Fuller Brothers on Deadspin: The Nation's Best Players Who Will Be Ignored By Heisman Voters

KYLE FULLER and KENDALL FULLER, CBs, Virginia Tech

The Hokies were missing their top cover man, Antone Exum, who tore his ACL last winter playing pickup basketball and will be fortunate to play at all this season. Even in defeat, though, they could not have asked for more from the Fuller Brothers, who lived up to their advance billing by denying Alabama receivers any of the space they enjoyed the last time we saw them, running free through Notre Dame's secondary in the BCS title game. Kyle, a senior with All-ACC credentials on his resum, finished with four tackles, an interception and two passes broken up, officially, although anyone who watched the game will tell you had a hand in more plays that didn't show up in the stats. Kendall, a five-star freshman playing in his first college game, also recorded four tackles, and held his own on several occasions against Alabama's best target, All-American Amari Cooper.

But the real proof is on the other side of the box score: Bama quarterback A.J. McCarron, the most efficient passer in the nation in 2012, was a dismal 10-of-23 against Virginia Tech, turning in the worst passer rating of his career. (Even with regard to that number, neither Fuller Bro was in coverage on McCarron's only two completions beyond 12 yards.) As a team, the Crimson Tide managed only two offensive touchdowns, both on drives that began in Va. Tech territory, and finished with their worst game in terms of total yards, yards per play and first downs in more than four years.

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