As the lore of the Honey Badger grows, so does sophomore cornerback Tyrann Mathieu’s Heisman hype.
Mathieu, who said he doesn’t hate the nickname, doesn’t like the sweet implication of the word “honey,” especially since his play is anything but sweet.
“I think of myself as tough,” Mathieu said.
Through six games he’s recorded seven turnovers, including two touchdowns, 41 tackles, five tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and four pass breakups.
“I won’t doubt myself. I definitely think I can win [the Heisman] whether it’s this year or next year,” Mathieu said. “It’s really just about me staying focused and playing hard and making the plays I’ve been was.”
Former Michigan cornerback Charles Woodson became the first primarily defensive player to hold college football’s most prestigious award after his standout junior season in 1997.
Fourteen years later, Mathieu is attempting to make a run to become the second defender and the second LSU player to win the Heisman.
Mathieu has posted similar numbers to Woodson’s Heisman season. Woodson had eight interceptions during Michigan’s 12-0 national championship season, while Mathieu has recorded seven turnovers through only six games, a stat that has helped propel LSU to No. 1 in the nation.
The main difference between Woodson’s and Mathieu’s games is that Woodson was also a part-time receiver for the Wolverines while Mathieu is strictly a defensive player. In his Heisman season, Woodson caught 11 passes for 231 yards and two touchdowns, as well as recording one rushing touchdown.
“[Woodson] did a lot of things. He played offense and he caught touchdowns, and it’s really just about me finding my way in there whichever way I can,” Mathieu said. “If I keep making the plays I’ve been able to make, then hopefully our team can go to the national championship and I’m able to go to New York one