SCHUBERT: As Suh mania grows, Heisman Trophy a possibility

The Heisman Trophy is not an award designed to be given to defensive players.

In fact, only three defensive players have won it in the 74-year history of the award, and all three also played on the offensive side of the ball.

Charles Woodson of Michigan took the pose in 1997 as a defensive back/wide receiver, while Leon Hart of Notre Dame (1949) and Larry Kelley of Yale (1936) both won playing tight end and defensive end, which was expected back then.

Now, it's a trophy for quarterbacks and running backs, but don't tell Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh.

The 6-foot-4 inch, 300-pound force has embarrassed offensive lines all season long — most recently that of the formerly ranked Missouri Tigers. NU coach Bo Pelini praised his star defensive lineman and several others after the big 27-12 win against Missouri Thursday night.

"Suh played his you-know-what off," Pelini said. "You can add the other guys up, too — Barry Turner, Cameron Meredith, Pierre Allen, Jared Crick, Baker Steinkuhler. They played hard, they played well. We played some pretty good football against a pretty good football team."

Suh has become a household name. National broadcasters are able to pronounce his name correctly now, and opposing teams are game-planning around him. Suh has been so outstanding in Pelini's second year, though, that even the game plans aren't slowing him down.

Suh's dominance is starting to be recognized around the country, and not only because of his performance Thursday night in front of a nationally televised audience.

He is tied for third in the nation in passes broken up as a defensive lineman, which is outlandish.

Add to that the fact that he is sixth in the country for passes defended, and you start wondering about giving him a shot at linebacker. NU linebackers coach Mike Ekeler probably wouldn't turn down that opportunity.

But the question remains how Suh is handling all of the extra attention. He had to expect a lot of this coming into the season after a solid 2008 campaign, and although he won't say it, he's enjoying it.

"What makes it so much sweeter is we got the win," Suh told the Husker Sports Network after Nebraska's 27-12 victory. "I think I had an OK game, but we got the win. It makes you kind of tickle inside. It feels good."

NU fans are feeling good after the Huskers played their worst three quarters of the season and then their best fourth quarter, mainly thanks to the play of Suh. He now has his eyes set on another quarterback.

This time, it is either Texas Tech quarterback Taylor Potts or his backup Steven Sheffield, depending on Potts' recovery from a concussion. Both are legitimate threats to pass the ball early and often against the NU defense.

Suh may not be able to knock off Heisman favorites in Florida quarterback Tim Tebow or Texas quarterback Colt McCoy, but as long as he keeps coming up in big games on a national stage, he could at least have a chance at getting himself a plane ticket to New York.