ints 165.7 rating
Coen (UMASS) 171-275 2459 yds 21 tds 10 ints 148.5 rating
Edwards (ASU) 131-208 1999 yds 22 tds 2 ints 176.7 rating
Higgins (Weber) 240-350 3479 yds 33 tds 8 ints 178.6 rating
Landers (JMU) 66-107 938 yds yds 11 tds 3 ints 163.6 rating
Nichols (EWU) 233-376 2705 yds 17 tds 11 ints 131.5 rating
Randolph (Holy Cross) 296-444 3100 yds 28 tds 14 ints 139.8 rating


Interesting that Landers has half the yards, half the TDs and half the attempts as Edwards (but 50% more INTs, none since App St.)

Landers is playing in a completely different system and his passing stats reflect that.

Landers leads the CAA in rushing; he's more of a RB that can throw.

[james_lawfirm]

Take away my App status......

Is that possible?

[james_lawfirm]

AE's got the award over my secret lover Mr. Landers...although I did conduct an interview with a VERY famous young lady who had some questions about just how great Armanti Edwards really is...

Lucy Van Pelt: He never got his picture on bubblegum cards, did he? Have you ever seen his picture on a bubblegum card? Hmmm? How can you say someone is great who's never had his picture on bubblegum cards?

...I think she has a point.


Are you old enough to post on this board?

[HiHiYikas]

Figured I'd throw total offense rankings (http://web1.ncaa.org/mfb/natlRank.jsp?year=2008&rpt=IAA_playertotoff&site=org) in the mix, for what it's worth.

1. Dominic Randolph, Holy Cross - 352.9/game
2. Rhett Bomar, SHSU - 332.8
4. Cameron Higgins, Webber St. - 309.7
11. Armanti Edwards, App State - 278.5
* Nathan Brown, CentArk - 271.6
29. Liam Coen, UMass - 246.1
41. Rodney Landers, JMU - 228.1

* Brown would be at 14th in FCS, but the NCAA stats page lists him separately, among other players on reclassifying teams.

[appstate1998]

and not just for this award but all awards you have to think about OOC schedule. For instance we played LSU. Also did the player play against any D-II schools and have a big game. Also did they play the whole game. What would Armanti's stats been had he played the second half of UTC of the fourth quarter of every game?

[Rob Iola]

We all have seen AE completely dismantle opposing Ds in numerous big games - the only time he's looked human (when healthy) was against LSU.

I agree with the poster who said that the award should just be named after him...

[AppGrad06]

xeyebrowx xeyebrowx

I've already said that the award is Edwards to lose, but you realize that Landers blew past the secondary for a pretty game-changing 62 yard score, right? Then, based on his running, the safety got duped on a 35 yard TD pass.

But, even with that, I think it's Edwards award. And Landers might not be a finalist.


Didn't say he wasn't a game changer, but in that game the big momentum swing came when McGee ran it back, and if your D hadn't buckled down it wouldn't have mattered how well Landers did in the second half

[mcveyrl]

Didn't say he wasn't a game changer, but in that game the big momentum swing came when McGee ran it back, and if your D hadn't buckled down it wouldn't have mattered how well Landers did in the second half

Yea, but by the same token, without Landers (and the O-line) the final score's 32-7 (probably 24-7 since there wouldn't be a need to score a late TD).

[AppGrad06]

Yea, but by the same token, without Landers (and the O-line) the final score's 32-7 (probably 24-7 since there wouldn't be a need to score a late TD).

true, I'm not trying to discount his monumental role, but I feel like the swing in momentum (the importance of which can never be underestimated especially at home) and your D digging in is really what opened the door for Landers and he ran through it at 100 miles an hour.

[mistersykes]

I agree with whoever said that Landers is more of a RB that can also throw, sort of like Jayson Foster was. Armanti has clearly had to alter his game somewhat into more of a passing threat, which he has done VERY well. That said, there's no denying that they're both great fits for their teams.

As far as QB's go, I think that AE and Higgins are far ahead of the other Payton candidates. There's sort of a second tier where Landers, Brown and Randolph (maybe Bomar) are sitting.

[Rekdiver]

AE has received more media attention and the east coast bias is still in effect, not to mention most voters still have that image of him diving over the goal line at Michigan burned indelibly in their brain.

All it will take is an average AE day against Elon, no letdown against WCU and its his.


As an aside, the distance of his deep passes against Wofford absolutely floored me.

[SideLine Shooter]

Regardless of numbers, I don't think an App St. player can win it. JMHO.

[thmst30]

I really hope the voters take more than just stats into consideration.

[phillyAPP]

We all have seen AE completely dismantle opposing Ds in numerous big games - the only time he's looked human (when healthy) was against LSU.

I agree with the poster who said that the award should just be named after him...


You need to come watch him in person. My offer is still open to you to come to Boone (THE ROCK) and watch him play.

Give me some notice when your coming. You just have about 10 home games left to see him. I know you will like the game. Ask Bruce Dowd its APPdicting.

[phillyAPP]

Regardless of numbers, I don't think an App St. player can win it. JMHO.

I hate to agree on this one but i do. Too much APP, too many years. AE has done everything you can do as a player but many people will not want to give it to him.

[HiHiYikas]

Regardless of numbers, I don't think an App St. player can win it. JMHO.
I kinda feel that way...but surely this is the best shot an ASU player's ever had, right?

[MorgantonAPPAlum]

I kinda feel that way...but surely this is the best shot an ASU player's ever had, right?

John Settle???

[Syntax Error]

Bomar (SHS) 177-312 2512 yds 22 tds 9 ints 141.9 rating
Brown (UCA) 205-307 2626 yds 27 tds 3 ints 165.7 rating
Coen (UMASS) 171-275 2459 yds 21 tds 10 ints 148.5 rating
*Dally, (CP) 89-136 1585 yds 18 tds 1 int 205.5 rating 84-353 rushing
Edwards (ASU) 131-208 1999 yds 22 tds 2 ints 176.7 rating
Higgins (Weber) 240-350 3479 yds 33 tds 8 ints 178.6 rating
Landers (JMU) 66-107 938 yds yds 11 tds 3 ints 163.6 rating
Nichols (EWU) 233-376 2705 yds 17 tds 11 ints 131.5 rating
Randolph (Holy Cross) 296-444 3100 yds 28 tds 14 ints 139.8 rating

*not on the Payton list