Many Ole Miss football fans already realize the initial Manning Award watch-list has been released and we also realize one name is absent from the list. What gives?
Of course, Ole Miss football fans are also fans of Manning, and rightly so. We’ve been fortunate enough to have not just one but two Manning greats wear the red and blue of Ole Miss. Prior to each season we can look forward to the release of the Manning Award watch-list. This year is no different as the watch-list was released yesterday. However, there was a name missing from the list and it has some Ole Miss fans scratching their heads.
Five SEC quarterbacks are on this years Manning Award watch-list but one is missing. Where is Shea Patterson? That’s the question. Ok, so he’s only a sophomore, but he has been proven in the heat of SEC play at the worst time of the season, the final three games. In three starts Shea Patterson played valiantly and accounted for 880 yards while completing 72 of 132 passes. He also threw for 6 TDs. He did it behind a makeshift line and under duress much of the time. Also, by the time Shea made his first start much of the team and staff had already given up.
The fact Shea only started three games should mean even more considering he did a great job and nobody recognizes that except Ole Miss football fans. We all know had he played an entire season and had the preseason to prepare as a starter his numbers would have been phenomenal.
Character Should Mean Something
Ole Miss Rebels Football
There’s no good reason for Shea not to be on this list especially when you consider the character of this young man.
He wasn’t suspended for two games last season for violating team rules as was Brogan Roback of Eastern Michigan. Of course, Roback made the watch-list and his numbers really aren’t that impressive.
Nor was he involved in an incident like OU quarterback Baker Mayfield, who also made the list. As you may recall Mayfield was involved in an incident where he pleaded guilty to four charges which included public intoxication and resisting arrest. Of course, we all saw the video.
No, Shea instead was busy working on his craft and schoolwork. He made Ole Miss honor roll and SEC academic honor roll. Shea was also selected as a NFF Scholar-Athlete and is a member of the SEC Football Student-Athlete Leadership Council.
There is no other young man I’d have to quarterback our Ole Miss football team. Anybody can look at Shea Patterson’s body of work thus far and see he should have been on the list. Honestly, for him not to be on the list is an injustice to him and to the Ole Miss and Manning legacy. But all that’s cool.
He Will Make It
Sure, I may sound like sour grapes over this but I think it’s more amusing than anything else. I know for a fact Shea isn’t sweating it at all. There is a mantra which is reverberating through the Ole Miss football locker-room. Control what you can control.
There is no doubt in my mind the five SEC quarterbacks who made the list deserve to be there. They are all outstanding in their own right, however we all know Shea should have been on this list as well. Of course, I realize the potency of this Ole Miss football team and offense. Some obviously don’t.
Manning Award has added quarterbacks to the list during mid-season in the past and they will again. When they do, around mid-October, I know we’ll all see Shea Patterson topping the list. You just gave him and the Rebels more fuel for the fire. Thanks! Hotty Toddy!