Sam Bradford was selected by the St. Louis Rams as the top player in the NFL Draft this year. The Rams, coming off of a 1-15 season where they only defeated the equally hapless Detroit Lions, are looking to Bradford to help resurrect a team that won the Super Bowl just ten years ago.
The Carolina Panthers feature one of the most dominant running tandems in the NFL, and back that up with one of the top receivers in the game. The problem is that their quarterback situation last season left much to be desired. To solve all of the Panthers’ woes, Jimmy Clausen has been called upon as the missing puzzle piece to put the Panthers back in the Super Bowl.
No pressure!
Meanwhile, Colt McCoy has quietly rolled into the Cleveland Browns organization, a situation where he can only succeed.
Why will Colt McCoy be the most successful quarterback coming out of the 2010 draft? Because expectations are exceedingly low for the young gunslinger out of Texas, but his potential is exceedingly high.
Low Expectations
Colt McCoy will not be starting for the Cleveland Browns.
Colt McCoy will not be COMPETING for a starting job with the Cleveland Browns.
The Browns organization, which is hoping to build off of a very strong close to the 2009 season, has cast their 2010 lot on the shoulders of Jake Delhomme. That means that all McCoy has to do is learn.
It is entirely possible that McCoy could ultimately work his way into a competition for the starting job. But even if he doesn’t, the Browns spent a pittance (a late third-round pick) for him, when there was some pre-draft speculation that McCoy could be worth a second-round (or even late first-round) selection.
And even if McCoy winds up working his way into a competition for the starting role, that prospect is likely years down the road. For now, the Browns are openly in rebuilding mode as they continue to lay the foundations for what they hope will be a return to the postseason for a once-great franchise.
High Potential
Fact, Colt McCoy has won more games as a college quarterback than any other player in the HISTORY of college football.
In four years as a Texas Longhorn, Colt McCoy has thrown for over 13,000 yards and boasts a CAREER completion percentage of 70.33 percent. His touchdown count (112) nearly TRIPLES his interception total (45), and his passes have netted his team an AVERAGE of more than eight yards per catch!
Entering into his senior year, he was 3-0 in bowl games, including a BCS victory over Ohio State in January of 2009. Had it not been for an early-game injury during the 2010 BCS National Championship Game, he may have even been a national champion.
For his professional development, he is now paired with an organization being led by the same Mike Holmgren who can take credit for developing Hall of Fame quarterbacks such as Joe Montana (while quarterback coach and offensive coordinator for the 49ers), Steve Young (both in San Francisco and in college as quarterback coach for Brigham Young), and (eventual HOF’er) Brett Favre.
To put it simply, the winningest quarterback in NCAA history, who is a high producer on the field with outstanding accuracy, is now playing for a man who has helped build championship programs in both college and the NFL, and has developed MULTIPLE Hall of Fame caliber quarterbacks. I don’t know about you, but that sounds like a formula for success to me!
And to all of the detractors out there who feel that Colt McCoy’s height of 6 feet 1 inch may prove an obstacle, that didn’t seem to stand in the way of Holmgren turning the aforementioned Montana and Young (both of whom are only 6 feet 2 inches) into Super Bowl champions.
This is a win-win situation for the Cleveland Browns and Colt McCoy. By comparison to the other quarterbacks drafted this year (and the burdensome expectations being piled on their very green shoulders), the investment made by the Browns is one of extremely low risk with a high possible return.
Ironically, by virtue of low expectations, it is safe to expect great things from Colt McCoy in the NFL!
It’s going to be interesting to see how history looks back on the quarterback class of the 2010 NFL Draft. Obviously, the big four (Sam Bradford, Colt McCoy, Jimmy Clausen, and Tim Tebow) will be heavily scrutinized. Amazingly, despite being temporarily slotted in as a third string quarterback, Tebow posted the hottest selling jersey in the NFL in April. But he isn’t going to be the best quarterback of this class. None of the writers at The Sports Debates beileve that. When all is said and done, Sam Bradford will be the best quarterback of the class of 2010.
With all the fuss about how far Clausen dropped and how Tebow was picked a little early, people tend to forget about Bradford. At least that is the impression I have. And that would be a huge mistake.
Like Tebow, Bradford was a winner in college. Not to the extent that Tebow was, as Bradford’s Sooners never got over that hump. But, in two full seasons as a starter (2007 and 2008), Bradford was 23-5. Obviously, we know he won the Heisman Trophy in 2008 with gaudy passing numbers. And he was surrounded by talent on his Sooner teams.
It’s going to be interesting to see his transition from a spread offense to a pro-style offense. He appears to be a smart guy, though, and early indications are that he isn’t afraid to take control of the huddle. At Rams rookie minicamp last week Bradford took charge of the offense with relative ease, and that is something coach Steve Spagnuolo was looking for rather intently.
Despite his injury-plagued 2009 campaign in Norman, I’m still convinced this guy has the strongest arm. At this pro day back in March, he showed off his accuracy, completing an amazing 62 of 63 passes, which had all the pro scouts in attendance drooling. That type of accuracy is what separates him from the rest, and it’s what got him to the position of being the number one pick. Many have compared Bradford to legendary Cowboy quarterback Troy Aikman. They both actually have Oklahoma roots. That isn’t bad company, is it Sam?
There is one thing that Bradford can claim without much question, and that is the fact that he plays on the worst team. Bleacher Fan may disagree, but the Rams are much worse than the Browns, and obviously are worse than the Panthers and Broncos. The Rams are terrible. Awful. An embarrassment of Detroit Lions proportions. Last season’s number one pick, Matthew Stafford, had to deal with the same situation when he was drafted by the Lions. It’s going to be tough on Bradford, just as it was on Stafford. But at least he had Calvin Johnson to throw to. Bradford doesn’t even have that. However, expect Bradford to eventually move the Rams on up. He may experience growing pains early on, but when we look back on this class in 20 years, we’ll all agree that Sam Bradford was the best of the bunch.
Read the arguments from Loyal Homer and Bleacher Fan about which BCS bowl game they believe is the best of the 2009-2010 bowl season.
Here’s a favorite Sports Geek quote, from 20th Century British politician Sebastian Coe: “All pressure is self-inflicted. It’s what you make of it or how you let it rub off on you.”
No, politics are not exactly like sports, but the quote rings true in the world of sports. Champions are defined by their ability to perform when the stakes are at their highest point, when the fate of a team – or a city or a region – depends on the outcome of a game. It is in the most trying times that champions step forward. The BCS national championship game – more than any other BCS game – is THE game that will let one of two teams earn a championship for the 2009-2010 season.
As in most championship games in college, plenty of star power packs the field. Texas quarterback Colt McCoy and Alabama running back Mark Ingram feel Heisman Trophy pressure in the championship game, but for different reasons. Ingram won and must perform like a winner while McCoy was twice jilted, and must perform as though he deserved it and the voters made a mistake. Aside from the normal pressures of the game with coaches, teams, and fans all depending on a desired outcome, these two players must still play as though they have something to prove.
Both teams have other pressurized situations on offense.
Alabama has a freshman quarterback who is just learning to perform under pressure. Greg McElroy faced the most pressure he has ever faced in the SEC Championship game against Florida, and played extremely well by completing two thirds of his passes, throwing a touchdown, and only taking one sack. Coming into the big conference championship game McElroy was believed to be the weak link of Alabama’s team, but rose the occasion and played extremely well.
The Texas offense struggled to play with consistent dominance this season. On some occasions the offense looked entirely unstoppable, but Nebraska’s defense shut down the aggressive, fast-paced Longhorn attack. Nebraska’s defense featured an excellent defensive tackle in Ndamukong Suh, and Alabama’s also has a great defensive tackle in Terrance Cody. The Texas offensive line must subdue the pressure of the game and effectively block Cody inside to have a shot. If the Longhorns are dominated at the point of attack again, the game will not be close. No pressure.
Both team’s defenses are under pressure to play as well as the lofty statistics indicate they should. Alabama has the number one scoring defense in the country this season, allowing just 11 points per game. Alabama’s defense also allowed only 241.8 yards per game. Translation, the Tide allowed few points because they allowed few big plays. Perhaps the defense is not the flashiest in the country, but it was the most effective.
The defensive flash all resided in Austin. Texas also finished in the top 10 in scoring defense, ranking eighth at season’s end and allowing 13.5 points per game. Texas especially shined on rushing defense, allowing just 818 rushing yards all season, tops in the NCAA. The pass defense also picked off 24 passes this season – another top ranking in the NCAA – along with four of those picks returned for touchdowns.
These defensive statistics – though superficially impressive – must also be considered through the prism of the team’s opponents. While Alabama played five top 25 opponents over the course of the season in a division that was stronger than anticipated before the season, Texas played in a division that did not live up to expectations, playing only three ranked teams all season. While in-season pressure is questionable game in and game out, this game has enough pressure on each player to make up for it.
Alabama should win this game. The Tide feature strength on the offensive and defensive lines, and plenty of talent to go around at skill positions. The stats and the stars point to an Alabama advantage. But, it is special players that play their best when the pressure reaches its highest levels. Throughout his career Colt McCoy has proven he is a special player. He now has the chance he’s waited for his entire career – spanning four seasons of starting at quarterback for Texas – playing in a national championship game. McCoy and the Longhorns may render a seeming advantage null. But they will have to overcome the most pressure they have ever encountered to do it.
One thing is for certain, this game is shaping up to be the best BCS game of this season, and could be one of the best ever.
Last week, I argued that Colt McCoy essentially won the Heisman with his performance against Texas A&M. I said that it was his to lose. Based on what happened in the Big XII championship game, I think he lost it. What a dreadful game by McCoy. He and Mack Brown nearly threw away a chance to go to the national championship game with poor clock management at the end of the game. At the end of the day, I think McCoy possibly threw away the Heisman
I had a chance to go down to the ACC Championship in Tampa, Florida Saturday to watch Georgia Tech’s high powered triple option offense against Clemson. It was a very entertaining game to watch in person and something, quite frankly, that the ACC needed. However, there is one player in the game that I came away most impressed with, one that I think signifies what the Heisman trophy means. That player is Clemson running back C.J. Spiller.
Obviously, you and I have heard of C.J. Spiller. He plays in a BCS conference for one of the top programs in the ACC. I have had the pleasure of watching a good bit of him over the past four years, but Saturday night was the first night I have watched him in person. Watching Spiller live gives a greater appreciation for him. I think he is the most electrifying player college football has had since Reggie Bush.
He single-handily almost won the game for the Tigers. He finished with 233 yards on 20 carries and four touchdowns. Those numbers earned him the MVP of the game, even in defeat (editor’s note: This is the first time the game’s MVP was awarded to a player on the losing team). Tech fans were outraged at this after the game, but I think it was the right decision. Sitting at Raymond James Stadium, you just felt all the Tech fans on edge when Spiller had the ball in his hands. Out of all the candidates, did anyone close the season better than Spiller?
For the season, his numbers speak for themselves. He has 1,145 yards rushing on 201 carries and 11 touchdowns. He has 445 yards receiving and four touchdowns. Those are excellent numbers. What takes him to the next level are his numbers in the kicking game. He has four kickoff returns for touchdowns. In total, he has over 900 return yards, which includes kickoff and punt return yardage. He is a legitimate threat to score every time he touches the ball. He also is the only player this season to score at least one touchdown in every game.
I realize people are dead set on giving the Heisman Trophy to McCoy, Mark Ingram, or maybe Tim Tebow. But Spiller deserves an invite to New York, at the very least. If I had a vote for Heisman, my vote would be for C.J. Spiller. And memo to those who coordinate the Heisman trophy – Loyal Homer really want a Heisman vote!
There are a lot of different theories on how voting should take place in the annual awarding of the Heisman Trophy. Some argue that the trophy should be used as recognition for the most outstanding player over an impressive collegiate career, while others would argue that a strong close to the season in high-profile games is all that is necessary to lock up the award. I, on the other hand, feel that the award for college’s most outstanding player should actually go to COLLEGE’S MOST OUTSTANDING PLAYER – how silly of me!
Many people are going to be clamoring for Colt McCoy to be named the 2009 Heisman winner. Their reasoning is that he has had an outstanding college career, and deserves the award for his consistently strong performances. That reasoning is flawed, though. Two thousand and nine has been one of McCoy’s WORST seasons, statistically! Both 2006 AND 2008 were better seasons for McCoy, with 2007 as the only year in his career where he threw for FEWER touchdowns, and MORE interceptions than in 2009. If you were TRULY interested in recognizing the player with the best collegiate CAREER, it would be Tim Tebow who deserved the award, not Colt McCoy!
The REAL reason that some folks want McCoy to win the award is because he has not yet, and Tebow and Sam Bradford have. The last time I checked, though, the Heisman is for the MOST OUTSTANDING player, not the player we feel most sorry for. McCoy’s BEST seasons did not stack up against Tebow or Bradford, so why would one of his WORST seasons suddenly earn him the award? It just does not make sense.
The player who DOES deserve to win the award this year, however, is Stanford running back Toby Gerhart! By far the best running back of the 2009 season, no player has had a greater impact on his team than has Gerhart, who led the nation both in rushing yards (1,736) and touchdowns (26). And while you would expect strong performances against weak teams (such as Washington State and San Jose State), Gerhart actually turned in his BEST performances against some of the toughest teams in the country!
In 2009, Stanford took the field against four different teams that were ranked in the top-25 at the time – Washington (#24), Oregon (#8), USC (#9) and California (#25). In his four games against those top-level opponents, Gerhart rushed for a combined 737 yards (an average of 184.25 yards per game) and 11 touchdowns. In addition, Gerhart helped to send Charlie Weis packing as he tacked on an additional 205 yards and three more touchdowns in his final regular season game against Notre Dame!
Gerhart scored MULTIPLE touchdowns in nine of 12 games this season, and reached the end zone at least once in every game (except one). He also eclipsed the 200-yard rushing mark in three different games this season, including a season-high 223 yards and three touchdowns against the Pac-10 champion the Oregon Ducks!
Toby Gerhart was the most outstanding player of the 2009 season! Simply put, he made the difference between winning and losing in 2009 for Stanford. Last season, the Cardinal managed to win only five games all season. For his part, Gerhart put up only 1,136 yards and 15 touchdowns. In 2009, however, he rushed for an additional 700 yards and 11 touchdowns in the same number of games played, helping lead Stanford to an eight-win season and a Sun Bowl invitation against the Oklahoma Sooners on New Years Eve. When Gerhart was held to less than 100-yards rushing (which occurred only twice in the entire season), Stanford lost. On the flip-side, though, he rushed for at least 175 yards in four separate games, including both the USC and the Oregon matchups, leading Stanford to victory all four times. He is an outstanding player on a mediocre team. Thanks to his presence that mediocre team became a Pac-10 contender with two wins against top-10 teams in 2009. I would call that making a Heisman-worthy impact!
I hope you guys enjoyed your Thanksgiving break. I certainly did. Now I can go shop for a new pair of jeans that fit my ever enlarging waist! Food and watching football will do that to you (though I did teach my little cousins the nuances of the triple option… perhaps Georgia was eavesdropping on my lesson as the ‘Dawgs managed to stop Georgia Tech’s triple option Saturday night). After watching numerous games over the weekend and seeing highlights of several more, I have decided that the real winner of the Thanksgiving Football Feast was Texas quarterback Colt McCoy.
Coming into the weekend the Heisman race was wide open. The list of possible contenders was as long as the list of bowl games (okay, maybe not that long), including McCoy, Tim Tebow, Mark Ingram, and Toby Gerhart near the top of the list. But guys like Clemson’s C.J. Spiller had the opportunity to make big impressions with a big performance in a rivalry game. Ingram was a dud against Auburn, though his team managed to escape the Iron Bowl with a victory. Spiller returned the opening kickoff against South Carolina and did nothing else in a disappointing upset loss to South Carolina. Gerhart had a phenomenal game against Notre Dame with 205 yards rushing and three touchdowns (and also one passing). Tebow was his usual self in a victory over an overmatched Florida State. But what McCoy did against rival Texas A&M was nothing short of remarkable and it made him the clear frontrunner in the Heisman race.
All he did was rack up 479 yards of total offense, including 175 yards on the ground, totaling five touchdowns. The game against the Aggies was much tougher than most thought it would be. Rallying behind an amazing performance by quarterback Jerrod Johnson (who had 439 yards of total offense himself), the Aggies were in prime position to pull the upset in this see-saw battle. The Longhorns only led by seven at the half and the Aggies actually cut it to three a couple of times in the second half, but the Longhorns were able to respond and escape the Home of the 12th man with a victory. I was talking to a friend of mine the day after the game and he said, “Colt McCoy single-handily saved Texas’s season last night. He won the game for them.” My friend was right. If Texas lost that game, it would have all but eliminated any chance at a national title and would have thrown the national championship door wide open for teams like TCU and Cincinnati. Instead, he left College Station as the clear-cut favorite in the race for the Heisman.
McCoy still has to have a solid game this week against Nebraska in the Big 12 championship to close the deal on the Heisman, especially with Tebow playing that day as well in the SEC championship. But it is McCoy’s to lose now and he can thank his Heisman-like performance against Texas A&M for that.
Matthew Stafford, Colt McCoy, and Sam Bradford were all viewed as marquis college quarterbacks from the 2008 football season. Each was eligible for early entry into the NFL Draft, and each was projected to be a high-draft selection. With millions of dollars at stake, the temptation to go pro early could be very strong!
Matthew Stafford chose the NFL. As a reward for his decision, he received a contract with $41.7M in GUARANTEED money. On the down-side, he has to play quarterback for the Detroit Lions, a job that has already been tried and failed by the likes of Daunte Culpepper, Jon Kitna, Joey Harrington, Jeff Garcia, Charlie Batch, Gus Frerotte, Rodney Peete, Frank Reich, Ty Detmer, Stoney Case (who?!), Scott Mitchell, well… you get the point. Stafford’s job will not be an easy one, to say the least!
On the other hand, Colt McCoy and Sam Bradford decided to return to their respective college teams for one more season, foregoing the immediate prospect of millions in salary to chase a different prize – a national championship (and the Heisman Trophy). The decision has not been a bad one for McCoy so far, whose Texas Longhorns are undefeated and sit third in the current BCS rankings. But, things have not worked out as well for his Oklahoma Sooners counterpart, Bradford. Bradford’s decision to stay in college may have been more costly, as he has only played in one full game all season due to shoulder injuries. It is true that he looked very impressive in the few instances where he played, but the lack of any substantial playing time may impact his long-term professional value. Likewise, his injury has cost his team several games, and subsequently cost them the opportunity to play for the BCS National Championship this season, a key reason Bradford returned in the first place.
It is a question that every NFL and NBA prospect especially must face during their time in college. For some, the decision to stay in the NCAA or go pro is simply a matter of trying to maximize their professional value. Staying in college is only worthwhile to them if it means the prospect of even more favorable ratings and reviews in the next NFL Draft, rather than the current one. For others, it is about not wanting to leave college behind without a sense of accomplishment and fulfillment.
Former Ohio State safety Mike Doss was a standout football player at every level of the game. He won championships in his Pop Warner leagues and as a high school star at Ohio’s Canton McKinley (one of the schools in the GREATEST area for high school football in the country!!!). He was again part of a championship team as his high school Bulldogs won both the state and national titles. In 2002, Doss came back for his fifth year of eligibility at Ohio State so he could try one more time for a National Championship at the collegiate level. His decision paid off, as his Buckeyes went on to defeat the heavily favored Miami Hurricanes in the Fiesta Bowl.
That same decision did not work out so well for several members of the 2007 Michigan Wolverines. After a very exciting season in 2006 where the Wolverines nearly reached the National Championship Game (if not for a loss to Ohio State in the final game of the season), running back Mike Hart, offensive lineman Jake Long, and quarterback Chad Henne all decided to return for one more season at Michigan in the hopes of winning the National Championship (or any bowl game for that matter) and to get a win over Ohio State. Instead of realizing the dream, the Wolverines lost the season opener to Appalachian State in one of the greatest upsets in college football history, as well as three other games that season (including another loss at the hands of the Buckeyes). There were no championship celebrations in Michigan that season, which left Long, Hart, and Henne frustrated and very disappointed.
There are risks and rewards to both options, but which is the better option to choose? If given the opportunity, should talented college players leave college early, as soon as they are eligible?
To tackle this issue, Sports Geek will argue that the better choice is to go pro early, while Loyal Homer will argue that players should return to college and finish their career before going to the next level.
No matter the sport, some of the most entertaining games to watch are “shootouts” where offense dominates and it becomes a race to see which team can score the most points. If you love offense, then I have the game for you!
This Saturday, the BCS 14th ranked Cowboys of Oklahoma State play host to the BCS third ranked Texas Longhorns in a matchup that features two very explosive offenses. Texas, currently leading the nation in scoring with 41.9 points per game, has scored AT LEAST 34 points in every game of the season except one – the matchup against Oklahoma two weeks ago. On the other side of the field, Oklahoma State has been equally impressive with the sixth best points per game average in the country with 37.
High-powered offense is not the only reason to follow this game, though. This could very well be the last remaining game of the year with National Championship implications for BOTH teams until we get into the Conference Championship games at the end of the season.
Currently, both Texas and Oklahoma State are undefeated in the Big XII Conference, with this game serving as a potential tiebreaker to determine which team will ultimately play in the Big XII Championship game.
For Oklahoma State, a team that has only loss to this point in the season to 18th ranked Houston (a team that also has only one loss on its record), defeating third ranked Texas would launch the Cowboys right back into the national spotlight. It would most likely propel the ‘Boys into the top ten in the BCS rankings and would set the team up for a chance to play in the Big XII Championship game. Although teams like Boise State, TCU – and even Cincinnati or Iowa – are currently undefeated, Oklahoma State certainly warrants consideration for the National Championship if the team goes on to defeat Texas, then Oklahoma, and ultimately win the Big XII Conference.
Texas, on the other hand, controls its own destiny right now. Ranked third in the nation, Texas currently follows Alabama and Florida, both of whom are in the SEC in opposing divisions. If both of those teams win out the rest of the season, a meeting in the SEC Championship game is inevitable, clearing the way for Texas to take that final step up into one of the top two spots in the BCS. Oklahoma State presents Texas with its final “legitimate” hurdle of the season. With Central Florida, Baylor, Kansas, and Texas A&M remaining on Texas’ schedule, the team should be able to coast into the Big XII Championship with a victory over Oklahoma State.
The only missing element from this game is the presence of standout Oklahoma State wide receiver Dez Bryant, who was at one time considered a Heisman Trophy hopeful. Although the Cowboys have not missed a beat to this point offensively since losing Bryant to a season-ending suspension, his absence will certainly be felt in Stillwater this weekend. Even without Bryant, though, this should be a very entertaining matchup between two potent offenses.
Look for high-scoring, fast-paced, action-packed excitement from start to finish in this shootout at the O-K (State) Corral!
Read Sports Geek’s and Bleacher Fan’s arguments on which sleeper Heisman Candidate has the best chance to crack the top three.
It is pretty obvious that three guys are far away the favorites to make it the New York for the Heisman trophy ceremony, as The Sports Debates tackled in a prior debate. Quarterbacks Tim Tebow (Florida), Sam Bradford (Oklahoma), and Colt McCoy (Texas) have distanced themselves – at least in pre-season talk – from other possible contenders. However, there are several other candidates who might be under the radar, so to speak, but who could catapult themselves into the discussion with a strong season. After looking at the way some players finished up last season, and evaluating potential for the upcoming season, I have concluded that if anyone could break up the big three this year it is Georgia Tech running back Jonathan Dwyer.
Dwyer, a junior, is coming off an outstanding sophomore season for the Yellow Jackets. Last year he rushed for 1,395 yards on just 200 carries for an average of seven yards a carry. He also scored 12 rushing touchdowns and one receiving. He rushed for over 100 yards in nine games. He was the ACC conference player of the year, and was on several post-season All-American teams. In the pre-season this year, he has already accumulated some honors. Among others, he is the pre-season ACC conference player of the year and a candidate for the Doak Walker Award, given annually to the top running back in college football.
If he stays healthy, Dwyer is going to get the carries. As the B-back in Georgia Tech head coach Paul Johnson’s hugely successful spread option offense, he is bound to get plenty of carries. What made Dwyer so effective last year is that Johnson was able to keep him fresh. He had twenty or more carries in only four games. Johnson was able to mix and match Dwyer with guys like running back Roddy Jones, making Georgia Tech one of the surprise teams in the 2008 season.
This year, there is more of a bullseye on the Yellow Jackets. In most pre-season polls the Yellow Jackets are ranked in the top 15. Along with Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech is considered one of the favorites in the ACC. With that pressure comes more attention as well. The Yellow Jackets, and Dwyer, will not sneak up on anyone. If the Jackets and Dwyer get off to a fast start – which is entirely possible – then the national spotlight will increase. Dwyer will get more attention on national sports shows, and people in regions outside the Southeast will get to know the D-Train.
In order for Dwyer to make this run for the Heisman, the Yellow Jackets are going to have to succeed as a team. That is very important to Dwyer’s campaign. If they struggle as a team, then Dwyer’s candidacy will struggle. Back in 1999, Georgia Tech quarterback Joe Hamilton put up gaudy numbers, but he played on a team with a horrendous defense. That definitely hurt his chances to win the Heisman (he finished second to Ron Dayne).
It is going to be tough to break into the top three. There is no denying the talent those three have. But if anyone can crash the party in the Big Apple, it is Jonathan Dwyer.
Every year there are surprise Heisman Trophy candidates. We have already debated which of the “Big Three” of 2009 will win the Heisman Trophy this season. Now it is time to debate which sleeper could spoil the year end party at the Downtown Athletic Club. There is a huge list of potential sleepers. The list includes Tennessee defensive back Eric Berry, Ole Miss quarterback Jevan Snead, Ohio State quarterback Terylle Prior, Penn State running back Evan Royster, Penn State quarterback Daryl Clark, Oklahoma State wide receiver Dez Bryant, California running back Jahvid Best, Clemson running back C.J. Spiller, and Georgia Tech running back Jonathan Dwyer. They are all good possibilities – but one stands above the rest, patiently waiting at the intersection of patience and ability. The award is easier for a quarterback to win, and the sneakiest of this sleepy bunch is Ole Miss’ Jevan Snead.
For Jevan Snead to get on the radar of the 870 Heisman Trophy voters, all he has to do is do something he has already done – win. Snead delivered a masterful performance in last year’s Ole Miss-Florida game, outdueling Florida’s Tim Tebow (a athlete Percy Harvin, perhaps a primary reason why Tebow has been as successful as he has been) by throwing for two touchdown passes and running for one more. In the 2008 season, Snead threw for 26 touchdowns in a pro style offense, and ran for three others. He enters this season no longer as the new kid on the block (he transferred out of Texas after losing the quarterback duel to that Colt McCoy guy), having gained the respect of his peers as the undisputed leader of the team.
Ole Miss has a favorable schedule, too. They host Alabama and LSU and play their toughest road game at a rebuilding Auburn. Early in the season they face their toughest road tests of the season against South Carolina and Vanderbilt. Ole Miss could be a surprise undefeated team. We all know how college football poll voters love surprise undefeated teams. The opportunity to play the underdog role in a nationally televised SEC championship – perhaps against Florida, again – is ideal. Then Snead would only need to do something ELSE he has already done – beat Tebow.
Besides his great statistics, Snead also has earned the respect of coaches within his conference. South Carolina head ball coach Steve Spurrier voted Jevan Snead as his top quarterback in the conference over Tim Tebow (… don’t tell me you believe that hogwash that Spurrier made a “mistake” on his ballot?).
Plus, Snead comes from a school that is no stranger to Heisman candidate quarterbacks… though he will be the first one with Manning on the back of his jersey. And, it sounds dumb, but Jevan Snead is a memorable name. The sound of it… it is one of a kind. The kind of name that is hard to forget.
It is much easier for a quarterback to win the Heisman Trophy. While Snead is facing an uphill climb against three other established quarterbacks in college football, there is a path for him to win the trophy. If he can outplay Tebow heads up (like he did last year), match him in statistics (despite Tebow’s softball schedule), and sit back and watch Same Bradford and Colt McCoy split votes, Snead could win the 2009 Heisman Trophy. It is not a sure thing – but I would not count him out.
Posted by Bleacher Fan 
