It’s not a bronze statuette or a crystal football, and it might not grab much attention on a trophy case, but Ohio State’s team MVP award has meaning nonetheless.

Handpicked by teammates and coaches, the selection process likely places emphasis on the impact a certain player had in moments unseen and unheard by the media and the masses.

It’s also an honor that’s criteria can remain fluid from season to season. The team MVP doesn’t just go to the quarterback ever year, or the offensive skill position player with the most gaudy stats. Leadership and intangibles may weigh heavier one year and on-field performance the next, depending on the influence a particular player had on the team and the effect that influence may have had.

We’re not here to undermine those aspects of Ohio State’s team MVP award, but in some cases, at least from the perspective of a non-team member, the winner in any given year may not seem to entirely live up to the title in comparison to the achievements of other Buckeyes in the same season.

Starting from 2010, we offer our recommendations for a couple other candidates that we feel deserved more consideration for Ohio State’s team MVP, and some that should have plainly won it to begin with.

Our first dissection is the senior campaign of wide receiver Dane Sanzenbacher, who won the team MVP after a stellar season in which he hauled in 55 passes from quarterback Terrelle Pryor en route to a one-loss season capped by a win in the Sugar Bowl.