Manhunt for Heisman
By Kirk Bohls
October 24, 2007
They keep falling by the wayside like so many hamburger wrappers, beer cans and John McCain political fliers.
Not in Texas, of course, because our tolerance for litterers borders that for other, less hardened criminals. Just know that we do not discriminate. We execute 'em all.
But the Heisman Trophy field? That has thinned out faster than Beano Cook's hairline. The favorites are dropping like flies anywhere near Manny Ramirez in left field.
Check out the preseason leaders for college football's most coveted award and what's become of them:
Brian Brohm's Louisville defense did him no favors. Michigan's Mike Hart is great at guarantees, but too fragile this season. Darren McFadden's Arkansas team has too many losses. Same for Rutgers' Ray Rice. Graham Harrell is too systematic. Colt Brennan is too ... far away. Colt McCoy has too many interceptions.
Best I remember, West Virginia had a couple of serious candidates before South Florida got a hold of Pat White and Steve Slaton. John David Booty was the next in line of great USC Heisman quarterbacks until he got fingered for bad throws.
So who's that leave?
Probably four real candidates: Tim Tebow, Andre Woodson, Matt Ryan and Dennis Dixon.
Probably in that order, unless Dixon and his Oregon buddies knock off Southern Cal this week and he leapfrogs everybody. Besides, Dixon's early win over Michigan could grow in magnitude if the Wolverines end up winning the Big Ten.
Tebow's the front-runner, and he has the appropriate cache with a national championship ring, a tough name befitting a lumberjack and a rugged running style. Woodson is every underdog's favorite for making Kentucky relevant. Ryan is in the hunt unless Virginia Tech takes the Boston College quarterback out of it on Thursday.
Overall, however, it is shaping up as the most lackluster race in the 72-year history of the award.
It just seems to have a Gino Torretta feel to it. We won't be at all surprised if the chase tops the closest balloting ever, back when Bo knew thin margins. Bo Jackson edged Iowa's Chuck Long by a mere 45 points in 1985.
The Rocky Mountain News poll, which tracks the weekly opinions of 10 Heisman voters, has had four different leaders in eight weeks. Eleven players have received a first-place vote in the poll. The Heisman race figures to be no different.
We wonder if they are even going to give one out this year.
"That's the plan," said Tim Henning, Heisman coordinator.
The Heisman chatter is simply mirroring the wackiness of the season. No one knows who's any good any more. And we've always awarded college football's top prize to someone on the best team or at least one of the best teams.
But no stud running back has taken charge, and the elite teams don't have a set-apart elite player, at least statistically.
The lack of buzz has been deafening because the marquee teams haven't held up their end. USC has struggled. Louisiana State is right there, but without a bona fide candidate. Does Ohio State have a team full of James Laurinaitises?
The good folks at the Downtown Athletic Club really need to think about sexy-ing up the award this year. Maybe invite 10 guys to the Dec. 8 made-for-TV show instead of the three they've had the last two years. Or include a "Dancing with the Heisman" segment to see if Barry Sanders or John David Crow has better footwork. Throw in a little extra for the winner, like a time-share apartment in Biloxi, Miss.
Short of that, the DAC should consider loosening the rules. For instance, when I asked Henning if one were allowed to vote for, say, someone like Vince Young this year as sort of a make-amends restitution, I was greeted with stony silence before he replied, "The ballot's pretty clear."
Sigh. The 925 ballots, which will be mailed out Nov. 13, do state that voters must pick someone as the Outstanding College Football Player of the United States. They also insist that the recipient must be a bona fide student of an accredited college or university.
Hmm. Wonder if VY's taking any correspondence courses?
