The Necessary Heisman Watch

By Richard Rice
Love of Sports Correspondent

With so many great teams out there this season, it seems to me the Heisman Trophy competition will come down to the last week of the season in 2008.

Depending on which teams win, and where they finish in the standings, we may not see a clear-cut favorite emerge all year long. That would indeed make for quite an interesting trophy ceremony.

Again, with so many great teams, and so many great players on those teams, it’s hard to pick just 10 players I’d call favorites.

Hnce, these are my 2008 Heisman favorites ... in no particular order.

Top 10 Heisman Candidates

Tim Tebow, QB, Florida

It would be hard to start off a Heisman list and not put Tebow first after what he accomplished last season as a sophomore. His 23 rush touchdown/32 pass touchdown season was truly a great accomplishment. The fact he did it against SEC competition only sealed the Heisman for him. However, for him to repeat will be almost impossible. Even if he puts up better numbers than last season, he still probably won’t win it. Only the great Archie Griffin has ever won it twice. (Ask Matt Leinart about this phenomenon.) So, it’s quite possible Tebow could put up similar numbers this season and still only finish third or fourth. It’s not fair, but remember this is college football, where they think the BCS system is fair.

Week 1 Stats: 9-for-14, 137 yards, TD; 37 rush yards; Florida beat Hawai’i 56-10

Chase Daniel, QB, Missouri

Had the Tigers beaten Oklahoma and made it to the National Championship last year, I think it’s safe to say we would’ve heard Daniel’s name called at the Downtown Athletic Club. The Big 12 is loaded with great quarterbacks, and while Sam Bradord, Colt McCoy and others may steal more headlines, Daniel may be the best of any of them. At least in college. he does get a boost with his leading receiver from ‘07, Jeremy Maclin (see list below) returning, as the duo’s expected to put up big numbers again in ‘08. Another positive for Missouri and Daniel is that they miss Oklahoma on the schedule this year. So, beat Texas and Kansas, then the Big 12 South winner (possibly the Sooners) in the Big 12 title game and Daniel will most likely be invited to N.Y. again, if not taking the hardward home with him.

Week 1 Stats: 26-for-45, 323 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT; 46 rush yards; Missouri beat Illinois 52-42

Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech

Here are all the numbers you need to know about what Crabtree did last season: 134 receptions for 1,962 yards and 22 touchdowns as a true freshman. And yet he wasn’t even invited to the Heisman ceremony! If he puts up numbers comparable to these, then he should win the Trophy based on those two season’s worth of work. However, the truth is his QB, Graham Harrell, probably has a better chance to win, simply bacause quarterbacks win it more. Still, if I had to pick just one as my preseason winner, I think it’ll be Crabtree.

Week 1 Stats: 9 catches, 73 yards, 1 TD; Texas Tech beat Eastern Washington 49-24

Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia

Knowshon has everything going for him this season. He’s on everyone’s shortlist as a Heisman favorite, but more importantly, his team is at the top of the AP preseason poll as well. This is a really big deal when talking about the Heisman, because it practically always goes to someone on a championship contending team. So, that means I think he really has a great shot at winning. Last season, he rushed for over 1,300 yards and 14 touchdowns as a redshirt freshman, and he didn’t even start a game until later in the season when Thomas Brown was injured. With him getting the lion’s share of carries in the backfield, and with Georgia expected to contend nationally, I expect big things.

Week 1 Stats: 8 carries, 49 yards, 3 TD; 2 catches, 53 yards; Georgia beat Georgia Southern 45-21

Pat White, QB, West Virginia

As a quarterback, White’s as exciting a player to watch as there is in college football. His blazing speed and agility are no match for anyone he lines up against. Aside from putting up great numbers with the ball, he’s also proven he’s a winner, and the Mountaineers are expected to compete for a BCS berth again this season. While he may not have the 20/20 touchdown season Tebow had in ‘07, he should still put up fantastic numbers overall. West Virginia will be in the hunt in the Big East, which helps out his chances. The only problem is the same one he’s dealt with the last two seasons, in one of his own running backs (this time it’ll be Noel Devine instead of Steve Slaton) could splits votes with him, effectively cancelling out his chances to win.

Week 1 Stats: 25-for-33, 208 yards, 5 TD, 1 INT; 63 rush yards; WVU beat Villanova 48-21

Joe McKnight, RB, USC

Even though he was only a freshman and didn’t put up big stats last season, McKnight still makes the list because a running back from Tailback U. is mandatory. Also, having a year to learn the offense and being used as a kick returner (see Reggie Bush) should put him squarely on the Heisman stage. Oh yeah, and being annointed the second coming of Bush can’t hurt, either. Well, it can hurt him in other ways, but I’ll stick to the positive. One big drawback is that Pete Carroll is expected to have a tailback-by-committee system again this year, which means fewer touches. They also have an inexperienced O-line, which will make it tough for McKnight to win it this year.

Week 1 Stats: 6 carries for 60 yards; 4 catches for 24 yards, 1 TD; 3 punt returns for 28 yards; USC beat Virginia 52-7

Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri

Last year, Maclin recorded 80 receptions for 1,055 yards and nine touchdowns, 375 rushing yards and four more touchdowns, averaged 12.2 punt return yards with two scores and had over 1,000 kick return yards and another trip to the end zone. Add all of these up and they equal one hell of a freshman year. The bad news? Now everyone expects you to do it again. But with Chase Daniel returning, I think both he and Maclin will have another monster season as the Tigers will win the Big 12 North and possibly make a BCS run, which would help Maclin’s prestige and chances to win the trophy.

Week 1 Stats: 4 catches for 31 yards; 2 rush yards; 4 punt returns for 56 yards; 3 kickoff returns for 145 yards, 99-yard TD; Missouri beat Illinois 52-42

Beanie Wells, RB, The Ohio State

With Rashard Mendenhall and Mike Hart off to the NFL, Wells stands alone as the premier running back in the Big 10. The Akron, Ohio, native set a Buckeye sophomore rushing record last season, with 1,690 yards on the ground. He averaged 5.9 yards per carry and scored 15 touchdowns. He has a similar path to that of Knowshon Moreno’s - as he goes, so will his team. In fact, we could see Georgia vs. Ohio State and Knowshon vs. Beanie for the national championship AND Heisman Trophy. Well, the Trophy is handed out well before the title game, but you get the idea. Wells should have another great season and will be on the shortlist at the end of the year to take home the Heisman.

Week 1 Stats: 13 carries for 111 yards, 1 TD; 3 catches for 10 yards; Ohio State beat Youngstown State 43-0

Injury Status: Wells hurt his right foot in the win and is questionable for Saturday’s game vs. Ohio

Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma

In 2007, Bradford was in the early hunt for Heisman after a few big games. Then losses to teams they should have beaten (Colorado and Texas Tech) ended any chances he had of winning. Last year, he led the Sooners with a 69.5% completion percentage, 3,121 passing yards and 36 touchdowns with only eight interceptions. A young player with a full season under his belt, one can only expect bigger and better things from the sophomore in 2008. If the Sooners run the table and make it to the national championship, it’ll be in large part due to Bradford, and he’ll have earned his Heisman Trophy.

Week 1 Stats: 17-for-22, 183 yards, 2 TD; Oklahoma beat Chattanooga 57-2

Max Hall, QB, BYU

Hall’s a sleeper pick, because he plays in the Mountain West and won’t get a lot of national attention, but he’ll most likely put up incredible numbers in Provo this season. He already did in Week 1. Last year, as a junior, he threw for 3,848 yards and 26 touchsowns, which gave him a quarterback rating of 137.7. With an easy schedule this season, the Cougars are expected by many to be this year’s Hawai’i and crack the BCS. If they go undefeated and make a BCS game, one has to at least consider him for the Heisman in the same way Colt Brennan was thought of last season with Hawai’i’s incredible run to the Sugar Bowl.

Week 1 Stats: 34-for-41, 486 yards, 2 TD, 1 rush TD; BYU beat Northern Iowa 41-17

Sleepers

Percy Harvin, RB, Florida - Did not play in Week 1
Riley Skinner, QB, Wake Forest - 27-of-36, 220 yards, 3 TD, 9 rush yards; Wake Forest beat Baylor 41-13
Cullen Harper, QB, Clemson - 20-for-34, 188 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT; -28 rushing yards; Clemson lost to Alabama 34-10
Mark Sanchez, QB, USC - 26-for-35, 338 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT; 9 rush yards; USC beat Virginia 52-7
Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia - 13-for-21, 275 yards, 2 TD; Georgia beat Georgia Southern 45-21

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