Post by MizzouTiger on Dec 7, 2007 10:27:16 GMT -5
www.kansascity.com/167/story/391739.html
Heisman race is down to four
By BLAIR KERKHOFF
The Kansas City Star
Like the season itself, the race for college football’s top individual prize has been a wild ride.
Favorites changed weekly. A hot hand one game was followed by a crash the next.
Several quarterbacks — Kentucky’s Andre Woodson, Boston College’s Matt Ryan and Oregon’s Dennis Dixon — had their moments as a front-runner, and none maintained an edge.
Now the 73rd Heisman race is down to four, as the finalists were announced Wednesday, and the group provides further proof that this year has been as unpredictable and bizarre as any.
Three quarterbacks — Hawaii’s Colt Brennan, Missouri’s Chase Daniel and Florida’s Tim Tebow — will join Arkansas running back Darren McFadden in New York for Saturday’s announcement.
The majority of the group did not lead their teams to a conference championship or BCS bowl. Tebow, McFadden and Daniel guided their teams to excellent seasons but fell short of conference titles.
How different is that? The previous four winners and six of the last seven played in the BCS national championship game.
Two finalists come from party-crashing schools. Daniel is looking to become Missouri’s highest Heisman finisher since Paul Christman took third in 1939. Brennan’s Hawaii program has never sent a finalist to New York.
The race should be closer than in recent years. Still, there’s a favorite, and it’s Tebow, the Gators’ multipurpose quarterback. But it wouldn’t be a shock if he didn’t win. Nothing in the 2007 season should come as a surprise.
Tim Tebow, Florida QB, Sophomore
Numbers: Passed for 3,122 yards, completing 217 of 317 with 29 touchdowns and six interceptions. He ran for 838 yards 22 touchdowns.
Why Tebow will win: Tebow’s season was groundbreaking. He’s the game’s first 20/20 player, topping the 20-touchdown mark in passing and rushing. Only the nation’s top two rushers, Central Florida’s Kevin Smith and Tulane’s Matt Forte, have more rushing touchdowns.
Why Tebow won’t win: It’s the sophomore thing. No sophomore or freshman has won the award. McFadden finished second as a sophomore last season and Oklahoma running back Adrian Peterson finished second as a freshman in 2004, so the voters are trending toward dropping class distinction.
Prediction: Tebow pulls it out in a close call.
Darren McFadden, Arkansas RB, junior
Numbers: Rushed for 1,725 yards and 15 touchdowns with a healthy 5.7 yards per carry. He also completed six of 11 passes for 123 yards and four touchdowns, and caught a touchdown pass among his 21 receptions.
Why McFadden will win: McFadden is considered the game’s best running back, perhaps even its top talent, and he’s put up Heisman-worthy numbers. He fell from Heisman contention around midyear and jumped back in it with an epic 321-yard rushing performance against South Carolina. He wrapped up the year with a 206-yard effort in the upset of LSU.
Why McFadden won’t win: The Razorbacks got off to an 0-3 start in SEC play, and although McFadden was close to 200 yards in the first two losses, the outcomes forced him to play from behind the rest of the season. A six-game stretch that included the huge game against the Gamethingys also had McFadden under 100 yards in three of them.
Prediction: Second.
Chase Daniel, Missouri QB, junior
Numbers: Passed for 4,170 yards, 33 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Rushed for 284 yards and four touchdowns. Daniel is one of six quarterbacks to have thrown for more than 4,000 yards this season.
Why Daniel will win: He’s the top offensive player from the country’s top offensive conference. Daniel entered the Heisman race as Mizzou climbed in the polls, and his candidacy peaked after an amazing effort against rival Kansas in the regular-season finale.
Why Daniel won’t win: He followed the Kansas game with his toughest outing of the season in a three-touchdown loss to Oklahoma in the Big 12 title game. Daniel didn’t throw a touchdown for the first time this season.
Prediction: Third. The best for a Missouri player since 1939.
Colt Brennan, Hawaii QB, senior
Numbers: Passed for 4,174 yards, 38 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. Completed 71 percent.
Why Brennan will win: He and McFadden are the only two survivors from the list of preseason leading candidates. Brennan has lived up to his status by leading the Warriors to the nation’s only prefect record. Brennan was terrific in toss-up games, including a 442-yard, five-touchdown performance against Washington last weekend.
Why Brennan won’t win: For the same reason Hawaii isn’t playing for the national championship. The Warriors are in the WAC.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE HEISMAN SHOW
•WHEN/WHERE: 7 p.m. Saturday in New York
•TV: ESPN
Heisman race is down to four
By BLAIR KERKHOFF
The Kansas City Star
Like the season itself, the race for college football’s top individual prize has been a wild ride.
Favorites changed weekly. A hot hand one game was followed by a crash the next.
Several quarterbacks — Kentucky’s Andre Woodson, Boston College’s Matt Ryan and Oregon’s Dennis Dixon — had their moments as a front-runner, and none maintained an edge.
Now the 73rd Heisman race is down to four, as the finalists were announced Wednesday, and the group provides further proof that this year has been as unpredictable and bizarre as any.
Three quarterbacks — Hawaii’s Colt Brennan, Missouri’s Chase Daniel and Florida’s Tim Tebow — will join Arkansas running back Darren McFadden in New York for Saturday’s announcement.
The majority of the group did not lead their teams to a conference championship or BCS bowl. Tebow, McFadden and Daniel guided their teams to excellent seasons but fell short of conference titles.
How different is that? The previous four winners and six of the last seven played in the BCS national championship game.
Two finalists come from party-crashing schools. Daniel is looking to become Missouri’s highest Heisman finisher since Paul Christman took third in 1939. Brennan’s Hawaii program has never sent a finalist to New York.
The race should be closer than in recent years. Still, there’s a favorite, and it’s Tebow, the Gators’ multipurpose quarterback. But it wouldn’t be a shock if he didn’t win. Nothing in the 2007 season should come as a surprise.
Tim Tebow, Florida QB, Sophomore
Numbers: Passed for 3,122 yards, completing 217 of 317 with 29 touchdowns and six interceptions. He ran for 838 yards 22 touchdowns.
Why Tebow will win: Tebow’s season was groundbreaking. He’s the game’s first 20/20 player, topping the 20-touchdown mark in passing and rushing. Only the nation’s top two rushers, Central Florida’s Kevin Smith and Tulane’s Matt Forte, have more rushing touchdowns.
Why Tebow won’t win: It’s the sophomore thing. No sophomore or freshman has won the award. McFadden finished second as a sophomore last season and Oklahoma running back Adrian Peterson finished second as a freshman in 2004, so the voters are trending toward dropping class distinction.
Prediction: Tebow pulls it out in a close call.
Darren McFadden, Arkansas RB, junior
Numbers: Rushed for 1,725 yards and 15 touchdowns with a healthy 5.7 yards per carry. He also completed six of 11 passes for 123 yards and four touchdowns, and caught a touchdown pass among his 21 receptions.
Why McFadden will win: McFadden is considered the game’s best running back, perhaps even its top talent, and he’s put up Heisman-worthy numbers. He fell from Heisman contention around midyear and jumped back in it with an epic 321-yard rushing performance against South Carolina. He wrapped up the year with a 206-yard effort in the upset of LSU.
Why McFadden won’t win: The Razorbacks got off to an 0-3 start in SEC play, and although McFadden was close to 200 yards in the first two losses, the outcomes forced him to play from behind the rest of the season. A six-game stretch that included the huge game against the Gamethingys also had McFadden under 100 yards in three of them.
Prediction: Second.
Chase Daniel, Missouri QB, junior
Numbers: Passed for 4,170 yards, 33 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Rushed for 284 yards and four touchdowns. Daniel is one of six quarterbacks to have thrown for more than 4,000 yards this season.
Why Daniel will win: He’s the top offensive player from the country’s top offensive conference. Daniel entered the Heisman race as Mizzou climbed in the polls, and his candidacy peaked after an amazing effort against rival Kansas in the regular-season finale.
Why Daniel won’t win: He followed the Kansas game with his toughest outing of the season in a three-touchdown loss to Oklahoma in the Big 12 title game. Daniel didn’t throw a touchdown for the first time this season.
Prediction: Third. The best for a Missouri player since 1939.
Colt Brennan, Hawaii QB, senior
Numbers: Passed for 4,174 yards, 38 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. Completed 71 percent.
Why Brennan will win: He and McFadden are the only two survivors from the list of preseason leading candidates. Brennan has lived up to his status by leading the Warriors to the nation’s only prefect record. Brennan was terrific in toss-up games, including a 442-yard, five-touchdown performance against Washington last weekend.
Why Brennan won’t win: For the same reason Hawaii isn’t playing for the national championship. The Warriors are in the WAC.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE HEISMAN SHOW
•WHEN/WHERE: 7 p.m. Saturday in New York
•TV: ESPN