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New York’s Downtown Athletic Club is a long way from
Pasadena. 2,744 miles to be exact.
But DeShaun Foster may just get there yet. On Saturday, he took
301 giant steps in the right direction.
By day’s end, Foster had done everything but tap the keg
for the post-game celebration in the parking lot.
All tolled, the Bruins’ star running back delivered one of
the most dominant individual performances in recent memory. It has
to rank right up there with Bruce Willis fighting his way through
the Nakatomi building in the first “Die Hard.”
At this point calling Foster the best running back in the
country is a wasted breath. It clearly goes without saying.
Handing Foster a football is like handing Renoir a paintbrush or
Coltrane a saxophone. Sit back and prepare to be amazed.
The 6-foot-1-inch, 215-pound tailback is every defensive
player’s worst nightmare. He has the speed to run by you and
the moves to run around you. But worse yet, Foster has always
understood that the shortest distance between two points is a
straight line. While many tailbacks avoid contact at all costs,
Foster seeks it out like some violent, attention-starved
toddler.
He runs through defenders like that paper banner high school
football teams charge through before the big game. He’s a
battering ram in cleats.
“He’s a good tailback, man,” Huskies’
defensive tackle Larry Tripplett told reporters after the game.
“You hit him, and somehow he stays on his feet.” This
coming from a man who weighs 300-plus pounds and could probably
tackle a good-sized rhinoceros.
Foster’s stats on Saturday looked like something ripped
from a Playstation box score. Four TDs and 301 rushing yards? Those
types of numbers are usually reserved for Nebraska’s meetings
with Appalachian State. It’s certainly not what you’d
expect against a defense that hadn’t given up a rushing
touchdown all season. Then again, Foster and his Bruin teammates
are making a habit out of exceeding expectations this season.
As we hit the halfway point of the college football season, the
Heisman race is now officially in full swing. With his superlative
performance against Washington, Foster has rather emphatically
thrown his hat, or make that helmet into the ring. Bob Toledo
agrees.
“I think DeShaun definitely made a statement for his
cause,” the Bruins’ head coach said in his post-game
press conference. “I was really impressed with
DeShaun.”
It’d be hard for Heisman voters to disagree.
But before we get ahead of ourselves, let’s not forget
that Foster’s pursuit of the game’s most prestigious
honor is far from over. There are still six games remaining on the
schedule. Not to mention the fact that he has ample
competition.
Sure, to the partial Bruin fan, quarterbacks like Joey
Harrington, Rex Grossman and Ken Dorsey may seem utterly
undeserving. But remember kids, you can find Heisman trophies in
the homes of Ty Detmer, Gino Torretta and Andre Ware.
For Foster to take home the hardware, he’ll have to
overcome the dreaded East Coast bias. The last player from the West
Coast to win the award was Marcus Allen, way back in 1982. DeShaun
was still learning to walk.
But if Saturday’s show was any indication, Foster will
attack the Heisman race like he did the Huskies’ defense
““ head on. Don’t be surprised if all the obstacles in
his way, East Coast bias and all, are cast aside with a quick stiff
arm and a lowered shoulder.
“He never disappoints me,” offensive tackle Mike
Saffer said. “If he’s in the game, he’s running
hard. It showed on that last touchdown.”
In fact, the only time Foster slowed down all day was when he
reached the endzone after his scintillating 92-yard scoring run. He
should have kept right on going.
The way he’s running, the Downtown Athletic Club is just
around the corner.