LSU's Tyrann Mathieu: Heisman Caliber or Hype?

"College football needs to pay attention to No. 7 at LSU. He's one of the most dynamic playmakers in all of college football," said none other than Kirk Herbstreit during the LSU-West Virginia telecast earlier this season.

"I keep using the comparison: Ed Reed, because he has that sixth sense to make plays. I don't know how he does it but he's always there to make plays," he said.

LSU cornerback Tyrann Mathieu is gaining momentum as a Heisman candidate. The Bleacher Report says: "He's arguably the best player on arguably the nation's best team."

Not only that but "Honey Badger" plays with a swagger unparalleled in college football today. He simply has a nose for the ball. And people are starting to notice.

ESPN analyst Desmond Howard, who is perhaps best known as a player who exemplified the Heisman pose at Michigan (and a huge Les Miles fan) tweeted that Mathieu is the real deal.

"Tyrann Mathieu is most definitely on MY Heisman list. Talking about 'earning' a nomination. I love his game!"

Mathieu was personally willed the LSU Tigers to win at least two of their final three games, a 41-17 victory over Arkansas for the SEC West title, and the following week a 42-10 stomping of Georgia.


"I could hear my teammates in my ear saying, 'Man, we need you to go make a play,'" Mathieu said after the Razorbacks game in which he returned a punt 92 yards. "I was able to help the momentum really go in our favor."


"You have no idea how bad I just wanted to go out there and make a big play for our team. I was fortunate enough to be able to do that," the New Orleans native said.

"That was a huge turning point in the game," Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino said. "We were trying to get the ball punted to the sideline, but he miss-hit it a bit and punted it to the middle. ... (Mathieu) made a great cut and made us miss at the point of attack. He made a great play."

LSU trailed 14-7 when Mathieu fielded Dylan Breeding's end-over-end kick at his own 8, started left, made a hard cut straight up field, then angled left again to break into the clear.

"It made the statement that that lead was not going to stand up," LSU coach Les Miles said. "Our defense was going to continue to play well and our offense was coming."

Against Georgia, the Honey Badger was even more deadly. He took a punt at his own 38, found an opening, did and zig then a zag, and was gone — his second punt return for a touchdown in two weeks. Did he score? Yes and no. A replay shown repeatedly on CBS showed that Mathieu flipped the ball to an official just a mili-second before crossing the end zone. But the referee signaled touchdown.

Asked after the game if he knew he didn't score the Honey Badger fessed up. "Yeah, I kind of felt it," Mathieu said. "I looked at the referee. I'll have to remember not to do that next time."

Can he take what he wants at the Heisman ceremony?