A boy named Suh

Names matter. Don't kid yourself. You won't find a rocket scientist named Hank or a bum named Colin.

College football awards finalists announced today. My picks/comments:

Chuck Bednarik Award — Best defensive player
Actual nominees: Terrence Cody (Alabama), Brandon Spikes (Florida), Ndamukong Suh (Nebraska)
My nominees: Rolando McClain (Alabama), Gerald McCoy (Oklahoma), Suh

First of all, Suh should obviously win. Let's get that out of the way real quick. If he doesn't, it's only because ESPN rigs the vote so no one has to try to pronounce "Ndamukong" — funny, my spellchecker didn't recognize Ndamukong as a word.

The other nominees are my complaint. I understand that Alabama and Florida have outstanding defenses. And Cody and Spikes are the most recognized nationally. But McClain and Joe Haden are the best players on those respective defenses. And it hurts not to have Eric Berry on the list, but I just feel the other three guys are the most dominant.

Biletnikoff Award — best wide receiver
Actual nominees: Freddie Barnes (Bowling Green), Jordan Shipley (Texas), Golden Tate (Notre Dame)
My nominees: Barnes, Shipley, Danario Alexader (Missouri)

No real problem with nominees. Golden Tate is a very good player and playing for the Golden Domers, he's obviously receiving a lot of hype. I like Alexander better because he doesn't have a first-round draft pick throwing him the ball and he has made several highlight reel catches. Plus he has better numbers.

It's really a two-man race. Shipley will win, Barnes should.

Lou Groza Award — Best kicker
Actual nominees: Kai Forbath (UCLA), Leigh Tiffin (Alabama), Blair Walsh (Georgia)
My nominees: The same.

No arguing that these are the three best kickers in the nation. Walsh has the biggest leg, Tiffin has made the most crucial kicks, but Forbath is the best kicker. Plus, guys named Blair or Leigh (not Lee) are generally assholes.

Ray Guy Award — Best punter
Actual nominees: Drew Butler (Georgia), Zoltan Mesko (Michigan), Chas Henry (Florida)
My nominees: Zoltan Mesko (Michigan), Zoltan Mesko (Michigan), Zoltan Mesko (Michigan)

Mesko is the best punter I've seen since Colquitt. (And how does Florida's punter make this list? What's he punted this year, five times?) Plus, punters are like hot women. Not that much really separates them, so a name can make them more attractive.

If you have three women of similar attractiveness, Alexis is going to be more appealing than Susan or Jennifer. In the same vein, Zoltan is going to make a punter seem better than ... well, anybody.

Maxwell Award - Best all-around player
Actual nominees: Mark Ingram (Alabama), Tim Tebow (Florida), Colt McCoy (Texas)
My nominees: Suh, Ingram, Toby Gerhart (Stanford)

Ingram and Gerhart are close, I can accept either one as the Heisman winner. My personal preference is Gerhart, but Ingram can change that if he dominates Auburn. Either way, Suh is far and away the best all-around player in college football. I bet McCoy wins this award though. Sympathy and shit.

Davey O'Brien Award - Best QB
Actual nominees: Case Keenum (Houston), Tebow, McCoy
My nominees: Keenum, Andrew Luck (Stanford), Jeremiah Masoli (Oregon)

I'm not big on these non-BCS quarterbacks who throw for 5,000 yards and 50 touchdowns against weak competition, but Keenum does have some nice comebacks and beat a potential BCS team on the road. Tebow and McCoy have no business winning this award. Keenum by default.

Outland Trophy — Best interior lineman
It's Suh. Duh. (Despite the spelling, those words don't rhyme.)

Jim Thorpe Award — Best defensive back
Actual nominees: Berry, Haden, Earl Thomas (Texas)
My nominees: Berry, Haden, Perrish Cox (Oklahoma State)

Six of one, half a dozen of the other between the two SEC guys. I actually think Cox is the best pure cover corner, but Haden and Berry get involved in the run game and are exceptional blitzers.

Doak Walker Award — Best running back
Actual nominees: — Gerhart, Ingram, C.J. Spiller (Clemson)
My nominees: — Gerhart, Ingram, Spiller

I like them in the order they are written above. But it's like 9.75, 9.7, 9.6.