11th annual Herbie Awards

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Editor's note: Check out "The Herbie Awards" airing on ESPN on Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET.

With the season's kickoff just days away, it's time to step back and celebrate the players, coaches, color and pageantry of college football. Who are the names and faces you need to know? The 11th annual Herbie Awards presentation answers those questions and more.

This list tackles the top playmakers, the defensive difference-makers, the fresh faces on the scene and everything else that's great about college football. Herbies are given to the best college football players, coaches and teams across the nation.

Also, this is just my list. These are my choices, but not everyone will agree. That's the beauty of it. Let the second-guessing begin.

So, without further ado, here are the 11th annual Herbie Awards:

BORN TO RUN: BEST RUNNING BACKS

LaMichael James has all the right steps for Oregon. (Photo by AJ Untermeyer/Icon SMI) 1. LaMichael James, Oregon 2. Trent Richardson, Alabama 3. Marcus Lattimore, South Carolina 4. Edwin Baker, Michigan State 5. Chris Polk, Washington

CATCH A RISING STAR: TOP WIDE RECEIVERS

1. Alshon Jeffery, South Carolina 2. Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma St. 3. Ryan Broyles, Oklahoma 4. Jeff Fuller, Texas A&M 5. Juron Criner, Arizona Alshon Jeffery has his eyes set on another SEC East title. (Photo by Frankie Creel/US Presswire)

QUARTERBACKS: POCKET PRESENCE

Luck is on Stanford's side with Andrew Luck at QB. (Photo by Kyle Terada/US Presswire) 1. Andrew Luck, Stanford 2. Matt Barkley, USC 3. Kellen Moore, Boise State 4. Landry Jones, Oklahoma 5. Nick Foles, Arizona

QUARTERBACKS: DUAL-THREAT

Give the ball to Denard Robinson and watch him go. (Photo by Eric Bronson/Icon SMI) 1. Denard Robinson, Michigan 2. Robert Griffin III, Baylor 3. Darron Thomas, Oregon 4. Dan Persa, Northwestern 5. Nathan Scheelhaase, Illinois

RIGHT TO EXCITE: MOST EXCITING PLAYERS

Greg Reid is often in the thick of the action for FSU. (Photo by Dale Zanine/US Presswire) 1. LaMichael James, Oregon 2. Greg Reid, Florida State 3. Marcus Lattimore, South Carolina 4. Alshon Jeffery, South Carolina 5. Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma State

RODNEY DANGERFIELDS: PLAYERS WHO DON'T GET ENOUGH RESPECT

1. Nick Foles, Arizona 2. Alfonzo Dennard, Nebraska 3. Michael Thomas, Stanford 4. B.J. Cunningham, Michigan St. 5. Nathan Williams, Ohio State Nick Foles continues to do good things at Arizona. (Photo by Chris Morrison/US Presswire)

ALL TOGETHER NOW: BEST POSITION UNIT

QB Tyler Wilson has a lot of options at Arkansas. (Photo by AP Photo/April L. Brown) 1. Oregon RBs 2. Arkansas WRs 3. Florida State secondary 4. Alabama LBs 5. South Carolina DL

SHHHHH, DON'T TELL: BEST-KEPT SECRETS

If you don't know BC LB Luke Kuechly, get to know him. (Photo by Michael Tureski/Icon SMI) 1. Robert Griffin III, Baylor 2. Luke Kuechly, Boston College 3. Chris Polk, Washington 4. Xavier Rhodes, Florida State 5. Jeremy Ebert, Northwestern

HITS KEEP COMING: BIGGEST HITTERS

ASU's Vontaze Burfict takes no prisoners. (Photo by AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) 1. Vontaze Burfict, Arizona State 2. Lavonte David, Nebraska 3. Shayne Skov, Stanford 4. Nick Moody, Florida State 5. Kenny Tate, Maryland

TAKE NOTES: NAMES YOU'LL KNOW BY OCTOBER

Tyler Shoemaker is one to watch at Boise State. (Photo by AP Photo/Matt Cilley) 1. Tyler Shoemaker, Boise State 2. Lamar Miller, Miami 3. Logan Thomas, Virginia Tech 4. C.J. Mosley, Alabama 5. Justin Tuggle, Kansas State

DRESS FOR SUCCESS: LOOKS THE PART

Jeff Fuller doesn't disappoint for Texas A&M. (Photo by Thomas Campbell/US Presswire) 1. Jeff Fuller, Texas A&M 2. Bruce Irvin, West Virginia 3. Marcus Lattimore, South Carolina 4. Quinton Coples, North Carolina 5. Lavonte David, Nebraska

START YOUR ENGINES: HIGH MOTOR MEN

Tanner Brock makes his presence known for TCU. (Photo by Patrick Green/Icon SMI) 1. Mike Martin, Michigan 2. Chris Borland, Wisconsin 3. Brad Madison, Missouri 4. Tanner Brock, TCU 5. John Boyett, Oregon

TOP OFFENSIVE MINDS

1. Chip Kelly, Oregon 2. Chris Petersen, Boise State 3. Gus Malzahn, Auburn 4. Steve Sarkisian, Washington 5. Paul Chryst, Wisconsin Chip Kelly is the brains behind Oregon's offensive machine. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)

TOP DEFENSIVE MINDS

Will Muschamp will put his defensive chops to the test. (Photo by Jason Parkhurst for ESPN.com) 1. Nick Saban, Alabama 2. Gary Patterson, TCU 3. Bo Pelini, Nebraska 4. Will Muschamp, Florida 5. Mark Stoops, Florida State

FRESH APPROACH: TOP TRUE FRESHMEN

1. Jadeveon Clowney, South Carolina 2. Anthony Johnson, LSU 3. Malcolm Brown, Texas 4. Braxton Miller, Ohio State 5. Isaiah Crowell, Georgia Big things are expected from Jadeveon Clowney. (Photo by Davide De Pas/ESPN.com)

OFF AND RUNNING: READY TO TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL

Wisconsin's run game won't miss a beat with Ball. (Photo by Richard Mackson/US Presswire) 1. David Wilson, Virginia Tech 2. Montee Ball, Wisconsin 3. Geno Smith, West Virginia 4. Brock Osweiler, Arizona State 5. Marcus Coker, Iowa

INSTANT IMPACT: IMPACTFUL COORDINATOR HIRES

1. Bryan Harsin, Texas 2. Greg Mattison, Michigan 3. Charlie Weis, Florida 4. Kevin Rogers, Boston College 5. Frank Cignetti, Rutgers Can Bryan Harsin revitalize Texas' offense? (Photo by John Rivera/Icon SMI)

SEE YOU NEXT YEAR: COLLEGE HEAD COACHES IN 2012

Will Kirby Smart be coming to a campus near you? (Photo by Marvin Gentry/US Presswire) 1. Brian Schottenheimer, New York Jets 2. Mark Stoops, Florida State 3. Kirby Smart, Alabama 4. Paul Chryst, Wisconsin 5. Tim DeRuyter, Texas A&M

SHOW ME SOME RESPECT: UNDERRATED COACHES

1. Kyle Whittingham, Utah 2. Troy Calhoun, Air Force 3. Les Miles, LSU 4. Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern 5. Bret Bielema, Wisconsin Kyle Whittingham deserves praise for the job he's done at Utah. (Photo by Marc Piscotty/Icon SMI)

ALL EYES ON THE QB: BEST PASS-RUSHERS

You can find Bruce Irvin where the QB is. (Photo by AP Photo Michael Switzer) 1. Brandon Jenkins, Florida State 2. Bruce Irvin, West Virginia 3. Quinton Coples, North Carolina 4. Devin Taylor, South Carolina 5. Damontre Moore, Texas A&M

THE ULTIMATE HERBIE

1. Kirk Cousins, Michigan State 2. Andrew Luck, Stanford 3. Kellen Moore, Boise State 4. Ryan Broyles, Oklahoma 5. Emmanuel Acho, Texas College football is in good hands with players like Kirk Cousins. (Photo by Andrew Weber/US Presswire)

Kirk Herbstreit is an analyst on ESPN's "College GameDay."

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Kirk Herbstreit

College Football analyst

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Kirk Herbstreit has been an ESPN college football studio analyst since August 1996. Herbstreit, who joined ESPN in September 1995 as a college football sideline analyst for ESPN2, is also a game analyst for ESPN's Thursday night college football telecasts.