With the dawn of summer comes many things, but few of them are as anticipated and ultimately rewarding as the impending college football season. Spring practices have come and gone but competition still runs rampant as the nation's elite programs take every step necessary to find themselves in New Orleans for the BCS Title Game next January. From starting Quarterback to back-up long snapper, every position is up for grabs at this time of the off-season and you have to be a Star's Star to grab headlines on the college landscape and, beyond that, the all elusive "Heisman Hype." The Heisman Memorial Trophy is arguably the most prestigious piece of individually-earned hardware in all of sports, and it is for that reason that every off-season brings a flood of hyperbole regarding the who's who of potential Heisman candidates. These aren't easy lists to get on, rest assured. You're an excellent, productive player but your team competes in the Mountain West Conference? Sorry, your invite is getting lost in the mail. You threw for 4,500 yards and 50 touchdowns, but your team lost 4 of its games? Nope, no Heisman for you. The bar is set high, and only the most excellent players on the most excellent teams will have a shot at getting their invite to the Downtown Athletic Club.
Without further ado, I present my annual Heisman Watch list, which I will update weekly after games with up-to-date stats as well as commentary on the way things are unfolding. After correctly prognosticating the last three recipients of the Heisman trophy, I have some extra pride riding on trying to get it right again this year.
1. DeSean Jackson, Wide Receiver/Punt Returner California (Junior)
An interesting choice at the top, to say the least. Not yet a household name, Cal wide receiver DeSean Jackson is ready to burst onto the national scene and etch his name into Heisman history. That can be a tough road to hoe for a wide receiver, but the 6-foot, 166-pound Jackson is the fastest player in the nation and plays in a Pac-10 conference that doesn't mind airing it out. After being a 1st-team Freshman All America selection in 2005 there were big expectations for Jackson's sophomore campaign, and he delivered to the tune of 59 catches for 1,060 yards(17.9 yards per catch) with 9 touchdown grabs. Also considered by many to be the nation's top return man, Jackson pitched in with 4 punt returns for touchdowns. The Golden Bears are a talented group that could make some BCS noise if they get past a few tough spots on their schedule--home against Tennessee and USC, at UCLA--and if an offensive line that returns 3 starters can keep QB Nate Longshore upright, DeSean Jackson is poised for a humongous season. And, who knows? Maybe a Heisman trophy, too.
2. Brian Brohm, Quarterback Louisville (Senior)
Heisman hype isn't an unfamiliar sensation for Louisville QB Brian Brohm. Extremely heralded upon his arrival at Louisville, Brohm has been turning heads and opening eyes ever since he stepped in for injured Cardinals QB Stefan LeFors as a Freshman and toppled Miami in their bowl contest. Since then, Brohm has been racking up statistics and accolades like few others--as long as he could stay on the field. You see, the only flaw in Brohm's otherwise sterling collegiate career has been his inability to stay healthy; torn knee ligaments, torn thumb ligaments and a torn labrum have forced him to miss time in each of his 3 seasons. If he can remain healthy for the entire 12-game schedule, Louisville has a chance to run the table and find themselves in a BCS bowl. And with arguably the most talented pair of starting wideouts in the league--tall deep threat Mario Urrutia and speedster Harry Douglas--catching his passes, Brohm could easily surpass the 3,049 yards and 16 TDs he put up as a Junior.
3. Steve Slaton, Running Back West Virginia (Junior)
One of the biggest deterrents to West Virginia RB Steve Slaton's Heisman hopes may be his very own backfield mate, QB Pat White. The two electrifying Juniors combined to rush for 303 yards per game out of WVU's spread attack in 2006, and it might be hard for either of the two to pull away as Heisman frontrunners when they're both so damn productive. That surely isn't a problem that Mountaineers head coach Rich Rodriguez will have an issue with. And so long as the offensive staff makes a smooth transition after losing heralded offensive line guru Rick Trickett to Florida State, Slaton should be just as productive as he was last year when he tallied up 1,744 yards and 16 rushing TD's. Any improvement on those statistics and it will be hard for Heisman voters to ignore Slaton--no matter what kind of numbers his teammates put up.
4. John David Booty, Quarterback USC (Senior)
The University of Southern California is no stranger to the Heisman hardware, and neither are its quarterbacks; former Trojan signal-callers Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart have both won the award within this decade. Next in line could be QB John David Booty, who might not possess the rocket arm of Palmer or the Hollywood persona of Leinart, but may just put up better numbers than either of them. Even after losing starting wideouts Dwayne Jarrett and Steve Smith to the NFL, the Trojans are absolutely loaded on offense. WRs Patrick Turner and Vidal Hazelton have electric potential and the backfield is as many as 12 players deep--thats not a typo, I really said 12 players--including the likes of newcomer Joe McKnight, the nation's top High School prospect. With so many weapons at hand and a firm grasp on coordinator Steve Sarkisian's offense, John David Booty should have no trouble improving upon the 3,347 yards and 29 TDs he threw as a Junior.
5. Darren McFadden, Runningback Arkansas (Junior)
Arguably the consensus favorite amongst national media outlets to win the Heisman in '07, Arkansas' Darren McFadden has drawn comparisons to Eric Dickerson en route to being a Freshman All-American in '05 and Heisman runner-up in '06. He is a player I have personally hyped ad nauseum since he came out of High School, and one I listed as a top sleeper candidate for the award last season before he had caught most peoples' eye. So, why then, do I have him ranked as low as #5 on this year's watch? Simply put, Arkansas' back-up RB Felix Jones is just too damn good. McFadden garnered 284 carries last season, not including a number of additional touches from pass attempts, receptions and kick returns. And even with McFadden engulfing that much of the offensive game plan, Felix Jones still ran for over 1,000 yards and was the SEC's best kick returner. There simply aren't enough touches to go around for McFadden to be able to put up the type of jaw dropping statistics necessitated for a Heisman.
Those top-5 are set in stone, no shuffling and adjusting from this point on from me. They're the big names you'll likely be hearing all over ESPN and the internet, but they're surely not the only ones who will be getting Heisman talk at the end of the season. Every year, there are candidates who seemingly came out of nowhere to almost eek their way into the ceremony. Utah QB Alex Smith and Hawaii QB Colt Brennan are two who have made very strong runs in just the last 2 years. Lets take a quick look at some potential "sleeper" candidates this season:
Sleepers
1. Early Doucet, WR/Ret LSU -- QB JaMarcus Russell is gone, but LSU still might be the best team in the nation. Their offensive attack will be lead by WR Early Doucet, who as a Junior put up 59 catches for 772 yards and 8 TD's, all while being behind WRs Dwayne Bowe and Craig Davis on the depth chart(both of whom were 1st round NFL draft picks, by the by). You can expect even bigger numbers out of Doucet this year.
2. Branden Ore, RB Virginia Tech -- If the ACC has a year resembling anything like the implosion the Conference suffered through last season, Tech is a shoe-in for the conference title game and a BCS berth. With the passing game still somewhat mired by the inconsistent decision making of QB Sean Glennon, the catalyst of the offense will be RB Brandon Ore. Ore ran for 1,137 yards and 16 scores as a Sophomore in '06 and those numbers look to increase as he becomes a bigger part of the offense.
3. Tashard Choice, RB Georgia Tech -- Highly touted redshirt freshman WR DeMaryius Thomas is expected to bring a spark to the Ramblin' Wreck's passing game, but the departures of living legend Calvin Johnson and a dual-threat, four year starter at QB in Reggie Ball will leave the aerial attack with a considerable void. Tech head coach Chan Gailey promises a more ball-control offense, which will lead to RB Tashard Choice becoming the focal point of the offense. With the increased attention in the offensive scheme, Choice should easily be able to improve on the 1,473 yards and 12 TDs he racked up in 2006.
4. Colt Brennan, QB Hawaii -- There has never been a season at the quarterback position that ranks more prolific than the one Hawaii QB Colt Brennan posted in 2006. With 5,549 yards and 58 touchdowns to 12 interceptions, the junior Brennan abolished NCAA records left and right and flirted with the NFL Draft before deciding to return to Hawaii for his senior campaign. The Warriors' schedule is one of the softest in the nation, with perhaps the only feasible loss coming to Boise State in November. With an 11 or 12-win campaign--even in an inferior non-BCS conference like the WAC--it will be hard to ignore Brennan as a Heisman finalist.
5. Stephen McGee, QB Texas A&M -- In his first season as the Aggies' starting signal-caller Stephen McGee lead the squad to an impressive 9-win season, including an upset victory over the rival Texas Longhorns. In the process he compiled some impressive all-purpose numbers; posting 2,295 yards passing and a 12/2 touchdown-to-interception ratio to go along with 666 rushing yards. A&M's backfield is loaded with speedy homerun threat Mike Goodson and Jorvorskie Lane, a 275-pound bulldozer of a back. But McGee might be the most dangerous of them all, using his tenacity and toughness to be an extremely effective runner as well as passing on the run. The Aggies are expected to be a threat in the Big-12 in '07, and Stephen McGee will no doubt be a catalyst for their success.
6. Chase Daniel, QB Missouri -- The Tigers entered 2006 expecting a drop-off at the QB position after the dynamic Brad Smith moved on to the NFL, but it was surprisingly a vast upgrade in the hands of QB Chase Daniel. Daniel's cool and calm demeanor running the offense helped him pile up 3,906 total yards, 28 touchdowns, and a top-10 national ranking for Missouri's offense. The key to Chase Daniel's potential Heisman candidacy--as well as the success of the Tigers as a team--will be in keeping him healthy; Missouri's back-up QB's have yet to register a single pass attempt in an NCAA game.
7. Matt Ryan, QB Boston College -- The definition of toughness on the gridiron resides in Boston College's Matt Ryan, the statue-esque QB who played the final 7 games of the Eagles' season on a severely broken left foot. Despite that, Ryan lead the team to a 10-3 campaign and a bowl victory over Navy, all while putting up 2,942 yards and 15 touchdowns. Most of the key offensive pieces around him return for the '07 season, including a talented backfield duo in RBs L.V. Whitworth and Andre Callender, who will prevent defenses from sitting back and playing the pass all day. If Ryan can stay healthy and BC can make an impact in the ACC Atlantic, he has a shot at racking up some hardware before he moves on to becoming a highly touted NFL prospect.
8. Adarius Bowman, WR Oklahoma State -- Cowboys' head coach Mike Gundy is surely pleased to be returning 7 starters from an offensive unit that ranked 7th in the nation in total offense in 2006. Those starters include junior QB Bobby Reid, who is coming off of a sophomore campaign that saw him roll up 2,766 total yards and 29 scores. Perhaps more importantly, though, is the return of senior WR Adarius Bowman, one of the nation's biggest gamebreakers. Despite facing constant double-team attention throughout the season, Bowman posted an impressive 60 catches for 1,181 yards and 12 TDs. The complimentary receivers all have another year of experience under their belts and should help in preventing the same type of constant double-teams that Bowman faced in '06. And if thats the case, he will truly be dangerous.
9. Andre' Woodson, QB Kentucky -- Tim Tebow, Erik Ainge, and Matthew Stafford might get the most national publicity, but the SEC's best quarterback is still Kentucky's Andre Woodson. The imposing Woodson has gone 162 straight passes without throwing an interception, and his junior year numbers of 31 TDs to only 7 INTs added to his on-going record as the most efficient passer in SEC history when it comes to TD/INT ratio. The Wildcats will have a hard time reaching a bowl game in the loaded SEC, which may ultimately be Woodson's downfall in his hopes for Heisman fame. But if he remains healthy he will no doubt put up numbers worthy of consideration, regardless of Kentucky's win-loss mark.
10. Earl Bennett, WR Vanderbilt -- Vandy WR Earl Bennett is on pace to become the all-time leading receiver in SEC history sometime during the '07 campaign; amazingly, he's only a junior. Despite the loss of gun-slinging QB Jay Cutler to the NFL, Bennett proved he was legitimate by catching a league-high 82 passes for 1,146 yards and 6 scores. The Commodores are putting an emphasis on a more consistent running game, which should actually help improve Bennett's numbers if successful. In the tough defensive SEC, Bennett was consistently facing the opposing squad's best cornerback and often being shadowed by a safety as well. A potent running game would take that option away from defenses and possibly help Bennett become even more productive than he already has been in his young career.
