Heisman hopefuls?

[Dement-ed]

By Richard Cirminiello | <A HREF="http://www.collegefootballnews.com" TARGET=_blank>www.collegefootballnews.com</A>


This time last year, what could the odds have been on USC’s up and down Carson Palmer winning the Heisman Trophy? 20-1? 25-1? What about players like Iowa’s Brad Banks, Penn State’s Larry Johnson or Miami’s Willis McGahee? If you got the three packaged together at 50-1, it still wouldn’t have felt like a bargain.

Yet, the record books tell us that those four longshots were all invited to the Yale Club last December as finalist for the 2002 award ceremony.

Where they began the race for the sport’s most prestigious individual honor had no bearing on the eventual outcome. The quartet sent an important message to every athlete who’s ever dreamt of winning the Heisman. Play hard, persevere and put together a career year and you too could be recognized as the game’s most outstanding player. Provided, of course, you play in a BCS conference, are a quarterback, running back or wide receiver that returns kicks, are a member of a Top 10 program (preferably from a name brand program), are an upperclassmen and are backed by an athletic department that’s willing to do more hyping than a network during sweeps week.

Don’t expect a clear-cut favorite for this year’s Heisman to emerge until sometime in October. When the preseason front-runner has played a mere eleven games at the collegiate level, you begin to realize that a wide-open, unpredictable race looks like the safest bet of all.

QB Philip Rivers, NC State 5-1 – Rivers is efficient, intelligent and confident. What the three-year starter lacks in pure physical prowess, he makes up for with guile and veteran leadership. He’s a winner and a primary factor why the Wolfpack program is enjoying its best stretch in a decade. Voters like seniors and they especially like ones that are great with the media. It all might all come down to a September 13th showdown at Ohio State. Jason Gesser’s campaign died there last year.

RB Maurice Clarett, Ohio State 5-1 – Clarett was well on his way to punching a ticket to New York City before getting derailed by a nagging shoulder injury last October. With a full season of hype as a member of the defending national champs, he’ll enter 2003 with an outstanding opportunity to become the first sophomore to win the coveted award. If he can stay healthy, he could score 25 to 30 touchdowns. Voters hate sophomores and might be turned off by Clarett’s brash attitude.

RB Frank Gore, Miami 6-1 – When we last saw Gore during live action, he was carving up opposing defenses as Clinton Portis’ true freshman understudy. Fifteen months and one surgically repaired knee later, he’s looking to recapture the form that made him an instant phenom in 2001. He’ll do what McGahee did last year.

WR Roy Williams, Texas 7-1 – Receivers that don’t contribute to special teams normally don’t contend for the Heisman. Roy Williams is not a normal receiver. He’s big, fast and explosive—in other words, he’s the prototypical receiver of the 21st century. Still, he’ll need to do better than 64 catches and 12 touchdowns to win the award from the wideout position. If he blows up against Kansas State, Oklahoma and Nebraska and Texas wins those games, he’s the favorite.

RB Kevin Jones, Virginia Tech 8-1 – After playing the role of understudy his first two seasons in Blacksburg, the gifted back is prepared to step out of Lee Suggs’ shadow. As a backup, Jones has shown flashes of brilliance. As the focal point of the Hokie offense, he’ll be looking to become the first Heisman winner in school history, as his numbers could be astronomical.

QB Cody Pickett, Washington 8-1 – Fresh off a monster statistical season, Pickett enters the new year as the most prolific passer in the game. He has the talent, the numbers and the supporting cast to make a serious run at the Heisman. Now all he needs to do is cut down on his turnovers and lead the Huskies to a few more wins. He’ll also need a signature game like Carson Palmer had last year against Notre Dame. He could have it right away again Ohio State.

RB Steven Jackson, Oregon State 9-1 – Jackson made quite a splash last year, his first as a starter. Sporting a nice blend of power and speed, the sophomore ran away with the Pac-10 rushing title, easing the loss of four-year starter and all-time OSU leading rusher Ken Simonton. He’ll need a push of hype coming the West.

QB Ell Roberson, Kansas State 10-1 – Roberson is the fleet-footed catalyst of the Wildcat offense. If he continues to improve as a passer, he could join Woody Dantzler and Brad Smith as the only quarterbacks in history to throw for 2,000 yards and rush for another 1,000 in the same season. He has to lead Kansas State to the Big XII title and an early win over Texas to have a chance.

RB Anthony Davis, Wisconsin 12-1 – Onlookers may not give Davis his due until he’s challenging former Badger Ron Dayne’s all-time rushing record in 2004. In two seasons in Madison, he’s already rushed for more than 3,000 yards and should find plenty of holes again this year in a potentially explosive UW offense. If he has a big game against Ohio State and the Badgers are in the Big Ten title hunt, look for him to become a top candidate.

QB Eli Manning, Ole Miss 15-1 – If he wasn’t the son of Archie and brother of Peyton, you’d have to wonder if Eli would get Heisman mentions. Following their quarterbacks’ lead, the Rebels played miserably in the second half of the regular season. If he’s to cop the award that’s escaped the rest of the family, he must limit the mistakes and lead Ole Miss to an SEC West title. He has the receiving corps to do it, and he might put up the numbers that’ll excite the voters.

QB Andrew Walter, Arizona State 15-1 – Head coach Dirk Koetter was looking for a quality quarterback to run his pass-happy offensive attack. What he found was Walter, a big kid with a strong arm and a knack for clicking on the deep ball. The biggest challenge for the rising junior will be finding a replacement for All-American wide receiver Shaun McDonald. The Sun Devils could be the hot team this season and Walter will get most of the pub.

QB Rod Rutherford, Pittsburgh 15-1 – If you want your Brad Banks of 2003, Rutherford might be it. In two seasons, the mobile lefty has grown from an all-purpose athlete to a dependable leader of the Panther offense. Rutherford took his game to a higher level last year, accounting for 28 scores while leading the Panthers to their most wins in two decades. If he’s the quarterback on the first Pitt team to win a Big East title, his stock will rise considerably.

QB Casey Clausen, Tennessee 17-1 – Just seven months ago, Clausen was the leader of a national title contender and on the short list of Heisman favorites. Today, he and the Volunteers are in rebound mode after an injury-riddled season ended with an embarrassing Peach Bowl loss to Maryland. If Clausen’s to mount a challenge, he must get support from a receiving corps that’s currently void of reliable targets.

QB John Navarre, Michigan 18-1 – Seeing Navarre’s name on a list of Heisman candidates seemed incomprehensible this time last year. However, the previously-maligned quarterback is coming off a solid season and welcomes back a budding star in receiver Braylon Edwards. Michigan is a sleeper pick for the national title and Navarre will be the signature player in this run.

QB Matt Schaub, Virginia 25-1 – Schaub’s impeccable play in the pocket allowed him to make the leap from complete anonymity to ACC Player of the Year in just one season. This year, he’ll commandeer an upwardly mobile Cavalier program that could challenge for conference supremacy and a spot in the Top 10. He still doesn’t have the national hype or the name to make a big-time run.

RB T.A. McClendon, NC State 25-1 – Maurice Clarett re

[Lefty]

That list is incomplete without the name Chris Cunningham!ˇ

[This message has been edited by Lefty (edited 04-04-2003).]

[Pony4Life]

I agree with the comment that voters might vote against Clarett because of his outspoken nature, and I'm not convinced about Gore until we see him in game situations. For my money, Rashaun Woods is as good as Roy Williams, but doesn't play in the spotlight that Williams is afforded at UT. Eli Manning has no surrounding cast, and I think Philip Rivers lost too many talented teammates, too, for the team to be really successful. And Jason White has no business being on that list.

I'll put my money on Greg Jones of Florida State or Kevin Jones of VaTech.

[Red+BlueDude]

Brock Berlin isn't even assured a starting spot, and he's got better odds than Bruce Perry? No way - Perry's up for a huge year, especially since Maryland will be re-building its passing game. Perry (or maybe Clarett) could lead the country in rushing if he stays healthy.

[Lotus]

Roy Williams should win it, if Chance Mock or Vincent Young can play. Williams is the best player in the country.Ä

[MrMustang1965]

When's the last time you saw a Mustang on a list like that? Eric Dickerson....?

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"Winning ain't everything...but it's a lot more fun than the alternative!" S.M.U. SPIRIT: IT STARTS NOW!

[Horseradish]

Actually, Dupard was probably the last serious Heisman possibility, although I believe we've had a couple guys who were considered candidates for the Doak Walker award, and Kincaide probably will be this year, too.

[Otto]

I still can't believe Freiburger got robbed in 1992