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As we begin to wrap up our Full Month of College Football Season Previews, it is time to weigh in on the national picture. Today's preview is an all-inclusive Heisman Trophy preview.
First of all, the winner of the Heisman will come from one of these three names: Sam Bradford, Colt McCoy, and Tim Tebow. Anyone who writes otherwise is not being honest with themselves.
Heisman voters are notoriously uncreative. Their unwillingness to vote for a sophomore cost Rex Grossman the tropht in ‘01, and Darren McFadden the trophy in ‘06. Tim Tebow broke that barrier in ’07 thanks largely to an injury to Dennis Dixon. And Houston Nutt being a terrible head coach.
Typically, 4 or even 5 players are invited to the Heisman ceremony. This is determined by the number of votes (percentage of the whole) each player receives. Despite Mike Leach’s objections, the electorate did not consider Graham Harrell a worthy candidate. Only three players received enough votes last year. All three of those players return.
Despite this, injuries and other craziness have always been a central force to the flow of college football. A Heisman race breakdown would be incomplete, and do a disservice to the sport, if it did not highlight other outstanding players across the nation. This is my analysis of those players.
Terelle Pryor (QB, An Ohio State University) – Yeah, I went indefinite article there. You have to earn the definite article. Anyway, someone could gain the Big Ten vote, and a big game against USC would earn plenty of respect nationwide. Being a dynamic talent can’t hurt.
Jeremiah Masoli / LeGarette Blount (QB/RB, respectively, Oregon) – My over-enthusiasm for all things Chip Kelly has been well documented during the entire life of this website. The statistics and the excitement generated by the offensive system in Eugene, coupled with a run at the Pac-10 title, could generate an authentic contender from the Pacific Northwest. The only trick is figuring out which talent will get the credit for the team’s success. By the way, I said “authentic” because I don’t recognize the former candidacy of Joey Harrington.
Jevan Snead (QB, Ole Miss) – Unfortunately, all Houston Nutt-led teams are doomed to lose to an inferior opponent. This will reflect poorly on a Heisman candidate. Snead also will not have the shear numbers of many of the other candidates, as his offensive system is less conducive to such things. It will be very hard for any quarterback outside of the top three to win the trophy, and near impossible for a pro-style QB.
Jahvid Best (RB, Cal) – Possibly the nation’s most dynamic running back, playing in a very highly populated area. USC gets enough media attention at this point that any other team winning the Pac-10 will receive an inordinate amount of publicity- and be lucky to finish in the top 3. I have already stated I think unseating last year’s three finalist will be difficult for a QB, so an RB has an advantage.
Zach Robinson / Dez Bryant / Kendall Hunter (QB/WR/RB, Oklahoma State) – Playing in the same division as two of the other main candidates means one of these players must have a year far and above McCoy and Bradford. Actually winning the Big XII South is a necessity. It can’t help that they are all on the same team, possibly splitting the vote, in addition to the Southwest region vote that will already be split by the other two.
Eric Berry (DB, Tennessee) – Sorry, you have no chance. Thanks for playing.
Taylor Mays (DB, USC) – Even less chance than Berry, as he will not get any PT outside of defense, and does not get the impressive turnover stats. We’re talking about the Heisman Trophy here, folks. It’s a tough and stubborn crowd.
Arrelious Benn / Juice Williams (QB/RB, Illinois) – Ron Zook. Just move on.
Noel Devine (RB, WVU) – I don’t think Bill Stewart is the answer, the Deion-hype has cooled off, and Chris Rainey beat him in a foot race in a Wal-Mart parking lot. I wouldn’t even include him on this list, but someone will get the Big East hype, and Mardy Gilyard won’t get the exposure in Cincinnati. Even if he was nice to a kid, once.
Jimmy Clausen (QB, Notre Dame) – Looks like an emu. I haven’t figured out why it’s impressive to throw a TD against Hawaii. But it’s fucking Notre Dame, I’m obligated.
Evan Royster / Daryll Clark (RB/QB, Penn State) – At least Galen Hall, former Gator coach, is involved. And someone will emerge from the Big Ten. Then again, it’s the Big Ten.
Jewel Hampton (RB, Iowa) – The nation’s leading rusher a year ago, Shonn Greene, took his game to Sundays. The entire O-line returns. But this guy has so little buzz, he wasn’t even drafted in our Gatorsfirst.com college fantasy football league. A lot of that may have been the stupid CBS-enforced draft-limits. Even still, that’s a long way to go. And, are we still convinced Kirk Ferentz commands national respect?
Joe McKnight (RB, USC) – There are roughly 85 scholarship RBs on USC’s roster. Which leaves no scholarships for any other position. It’s a wonder people keep committing there. Anyway, I think McKnight is the only player with the name recognition to pull off a Heisman vote from the nation’s most overhyped team. And he’s on my fantasy team. Still, a longshot, just because he won’t get the touches of other candidates.
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But as I stated in the intro, the three finalists will be: Sam Bradford, Colt McCoy, and Tim Tebow. Somehow people have swung in the offseason toward Texas should have won the Big XII and McCoy should have won the Heisman, but Oklahoma and Bradford got most of the hype before they faced the Florida D. McCoy is probably the most likely winner right now, as the southwest region will probably leave Tebow off their ballots again, and voters will be reluctant to choose a repeat winner. I will probably once again write a piece about how Tebow should be the winner, but we will have to see how it plays out. The only sure thing is that with the 3 returning finalists, no other player will gain enough momentum to even get an invite to NYC. |
