Positive Impact Factor Top 10: December 9
Cam Newton is Your 2010 Regular Season MVP
Cam Newton has only led the Positive Impact Factor Standings for three consecutive weeks, but his six TD performance in the SEC Championship game has given Newton enough of a lead that Ricky Dobbs and Trent Steelman couldn't possibly overtake him. Therefore, Cam Newton has won the 2010 In The Bleachers Positive Impact Factor Most Valuable Player Award. In a very memorable season on the field for the undefeated and BCS National Championship bound Auburn Tigers, Newton completed 67.1% of his passes, only had 7 turnovers and accounted for 49 total TDs on 490 touches. Newton is also the SEC's 2010 regular season MVP. You can find out who won the MVP awards of the other conferences below. To see how Cam Newton, the Heisman front runner, stacks up against Heisman winning QBs from 2000-2009, click here.
If you're new to the PIF ratings, here's a quick primer (or, check out a podcast about the PIF): 100 point scale based on passing, rushing and receiving contribution (touches) to one's team. Total TD reflects passing+rushing+receiving (or maybe even fumble recovery) TD. Negative plays are defined as incompletions, fumbles and sacks taken. Extremely negative plays are interceptions and fumbles lost. Extremely positive plays are touchdowns. The PIF rating is calculated using the following formula:
Negative plays (incompletions, fumbles, sacks) divided by total touches (pass attempts, rush attempts, catches)=negative play percentage (Neg Play). Extremely negative plays (INTs/incompletions plus fumbles lost/rush attempts) multiplied times 2=extremely negative play factor (XNeg Play). Total TD divided by total touches=extremely positive play factor (XPos Play). 100-Neg Play+XNeg Play(total negative number)+XPos Play=PIF.
The complete PIF standings can be seen here: 1-36, 37-74, 75-112, 113-125. To see previous weeks, click the date: October 1, October 7, October 14, October 21, October 28, November 4, November 11, November 18, November 25, December 2. Top Ten Overview and Conference MVPs are after the table.
| Rank | QB | Team | Touches | Total TD | Neg Play | XNeg Play | XPos Play | PIF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. — | Cam Newton | Auburn | 490 | 49 | 21.6 | 15.6 | 10 | 72.7 |
| 2. — | Ricky Dobbs | Navy | 346 | 23 | 22.8 | 16.3 | 6.6 | 67.5 |
| 3. — | Dan Persa | Northwestern | 466 | 24 | 25.3 | 12.4 | 5.2 | 67.4 |
| 4. — | Trent Steelman | Army | 274 | 16 | 21.5 | 17.3 | 5.8 | 67 |
| 5. ↑2 | Colin Kaepernick | Nevada | 490 | 40 | 26.3 | 16 | 8.2 | 65.8 |
| 6. — | Chandler Harnish | Northern Illinois | 393 | 25 | 28.2 | 13.8 | 6.4 | 64.3 |
| 7. ↓2 | Ryan Tannehill | Texas A&M | 254 | 13 | 32.3 | 8.7 | 5.1 | 64.1 |
| 8. — | Austin Davis | Southern Miss | 542 | 28 | 31.4 | 11 | 5.2 | 62.8 |
| 9. ↑1 | Jeffrey Godfrey | UCF | 351 | 29 | 25.1 | 19.6 | 6.6 | 61.9 |
| 10.↓1 | Robert Griffin III | Baylor | 547 | 29 | 29.6 | 14.5 | 5.3 | 61.2 |
Top Ten Overview
Only Cam Newton, Chandler Harnish, Colin Kaepernick and Jeffrey Godfrey were playing during Championship Week. Despite losing his first fumble of the season, Cam Newton helped Auburn dominate Sakerlina 56-17 in the SEC Championship game by scoring six total TDs (4 passing, 2 rushing). Chandler Harnish had three passing TDs but that was not enough to hold off Miami (OH) in the MAC Championship game. Harnish's Huskies lost 26-21 in an entertaining game that had a wild finish. Colin Kaepernick moved up two spots this week and had 159 yards passing, 155 yards rushing and 3 rushing TDs against La Tech in a 35-17 result. The win helped the Wolfpack earn their share of a three-way tie for the WAC title. Jeffrey Godfrey led the UCF Knights to 17-7 win over SMU in the Conference USA Championship game. Godfrey only had 1 passing TD but completed 15 of his 19 passes. Godfrey, the only Freshman in the Top Ten, moved ahead of an idle Robert Griffin this week.
Conference MVPs
ACC: Tyrod Taylor (Virginia Tech), 60.7 PIF, overall standings rank: 11.
Big XII: Ryan Tannehill (Texas A&M), 64.1 PIF, overall standings rank: 7.
Big East: Tino Sunseri (Pitt), 53.1 PIF, overall standings rank: 35.
Big Ten: Dan Persa (Northwestern), 67.4 PIF, overall standings rank: 3.
Conference USA: Austin Davis (Southern Miss), 62.8 PIF, overall standings rank: 8.
MAC: Chandler Harnish (Northern Illinois), 64.3 PIF, overall standings rank: 6.
Mountain West: Tim Jefferson (Air Force), 58.6 PIF, overall standings rank: 16.
Pac 10: Andrew Luck (Stanford), 53.8 PIF, overall standings rank: 33.
SEC: Cam Newton (Auburn), 72.7 PIF, overall standings rank: 1.
Sun Belt: Riley Dodge (North Texas), 59.7 PIF, overall standings rank: 13.
WAC: Colin Kaepernick (Nevada), 65.8 PIF, overall standings rank: 5.
