Another college football season is in the books….another year of the Heisman Watch here on SoBros Network…a brand new season of the College Football Roundup Podcast….time flies when you’re having fun. But, it does mean it’s time for one of the longest-running time-honored traditions here at SoBros Network, and that is naming the SEC’s most valuable player for the year. What goes into it? Well, I’m glad you asked. It is a completely arbitrary award that I simply decide upon by watching the SEC season unfold and look at candidates that both had stellar seasons from a statistical standpoint -and- meant the most to their team. #Journalism. Sidebar: I can’t believe this is the 10th year I’ve done this completely made up award! Nonetheless, this was an incredibly tough year to measure value in the SEC. It’s like the larger Heisman race – I’m not sure that any one guy grabbed the reins and ran away with it, but there were several guys who deserve a tip of the cap. Ultimately, I’m going to land on Tennessee Volunteers wide receiver Jalin Hyatt, who should win the Biletnikoff Award this and deserves a little more love in the larger Heisman conversation.
It really came down to Hyatt and his quarterback, Hendon Hooker, to me. And, if you want to grill me and say Hooker is the rightful MVP, I’m not really going to put up much of an argument for it. But, I think we’re splitting hairs here between the two. Ultimately, it’s Hyatt’s emergence that really kept this Vols offense on the rails once Cedric Tillman missed time due to injury. I mean, going into this season, analysts were asking who the hell was going to be making plays for this Vols offense outside of Tillman. I don’t know whether Hyatt was outright asked to come in and be the team’s number one or not, but he damn sure snatched the opportunity and ran with it.
You can make arguments for all of the NFL talent on Alabama’s roster – Bryce Young and Will Anderson. But, this was a “down year” for Alabama, so wouldn’t that mean Young and Anderson actually brought the team down? It’s a joke, folks – please don’t yell at me. You can make an argument for Jalen Carter, but he missed time this season and the Bulldogs were just fine. You can make an argument for Stetson Bennett, who is apparently deserving of a Heisman finalist spot, but please don’t. It’s fair to wonder what that LSU defense would’ve looked like without Harold Perkins…but the Tigers lost three games! For me, part of defining “value” takes into account that the player plays for a winning team, and he has to elevate the people around him.
I land on Hyatt with those guiding principles in mind. But, it’s not just that he stepped up when his team needed him…I mean, hell, the guy had 1,267 receiving yards. That mark was good for 1st in the SEC and 4th in the entire FBS. His 15 touchdowns were tied for 1st in the FBS. He downright produced. In the Third Saturday In October game, Hyatt posted 207 yards and FIVE touchdowns. He was absolutely instrumental in swinging that game in favor of the Vols. Now, we’re talking about him as a potential first round draft pick! In a muddled pool of “MVP” contenders, I remain impressed by how Hyatt stepped up and dominated the SEC this year. I’ll lose no sleep naming him the conference’s most valuable player for 2022.
PAST HONORS
2013: Tre Mason, Jordan Matthews
2014: Amari Cooper
2015: Derrick Henry
2016: Reuben Foster
2017: Drew Lock
2018: Tua Tagovailoa
2019: Joe Burrow
2020: DeVonta Smith
2021: Matt Corral
Catch y’all again next season.
If you haven’t already, be sure to go subscribe to the College Football Roundup Podcast, on which Steven McCash and myself break down all the action from the college football world and look ahead to the week to come.
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network, and a Dogs Playing Poker on velvet connoisseur. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD, #BeBetter, and ‘Minds right, asses tight.’ “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, Yankee Candle, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley.
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