"..the=20 (Heisman's) foremost authority"
-- Sports=20 Illustrated

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Coll= ege=20 Football Tickets

Rose =
Bowl Ticket   Fiesta=
 Bowl Ticket  =20
Orange =
Bowl Ticket  BCS =
Championship Ticket

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The = Greatest Show On=20 Earth

June 6^th, 2007=20

Is there any doubt that this season's West Virginia = offense=20 will be the country's most exciting to watch?

First, there is one = of the=20 leading Heisman candidates in Steve Slaton, who rushed for 1,744 yards = and 16=20 TDs last year while averaging 7 yards per carry. He is a true breakaway = back who=20 thrives in coach Rich Rodriguez' spread attack.

Then, there is=20 quarterback Pat White, who ran for 1,219 yards and 18 TDs (averaging 7.4 = ypc)=20 and passed for another 1,655 yards and 13 TDs, while completing 66 per = cent.=20 He's probably not as fast as Slaton, but he's a more natural runner and = one of=20 the most dangerous quarterbacks in college football.

Let's not = forget=20 speedy wide out Darius Reynaud and herculean fullback Owen Schmitt, both = legitimate weapons.

Finally, when Slaton is sitting, we'll get to = see=20 freshman phenom Noel Devine, one of the most gifted runners to ever come = out of=20 high school. If a healthy Devine averages less than 8 yards per carry, I = will be=20 shocked.

Serious folks, it'll be The Greatest Show On Earth. =

I=20 can't wait.

<= BR>You'll=20 see a lot of this in 2007

Posted in: Comments (4) =

Adarius = Bowman For=20 Heisman

June 4^th, 2007=20

One of the longest of longshots for the Heisman is = Oklahoma=20 State wide receiver Adarius Bowman.

Nonetheless, OSU has put out = a website for Bowman to = tout his=20 candidacies for the Heisman, Maxwell, Camp and Biletnikoff = Awards.

I=20 think this site will end up being very effective in Bowman's race to win = the=20 Biletnikoff.

Posted in: Comments (1) =

The = Contrarian=20 Offensive Advantage

June 4^th, 2007=20

In early-2005, I started writing about the exciting = offensive=20 trends that were quickly making headway around the country. More = specifically, I=20 believed that those trends were best manifested by the offensive schemes = of five=20 teams, a group which I referred to as the Gang of Five.

In = general,=20 though, the subject of offensive innovation in college football has been = one of=20 my favorite topics. Subjects like offensive unpredictability, defensive=20 unfamiliarity and the systemic differences between conferences have also = been=20 discussed here.

It's now over two years later and I have stumbled = on a=20 web site that I think better articulates just what I was getting at.=20

John T. Reed's Football Think = Tank=20 looks at the game from an intellectual standpoint. It does not = presuppose that=20 all coaches know what they are doing. In fact, it assumes just the = opposite.=20

Another reason to like this site: It thinks out of the = box.

One=20 article in particular caught my eye: The Contrarian = Offensive=20 Advantage.

Some key passages:

Most football teams run the currently-fashionable offenses.=20 Nowadays, that typically means a one-back or two back with a tight end = and=20 flanker on one side and a split end on the other. There are slight = variations=20 like having a second back align outside of the tight end or weak = tackle and=20 the shotgun snap.

If you polled the defensive coordinators of = your=20 opponents, asking them what offense they would prefer that you run, = they would=20 choose the offense I just described. Why? It is the one they are used = to, the=20 one they are most comfortable with, the one they will see the most, = the one=20 they will practice against week in and week out all season.

If = you run=20 the offense that your opposing defensive coordinators most want you to = run,=20 you should be horsewhipped. If you were crooked and taking money to = throw a=20 game, one way to help that happen would be to run the offense the = opposing=20 defensive coordinator wanted you to run.

And=20 another:

At the end of December, 2006, I was interviwed by Coaching=20 Management magazine about contrarian approach to football coaching. = When the=20 interviewer asked me to name the most contrarian college coaches, I = said Texas=20 Tech=E2=80=99s Mike Leach and Florida=E2=80=99s Urban Meyer. =

On 1/8/07, Meyer=20 demonstrated the power of contrarianism by slaughtering favored, = undefeated=20 Ohio State in the BCS national championship game. Throughout the game, = the TV=20 announcers repeatedly commented on Meyer=E2=80=99s unusual = approach=E2=80=94at one point=20 noting that he said he liked to =E2=80=9Cbother=E2=80=9D defenses and = that the way to do that=20 was run the option, empty sets, and unbalanced lines.

I would = say=20 that=E2=80=99s a start. You can get a lot more contrarian than that. = And Meyer did.=20 One of his team=E2=80=99s touchdowns against Ohio State came out of a = full-house I or=20 capital-I formation. That is, he had all four offensive backs in a = straight=20 line behind the center. That formation was used by the University of = Maryland=20 in ancient times. I had never seen it used in a TV game. But readers = of my=20 books have seen it, for example, on page 17 of my book Gap-Air-Mirror = defense=20 where I show how to align against it.

Meyer also used two = quarterbacks=20 with greatly different styles.

Paradoxically, Meyer=E2=80=99s = success with his=20 contrarian offense will likely cause other coaches to adopt his = offense,=20 thereby making it less contrarian or even the opposite of contrarian. = By=20 definition, the contrarian coach does not mimic anyone, even a fellow=20 contrarian coach. He especially does not mimic a successful contrarian = coach=20 whose approach has become fashionable.

Longtime HP = readers--on both sides of the debate--should be very familiar with this = line of=20 thinking as I have been writing this for a while now.

I'll = finish up=20 with this great bit:

In fact, offensive coaches do not run the offense their = opposing=20 defensive coordinators most want them to run to help the other team. = Rather,=20 they run it because everyone else runs it and therefore it protects = them from=20 being criticized for choosing the wrong offense.

Some run it = because=20 it=E2=80=99s all they know and they are afraid to try something new or = would not know=20 how to do it if they did.

If you run the same offense as = everyone else,=20 and you lose, you can deflect blame onto the players. How? By using = subtle=20 phrases like, =E2=80=9CSomeone needed to make a play and no one = did=E2=80=9D or =E2=80=9CThe best team=20 won.=E2=80=9D

If you do something=E2=80=94anything=E2=80=94that = is different from the other=20 coaches in the area, and you lose, people might blame you for doing = the thing=20 that=E2=80=99s different=E2=80=94claim that was the reason you lost. = If, on the other hand,=20 you run the same offense as everyone else, you can say, =E2=80=9CIt = couldn=E2=80=99t have been=20 the offense I chose. That=E2=80=99s the same one the league champion=20 used.=E2=80=9D

Many would say that the non-contrarian offense = must be the best=20 because the team that won the league championship used it. = C=E2=80=99mon! Use your=20 head! If every NFL team ran a two-back pro set, a team running the = two-back=20 pro set would win the Super Bowl. Would that mean the two-back pro set = was the=20 best offense? Hell, no!

Winning the Super Bowl or the college = national=20 championship means very little with regard to what offensive scheme is = best=20 because virtually everyone is running the same offense for reasons = that do not=20 relate to whether it is the best.

If you want to use the = league=20 championship to reveal which is the best offense, you need to find a = league=20 where there is parity with regard to player and coach talent and you = need to=20 make sure every team in that league is running a different offense. = Then, the=20 league champ is probably revealing which scheme is best=E2=80=94at = least among the=20 schemes used in that league.

If you select a sound, but = contrarian,=20 offense, your players get better at it every day of the season as they = gain=20 experience with it. If your offense is unique among your opponents, = that is,=20 they only see it when they play you, each of them only gets one week = to=20 prepare against it. So the contrarian advantage grows with each = passing day=20 and peaks in the playoffs, especially the final game of the playoffs. = Isn=E2=80=99t=20 that precisely what you want?

I would think so. =

Stay=20 tuned for the John Reed interview here at HP, as he breaks down what it = means to=20 be an offensive contrarian.

Posted in: Comments (3) =

A Little = Bit=20 Nutty....

June 4^th, 2007=20

Ever notice that whenever a friend of tells you an = outlandish=20 tale, it somehow sounds more plausible if he says at the end of it: = "Dude, true=20 story!"?

It doesn't make it true. But somehow, by saying "true = story!",=20 we are supposed to be convinced.

So it is with Clarence Reece, a = former=20 football player at USC whose "true story" is recounted here in ultra-paranoid and = rambling=20 fashion.

According to Reece, he was the best receiver on = Earth. Or so=20 he told Lynn Swann. Unfortunately, USC--which controls the movies and = the=20 media--did him in. So, too, did the NFL. And the CFL. And the courts. = Oh, and=20 the U.S. government, I think.

Anyway, check out the story...if = you can=20 get through it.

And if you don't, worry not. According to Reece, = his=20 movie will soon be out. Directed by George Lucas, no doubt.

Posted in: Comments (1) =

The Rise = Of The=20 SEC

June 4^th, 2007=20

Scheduling issues aside, the SEC is rapidly improving = as a=20 conference and, as I predicted a couple years ago, it is on the verge of = actually living up to its year-in, year-out hype as the best=20 conference.

Why is this?

Well, the league has finally got = some=20 coaches. No one wanted to believe that Urban Meyer would transform the = landscape=20 of the conference, but he has. Especially on offense.

The = prospect of a=20 well-coached and fully-loaded Florida program has scared the bejeezuz = out of the=20 rest of the SEC.

And so Alabama has turned to a proven coach in = Nick=20 Saban. LSU has actually brought some kick to its offense by bringing in = spread=20 master Gary Crowton from Oregon. Kentucky is starting to get going under = Rich=20 Brooks and South Carolina is always dangerous with Spurrier at the helm. = Auburn=20 has Al Borges to direct its offense, while Tennessee has David = Cutcliffe.=20

The mantra among the chattering class is that Florida won the = national=20 title last year with defense. I do suppose that it is easy to have a = dominating=20 defense when the offenses arrayed on the other side of the ball are not=20 especially dynamic. That has been the case for many a year in the SEC, = with a=20 few exceptions here and there.

I think, however, that as = offenses in=20 that league improve, you will not see the same level of defensive = domination.=20 There will still be great defenses, but there actually might be some = great=20 offenses, too.

Now, if only they played decent non-conference=20 schedules....

Posted in: Comments (11) =

Scheduling=20 Issues

June 4^th, 2007=20

A new season beckons and, once again, the = SEC--considered by=20 many to be the premier conference--won't go on the road.

Only one = SEC=20 team will play a game outside the comfy confines of the old Confederacy. = That=20 team? Tennessee, which travels to Berkeley to take on Cal.

The = rest of=20 that league's non-conference schedules:

Alabama--Western = Carolina,=20 vs. Florida State, Houston, = Louisiana-Monroe

Arkansas--Troy, North=20 Texas, at Tennessee-Chattanooga, Florida=20 International

Auburn--Kansas State, South Florida, New = Mexico=20 State, Tennessee Tech

Florida--Western Kentucky, Troy, = Florida=20 Atlantic, Florida State

Georgia--Oklahoma State, Western = Carolina,=20 Troy, at Georgia Tech

Kentucky--Eastern Kentucky, Kent = State,=20 Louisville, Florida Atlantic

LSU--Virginia Tech, Middle = Tennessee,=20 at Tulane, Louisiana Tech

Ole Miss--at Memphis, Missouri,=20 Louisiana Tech, Northwestern State

Mississippi State--at = Tulane,=20 Jacksonville State, UAB, at West Virginia

South=20 Carolina--Louisiana Lafayette, South Carolina State, at North = Carolina,=20 Clemson

Tennessee--at Cal, Southern Miss, Arkansas State,=20 Louisiana Lafayette

Vanderbilt--Richmond, Eastern = Michigan, Miami=20 (OH), Wake Forest

For those of you keeping track at home, that's = a total=20 of 48 non-conference games for the SEC. Of those 48, 35 are against = non-BCS=20 opponents and 8 are against Div. 1-AA teams.

Of those 48 games, = 39 are at=20 home.

Only one SEC team, lowly Mississippi State, plays less = than seven=20 home games.

Oh, yes, I know. The SEC is sooooo tough top to = bottom, which=20 is why teams can't play anyone of note out of conference.

Oh, = nice to see=20 that Georgia has been voted as having the SEC's toughest=20 schedule. Congrats to the Bulldogs, who play Oklahoma State, Georgia = Tech,=20 Western Carolina and Troy. But they won't return to Stillwater until = 2009...if=20 that game isn't somehow changed.

Same shinola, different season. =

Posted in: Comments (36) =

Heisman=20 Odds

June 4^th, 2007=20

Here are the latest odds to win the 2007 Heisman, = from=20 Betonline.com:

ODDS TO WIN THE 2007 HEISMAN TROPHY

1 RAY = RICE=20 +600
2 DARREN MCFADDEN +400
3 COLT MCCOY +1400
4 ANTHONY = MORELLI=20 +3000
5 CJ SPILLER +1250
6 PERCY HARVIN +1500
7 JOHN DAVID = BOOTY=20 +400
8 CJ GABLE +1800
9 MIKE HART +800
10 CHAD HENNE +1250 =
11=20 JONATHAN STEWART +2000
12 STEVE SLATON +380
13 PAT WHITE +1250 =
14=20 CHASE DANIEL +1500
15 COLT BRENNAN +550
16 TIM TEBOW +1000 =
17=20 MATTHEW STAFFORD +4000
18 BRIAN BROHM +500

Posted in: Comments (5) =

Heisman = Primer For=20 '07

May 24^th, 2007=20

Summer is fast approaching, which means that college = football=20 preview magazines will soon be hot off the presses.

Every one of = those=20 publications will put out a Heisman list. Before you take them to heart, = though,=20 be sure to check out my Heism= an primer=20 for 2007 now at CSTV.com.

What's In A Name?: This is the 50th anniversary of John = David=20 Crow's Heisman year for Texas A&M. If USC's John David Booty makes = a=20 serious run for the trophy, expect these two to be linked in a story = or=20 two.

Posted in: Comments (7) =

What = About Matt=20 Ryan?

May 11^th, 2007=20

Bill at ATLEagle was = wondering=20 why Matt Ryan is considered a legitimate Heisman candidate by = ESPN.

My=20 take is that, really, he is not. Unless, of course, he throws for a = heaping=20 bucket full of yards and touchdowns and the Eagles run the table. = Then he=20 would draw consideration.

The real problem is that Ryan, a = senior, has=20 not had the set-up season needed to mount a serious run at the Heisman,=20 especially since he plays for a non-traditional-power school like BC. = Last year,=20 he threw for 2,942 yards and 15 touchdowns and had 10 picks. His = efficiency=20 rating was 126.7, just behind fellow ACC signal caller Sam Hollenbach.=20

Solid stuff, just not Heisman material. By comparison, Doug = Flutie (BC's=20 only Heisman winner), entered his senior season poised to become the = NCAA's=20 all-time passing leader. He did just that and, hence, he won the=20 Heisman.

Could he get to New York? Maybe. He would need some of = the=20 marquee schools on the BC schedule to actually live up to their hype = (i.e. Notre=20 Dame, FSU and Miami) and then beat them. The Heisman race is so = wide open=20 this year, you never know.

But, if I was a betting man--wait, I = do bet=20 occasionally--I would not put money on Ryan being in the mix for the = Heisman at=20 year's end.

Posted in: Comments (5) =

Catching = Up With Ian=20 Johnson

May 4^th, 2007=20

My lates= t=20 offering is up at CSTV.com, an interview with Boise State running = back Ian=20 Johnson.

I must say, he was quite fun to talk to. We chatted for = so long=20 that I'll have a second story here at HP as well. Enjoy:

Schools like Washington, Oregon State and Oregon recruited = him=20 during his senior season at Mark McGwire's alma mater, Damien High in = La=20 Verne, Calif. But it was Boise that swooped in at the last minute and = actually=20 offered him a scholarship and a chance to play. Being a Bronco wasn't = really=20 what he had imagined growing up, though.

"My dream school was=20 Michigan," said Johnson, who settles in at No. 12 on the = Heismanpundit.com=20 Post-Spring Heisman Watch. "Their program isn't flashy, it's more blue = collar,=20 which is more my style.

"They are not about doing back flips = into the=20 end zone."

Take that USC....

Ian Johnson led the nation in scoring = in=20 2006

Posted in: Comments (4) =

Catching = Up With Ray=20 Rice

April 27^th, 2007=20

The latest in my series on 2007 Heisman candidates is = up = at=20 CSTV.com. Ray Rice of Rutgers is featured:

"I've always loved the offensive side of the ball," said = Rice, who=20 checks in at No. 13 on the Heismanpundit.com Pre-Season Heisman Watch. = "I=20 played a little corner in high school, but I've always been a running = back at=20 heart."

It's his heart that has pushed him to become the = player he is=20 today. At 5-foot-9, 195 pounds, the rising junior from Rutgers isn't = exactly=20 the prototypical tailback. He's not going to break ankles or leave = defenders=20 grasping for air. But he will pound defenses into submission with his=20 relentless, attacking running style. A true workhorse, Rice led the = nation in=20 carries last year, averaging 26 per game. In this era of third-down = sprites=20 and short-yardage battering rams, he is a = throwback.

Ray=20 Rice doesn't have far to go to make the Heisman=20 ceremony

Posted in: Comments (5) =

Catching = Up With=20 Jonathan Stewart

April 12^th, 2007=20

Had a chance to talk to Oregon's Jonathan Stewart = recently and=20 my = latest=20 CSTV column talks about his Heisman chances for 2007.

In 2005, he was the No. 1 high school running back in the = nation.=20 He utilized a rare combination of size and speed to become the state = of=20 Washington's all-time leading high school rusher.

But the last = two=20 years, the main determinant of Stewart's fate hasn't been his power or = his=20 quickness, but the resiliency of his lower legs. Nagging ankle sprains = have=20 slowed his development to the point where the focus going into his = junior=20 season is, above all, to stay healthy.

"I've got to get over = these=20 bumps and bruises," said Stewart, who checks in at No. 15 on = Heismanpundit's=20 pre-spring Heisman Trophy watch list. "That's been the main thing this = off-season -- to get stronger and faster and to get my ankle to be = more=20 flexible."

<= BR>
Expect=20 big things from Jonathan Stewart if he can stay=20 healthy

Posted in: Comments (7) =

Catching = Up With Colt=20 McCoy

March 29^th, 2007=20

My latest CSTV column is now = up=20 after chatting with Texas quarterback Colt McCoy the other day. =

It was a couple days after the 2006 Rose Bowl, in which = Texas=20 defeated USC, 41-38, that the name Colt McCoy first entered my=20 consciousness.

As I sat around drinking beers with a bunch of = other=20 college football writers, he came up in response to the query: Who = will=20 replace the great Vince Young?

Upon hearing the answer, a = curious=20 sensation came over me, not unlike the kind I experienced when I first = heard=20 the legendary college football names I.M. Hipp, Jarvis Redwine and = Alonzo=20 Highsmith oh, so many years ago.

With a name like Colt McCoy, = he has=20 no choice but to be good, I thought.

Click here<= /A> to=20 read more.

With=20 a name like Colt McCoy, he had to be good

Posted in: Comments (16) =

Catching = Up With C.J.=20 Spiller

March 14^th, 2007=20

My lates= t bit=20 from CSTV.com is up and, this week, it's on Clemson phenom C.J. = Spiller,=20 who checks in at No. 17 on my pre-spring Heisman = watch.=20

Ever notice lately that every college football player seems = to be,=20 or is apparently in the act of becoming, Reggie Bush?

....If = there is=20 one player in college football who can claim to be the next Reggie = Bush, it's=20 Clemson's C.J. Spiller. The two are remarkably similar in size, = speed=20 and versatility, which is why Spiller, a rising sophomore, is No. 17 = on=20 Heismanpundit's Top 20 Heisman Trophy candidates heading into 2007. = Not that=20 Spiller is letting it go to his head.

Want to = read the=20 rest of it? Click here<= /A>.

C.J. Spiller could be the next Reggie=20 Bush

Posted in: Comments (8) =

Mr.=20 Kentucky

February 27^th, 2007=20

Kentucky quarterback Andre' Woodson is No. 19 on my = 2007 preseason Heisman = list. I=20 had a chance to talk to him over the weekend and the = following=20 profile of the Wildcat QB is now up at CSTV.com.

When people talked about the top quarterbacks in the SEC = last=20 season, the names JaMarcus Russell, Chris Leak and Erik Ainge tended = to=20 dominate the conversation.

One name - that of the player who = just so=20 happened to lead the league in passing yards and touchdowns -was = invariably=20 missing.

But don't expect Kentucky quarterback Andre' = Woodson to=20 be overlooked in 2007. The 6-foot-5, 232-pound senior-to-be is on the = verge of=20 stardom after leading the Wildcats to their first bowl win since 1984. =

=

Andre'=20 Woodson in 2006

264 for 419, 63%, 3,515 yards, 31 TDs, 7 = INTs, 154.55=20 efficiency rating

Best Game: Went 29 for 42 for 450 yards with 4 = TDs and=20 0 INTs against Vanderbilt

Had at least three TD passes in 8 of 13 = games

Has an active streak of 162 passes without an interception =

Posted in: Comments (6) =

This = Year's Recruiting=20 Class And The Heisman

February 6^th, = 2007=20

My lates= t column=20 is the lead at CSTV.com and it's on this year's signing class and = which of=20 the players in it have the best shot at the Heisman in the coming = years.

National signing day is upon us and, once again, college = football's rich programs are about to get even richer.

By most=20 accounts, Florida is set to follow up its BCS crown with the top = recruiting=20 class in the country. Likely 2007 preseason No. 1 USC isn't far = behind, with=20 Texas, Tennessee and LSU also boasting outstanding hauls. While talent = doesn't=20 always assure teams of success - coaching obviously plays a huge part = - it's=20 safe to assume these schools will be challenging for national titles = in the=20 next three or four years.

It's also likely that one of the = youngsters=20 inking his name to a letter of intent tomorrow will be giving a = Heisman=20 acceptance speech in 2009 or 2010.

With that in mind, I decided = to look=20 at the top high school players in the country to try to determine = which ones=20 had the best shots at being viable Heisman candidates in the near = future.=20

First off, I narrowed my list to quarterbacks, running backs = and=20 multi-purpose athletes. No matter what anyone says, you can forget = about tight=20 ends, linebackers or linemen winning the trophy.

Second, I = focused=20 mainly on recruits heading to the elite, traditional powers. Like it = or not,=20 the following schools--Notre Dame, USC, Michigan, Ohio State, = Oklahoma, Texas,=20 Florida State, Miami and Nebraska--have built-in advantages when it = comes to=20 the Heisman. If you play for those nine programs, you are more likely = to win.=20 However, that doesn't mean that other schools won't field viable = candidates=20 either, so I included a few names from some of the non-traditional = powers as=20 well.

Last, I looked at the players' abilities. I asked: Do = their=20 skills translate to the next level? How quickly will they make an = impact? Do=20 they have the physical measurables and the intangibles needed to = succeed?=20

Just based on video footage and my own research, here is the = list I=20 have come up with:

The Cream of the Crop

Jimmy = Clausen, Notre Dame - So much has already been written about = Clausen, it's=20 difficult to add anything new here. He's the consensus best prep = player in the=20 country and is already enrolled at Notre Dame for the spring semester. = He has=20 tremendous physical tools - though he's not the biggest quarterback = around -=20 and could start right away, but his career could get off to a rough = start as=20 the Irish seem headed for a rebuilding season in 2007. If he comes = anywhere=20 close to living up to his hype, though, he should win a Heisman for = Notre Dame=20 at some point.

Ryan Mallett, Michigan - He's a huge kid = (6-foot-7, 250) with a big arm and he'll be playing for one of the = elite=20 programs in Michigan. He was particularly impressive at the U.S. Army=20 All-American game this past January. Not the most mobile of = quarterbacks, but=20 he is physically developed and because of that could step in as soon = as Chad=20 Henne departs. I had the chance to be around Mallett at the Elite 11=20 quarterback camp last summer and found him to be pretty impressive. = However,=20 word on the street was that he wasn't the most mature kid around. If = he can=20 fix that, it looks like he'll be a Heisman contender in the years to=20 come.

John Chiles, Texas - Chiles should have an instant = impact=20 for the Longhorns next season. The only question is: At what position? = He=20 played quarterback in high school, but he has the skills to play = running back=20 or receiver, too. With Texas' loss of former quarterback commit John = Brantley=20 to Florida, it looks like he will get a shot to be the next Vince = Young,=20 though he doesn't quite possess the same stature, checking in at = 6-foot-1, 180=20 pounds. Still, he's like a bolt of lightning in the open field and he = could be=20 a nightmare for opposing defenses as a read-option quarterback. He may = be the=20 best athlete in the country and unless he gets hurt or misused, he = seems like=20 a sure-fire Heisman candidate down the road.

Marc Tyler, USC = -=20 Playing running back for USC is always a boon to a Heisman = candidacy.=20 Being the son of a former NFL great doesn't hurt either. Tyler is one = of the=20 more refined ball carriers in the country. Like his father, Wendell, = he has=20 the size, vision and receiving ability to be an excellent all-around = back. He=20 has good, but not great, speed. He broke his leg during his senior = year of=20 high school so it is likely that he will redshirt his first season for = the=20 Trojans. By 2009, though, he'll be coming into his own and he could be = a=20 Heisman candidate in 2010.

Cameron Newton, Florida - = Newton is=20 an amazing athlete at 6-foot-4, 232 pounds. He is the perfect fit for = Urban=20 Meyer's spread offense and I think he'll be the back up to Tim Tebow = next=20 season and, once he becomes the starter in a couple years, he'll put = up huge=20 numbers for the Gators. He has the arm to make all the throws and the = running=20 ability to make defenses pay. Florida fans should be excited, because = players=20 like him don't come around very often. Expect for him to make a run at = the=20 Heisman in 2010.

Chris Rainey, Florida - Florida has = been=20 lacking in running back talent the last few seasons but that's all = about to=20 change with the arrival of Rainey in Gainesville. He's only 5-foot-9 = and 165=20 pounds, but Rainey is a phenomenal runner with rare vision and change = of=20 direction. He is a true breakaway back who should go crazy in = Florida's spread=20 offense, probably as early as next season. He should eventually = develop into=20 one of the best backs in the SEC and a potential Heisman=20 candidate.

Brandon Saine, Ohio State - Saine is a = speedster who=20 should be a nice change-of-pace back for the Buckeyes as a freshman. = He is a=20 lot flashier than current Buckeye Chris Wells, but he also has decent = size at=20 6-foot, 200 pounds, so he has a chance to be an every-down back. Being = an Ohio=20 State running back makes for instant Heisman credibility, so once = Saine holds=20 down the starting job, he'll be a contender.

Joe McKnight,=20 Uncommitted - McKnight is expected to choose between USC and LSU = and his=20 choice could help determine his future Heisman chances. While LSU = isn't=20 chopped liver, it doesn't quite compare to USC when it comes to = Heisman=20 tradition. Many see McKnight as a Reggie Bush-type player, but I think = that's=20 being a bit generous. He doesn't have the angle-breaking acceleration = that=20 Bush had in college (though few do). Instead, he uses guile and an = array of=20 moves to break runs rather than relying on pure speed. He is a great = receiver=20 and return man, so he has the chance to be an all-around threat = wherever he=20 plays. Many think he is the top player in the country and in a few = years, he=20 just might be.

Noel Devine, Uncommitted - No player in = this=20 year's class is as exciting as Devine. Simply put, his highlight film = is a=20 pure joy to watch. He is one of the most amazing backs I have ever = seen, with=20 rare breakaway speed and vision. He is so fast that it seems like he = is=20 playing on a 50-yard field while everyone else is on the standard = 100-yarder.=20 He is undersized at 5-foot-8, 165 pounds, but he is stronger than he = looks and=20 should shine in the right system. As long as he doesn't bulk up too = much and=20 become top heavy, he'll be a big college football star. The only issue = right=20 now is where he'll play. At this point, it looks like he will not = qualify and=20 he could be headed for prep school this coming fall.

The = Dark=20 Horses

Willy Korn, Clemson - A Steve Young-style = quarterback=20 who could lead the Tigers to national prominence.

Jahvid = Best,=20 California - Cal is getting the fastest back in the country with a = 10.39=20 100-meter dash to his credit.

Robert Marve, Miami - Not = your=20 typical Miami quarterback at just 6-foot-1, but he could be the guy to = help=20 the `Canes revive things under new coach Randy = Shannon.

Keith=20 Nichol, Oklahoma - Bob Stoops has coached a Heisman winner and a = Heisman=20 runner-up and neither were big recruits. Could Nichol be = next?

John=20 Clay, Wisconsin - Clay could be the next great Badger back once = P.J. Hill=20 leaves.

Well, that's my list of future Heisman candidates. Be = sure to=20 check back in three or four years and let me know if I came anywhere = close to=20 being right.

Posted in: Comments (34) =

Recent = Heisman=20 Recruiting History

January 31^st, 2007=20

My lates= t CSTV=20 column is up and, with signing day approaching, it touches upon some = of the=20 recent Heisman winners and their recruitment:

Signing Day is just a week away and soon we'll know where = some of=20 the top prospects in the country will be playing their college=20 ball.

Those who follow recruiting know it is an inexact = science.=20 Thousands of athletes are ranked based on the opinions of various = recruiting=20 services. But we forget that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. = Sometimes=20 the rankings are spot on and sometimes they make you wonder: What were = they=20 thinking?

Right now, all the recruits out there are "the real = deal."=20 They all have "breakaway speed." They are all "big hitters." They all = "will=20 start right away."

The fact is that we don't know how a lot of = these=20 guys will end up. Many will be very successful, but most we'll never = hear from=20 again.

There are a few, however, who will be end up being = great, and as=20 many as two or three in this year's class could go on to claim the = Heisman=20 Trophy.

But who are they?

I'll take a look at the best = Heisman=20 prospects from this year's class next week, but first I thought it = worthwhile=20 to recollect some recruiting history to see what kind of accolades = recent=20 Heisman winners were garnering as seniors and how they made their=20 choices:

Troy Smith, 2006 -- Amazingly, Smith was the = last=20 player to be recruited in Ohio State's premier 2002 class. Smith = hadn't even=20 received a letter of intent from Ohio State when he committed on = Signing Day=20 that year (they sent it to him the next day). Before choosing OSU, he = was=20 seriously considering heading to West Virginia. He was rated the No. = 12=20 dual-threat quarterback in the country by Rivals.com, behind such = stalwarts as=20 Gavin Dickey, Curt Dukes and Aryhel Freeman, but his name did not = appear among=20 the top 100 players in the country. His profile didn't even include = any=20 highlight videos. Buckeye fans were excited over names like Maurice = Clarett,=20 Mike D'Andrea and Justin Zwick. Who knew that Smith - who had just = 1,400=20 all-purpose yards as a Glenville (Ohio) high school senior - would end = up=20 being the greatest quarterback in Ohio State history?

Reggie = Bush,=20 2005 -- As late as November of 2002, Bush wasn't even considering = going to=20 USC. He didn't even know that it was a private institution. But things = changed=20 when he attended the USC-Notre Dame game that year. He was instantly = won over=20 by the impressive Trojan victory and the electric atmosphere of the = Coliseum=20 that night. Being a track athlete, he was surprised to find out about = USC's=20 grand track and field tradition. Schools like Notre Dame and Stanford = were=20 quickly dropped from consideration. Bush made his commitment to USC = public at=20 the Army All-Star Game next January, but his mind was made up before = he had=20 even officially visited the school. Incidentally, Rivals rated Bush as = the No.=20 2 player in the country, behind only linebacker Ernie Sims of Florida = State.=20 There was some question as to whether he could carry the load as an = every-down=20 tailback and some wondered whether his dramatic cut-back style would = work in=20 college. I think those questions have since been = answered.

Matt=20 Leinart, 2004 -- Leinart has often been compared to Tom Brady and = if it=20 weren't for a timely hire by USC, he might have been the next great=20 quarterback to don the Maize and Blue. Leinart was a top 10 = signal-caller=20 nationally coming out of Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei in 2001. He = committed to=20 USC and Paul Hackett during his senior season, but Hackett was dumped = in favor=20 of Pete Carroll in mid-December. Suddenly, Leinart's commitment was up = in the=20 air and he started seriously considering heading to Ann Arbor. But USC = then=20 hired Norm Chow as its offensive coordinator and Leinart stood by his = original=20 decision. The rest is history.

Jason White, 2003 -- = Oklahoma's=20 1999 recruiting class - Bob Stoops' first - was not highly-rated, but = it did=20 included White, an outstanding all-around athlete and quarterback from = Tuttle=20 (Okla.) High. White wasn't exactly what one would call a `national = recruit'.=20 He was lightly-recruited two-time all-state selection and he didn't = appear on=20 any of the elite All-American teams. Some schools wanted him to play = safety.=20 He originally favored Miami but, as was the case with Leinart, a = coaching=20 change at the local school ended up swaying him as Stoops took over = for John=20 Blake in Norman. He was one of three quarterbacks to sign with = Oklahoma that=20 year. One (Josh Heupel) was the Heisman runner up in 2000 and, of = course,=20 White went on to win it in 2003.

Carson Palmer, 2002 -- = Palmer=20 was highly-regarded when he signed with USC out of Santa Margarita = High in=20 Orange County, Calif., in 1998. But while he ranked in the top 10 = nationally=20 as a quarterback, he was arguably not even the most highly-touted = recruit to=20 sign with the Trojans that year, as Jason Thomas - later of UNLV - was = also in=20 Paul Hackett's first recruiting class. Palmer was a late-blooming = star, but=20 that year was known as the year of the running back in California = preps and=20 the No. 1 player in the country was Justin Fargas, who signed with = Michigan.=20 Meanwhile, Palmer was torn between USC and Colorado and the Buffaloes = looked=20 like they had a shot as the Trojan recruiting efforts were reeling = from the=20 sudden firing of John Robinson. But Hackett had a reputation as a = quarterback=20 guru and he was able to keep Palmer home. However, it would take = another=20 coaching change before Palmer fully realized his potential. =

Eric=20 Crouch, 2001 -- Crouch was the USA Today Nebraska Player of the = Year and a=20 Parade All-American for Millard North in Omaha, Neb., in 1996. So the=20 accolades and expectations were there for him to be a great player. = Once the=20 recruiting process got underway, there was little doubt where Crouch = was=20 heading to school. He was the perfect fit for the Nebraska offense and = he even=20 studied it during his senior year in preparation for the day when he = would be=20 running it. The only question was whether that day would ever come as = he had=20 to compete with another highly-touted quarterback in Bobby Newcombe, = who also=20 signed with the Huskers in February of 1997. It all worked out as he = took home=20 the Heisman as a fifth-year senior.

Chris Weinke, 2000 -- = The=20 first Heisman winner of the new millennium actually signed with = Florida State=20 in 1990, choosing the Seminoles over Alabama, Arizona State, Illinois, = Minnesota and Miami. He was considered the No. 1 quarterback prospect = in the=20 country coming out of Cretin-Durham High in St. Paul, Minn. But after = spending=20 just four days on the FSU campus as a freshman in 1990, he signed a=20 professional baseball contract and was a second-round pick of the = Toronto Blue=20 Jays. He decided to return to college football in 1997 and he again = picked=20 FSU, this time over Arizona, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Washington. He = won the=20 Heisman at the age of 28.

* * *

Recruiting rankings get a little murky = once you=20 start going back to the 1990s and beyond, but the following Heisman = winners=20 were about as highly-touted as you could get coming out of high=20 school:

Ricky Williams, Texas, 1998
Rashaan Salaam, = Colorado,=20 1994
Bo Jackson, Auburn, 1985
Herschel Walker, Georgia, = 1982
Marcus=20 Allen, USC, 1981
Charles White, USC, 1979
Billy Sims, Oklahoma,=20 1978
Earl Campbell, Texas, 1977

Meanwhile, the following = Heisman=20 winners weren't exactly regarded as can't-miss prospects:

Danny = Wuerffel, Florida, 1996
Ty Detmer, BYU, 1990
Andre Ware, = Houston,=20 1989
Barry Sanders, Oklahoma State, 1988
Doug Flutie, Boston = College,=20 1984

So when you log on to the internet next week to find out = where all=20 those five-star players signed, remember that you just might come = across the=20 name of a future Heisman winner.

But don't ignore those two or = three-star kids, either.

As history shows, they could surprise = you,=20 too.

Posted in: Comments (12) =

The HP = Winter Top=20 20

January 24^th, 2007=20

We are in the embryonic stages of the race for the = 2007=20 Heisman, but it's not too early to start cobbling together a list of the = players=20 out there who will at least get a whiff of legitimate = consideration.

As=20 seen = first=20 at CSTV.com, here are the top 20 candidates (as of this writing) for = the=20 2007 Heisman:

20. Sam Keller, Sr., QB, Nebraska: Keller is = under=20 the radar after sitting out last season following his transfer from = Arizona=20 State. He's an NFL talent who should have no problem adjusting to Bill=20 Callahan's pro-style system. Nebraska is a school with Heisman = tradition, so if=20 Keller takes the Big 12 by storm, he could make a legitimate = run.

19.=20 Andre Woodson, Sr., QB, Kentucky: While Chris Leak and JaMarcus = Russell got=20 all the pub, it was Woodson who led the SEC in passing while leading = Kentucky to=20 its first bowl win in 22 years. He threw for over 3,500 yards and had 31 = touchdown passes. He's a long shot, but stranger things have=20 happened.

18. P.J. Hill, So., RB, Wisconsin: Hill is a = true=20 sophomore, so his chances of winning the Heisman are very slim, but one = can't=20 completely ignore his fabulous freshman season in which he rushed for = 1,569=20 yards and 15 touchdowns. If he improves on those numbers and others fall = by the=20 wayside, he may earn a trip to New York for his efforts.

17. = C.J.=20 Spiller, So. RB, Clemson: Like Hill, Spiller is a sophomore and = therefore=20 all but excluded from serious Heisman consideration. However, he's such = a super=20 talent that it wouldn't be a shock to see him make some noise in the = race. Last=20 season he had 938 rushing yards, 10 touchdowns and averaged over seven = yards per=20 carry while splitting time with James Davis. Look for him to improve on = those=20 numbers this year.

16. Colt McCoy, So. QB, Texas: McCoy = had a=20 fabulous freshman season, throwing for nearly 2,600 yards while tying = the NCAA=20 freshman record with 29 touchdown passes. It will be a tough act for him = to=20 follow as expectations for his second year will be through the roof. It = doesn't=20 hurt that he'll once again be surrounded by some of the best talent in = the=20 country.

15. Jonathan Stewart, Jr., RB, Oregon: Stewart, = who=20 rushed for 981 yards and 10 touchdowns during an injury-riddled = sophomore=20 season, has as much talent as any back in the nation. If he can stay = healthy and=20 focused, he could put up huge numbers as the focal point of the Duck=20 offense.

14. Chase Daniel, Jr., QB, Missouri: Daniel is = one of the=20 more exciting players in the country and he had Tiger fans asking "Brad = Smith=20 Who?" after his first season as a starter. He threw for 3,527 yards, 28 = TDs and=20 10 interceptions and added another 379 yards rushing. If he can top = those=20 numbers, he could be a serious candidate.

13. Ray Rice, Jr., = RB,=20 Rutgers: Rice isn't the flashiest of backs, but his production is=20 phenomenal. Last year he had 1,794 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns as = the=20 Scarlet Knights had a dream season. Things might be a bit tougher this = year=20 without fullback Brian Leonard to lead block, but if he can approach = 2,000=20 yards, he might be in the mix at year's end.

12. Ian Johnson, = Jr., RB,=20 Boise State: Johnson keyed Boise State's undefeated season by = rushing for=20 1,714 yards and a nation-best 25 touchdowns. The best thing for his 2007 = candidacy was Boise's improbable win over Oklahoma, followed by his = proposal to=20 his cheerleader girlfriend on national television. Hey, this is the = Heisman -=20 every little bit of publicity helps.

11. Erik Ainge, Sr., QB, = Tennessee: Ainge was one of the feel-good stories of last season as = he=20 rebounded from a wretched sophomore year by passing for 2,989 yards and = 19 TDs=20 while completing 67 per cent of his throws. He's got good name = recognition and=20 if he can lead Tennessee to an SEC title, he'll get his share of Heisman = consideration.

10. Brian Brohm, Sr., QB, Louisville: Brohm = threw=20 for 3,049 yards and 16 touchdowns last year as Louisville finished 12-1. = He's=20 got to stay healthy, but he has the talent and the name recognition to = mount a=20 serious run for the Heisman. One unknown factor is how the Cardinals' = offensive=20 system will change with the loss of head coach Bobby Petrino to the=20 NFL.

9. Chad Henne, Sr., QB, Michigan: If you watched the = Rose=20 Bowl, you saw what Henne could do when given a chance to air it out. He = threw=20 for 309 yards against a very good USC defense, part of a 2,508-yard, = 22-TD=20 season. He'll have a great receiving corps to work with and, being a = Michigan=20 quarterback, he shouldn't be counted out just yet.

8. DeSean = Jackson,=20 Jr., WR, Cal: Simply put, Jackson is the most exciting player in the = country. As a sophomore, he had 59 catches for 1,060 yards and nine = touchdowns=20 and he led the nation in punt returns with an average of 18.2 per return = (with=20 four scores). He has ability to score from any point on the field and, = if he can=20 catch fire, a Desmond Howard-like run at the Heisman is within=20 reach.

7. Jamaal Charles, Jr., RB, Texas: Charles had just = 831=20 yards and seven touchdowns last year, but with the graduation of Selvin = Young,=20 he should be the man in Austin next season. He is hands-down the fastest = running=20 back in the country, with several sub-10.2-second 100-meter times to his = credit.=20 A big junior year will make him a legit Heisman contender.

6. = Patrick=20 White, Jr., QB, West Virginia: White is an amazing weapon in the = open field=20 and an improving passer. While Steve Slaton gets most of the hype, he is = the=20 heart and soul of the West Virginia offense. Last year, he had 1,219 = rushing=20 yards and 18 touchdowns and added another 1,655 yards and 13 touchdowns = through=20 the air. He'll have to share attention with Slaton, though, and that = could hurt=20 his Heisman chances.

5. Mike Hart, Sr., RB, Michigan: It = seems=20 like he has been around for 10 years, doesn't it? He's coming off a = fantastic=20 season in which he rushed for 1,562 yards and 14 touchdowns and finished = fifth=20 in the Heisman voting. He's as steady as they come and one of the=20 more-recognized names in college football - all good attributes to have = in a=20 Heisman race.

4. Colt Brennan, Sr., QB, Hawai'i: Brennan = is coming=20 off one of the greatest seasons for a quarterback in NCAA history with = 5,549=20 yards and 58 touchdowns. Ironically, those numbers will be his biggest = obstacle=20 to his Heisman campaign - simply put, how do you top that? Maybe Brennan = can. If=20 he does, the Heisman could be his.

3. Steve Slaton, Jr., RB, = West=20 Virginia: Slaton has built an almost-perfect Heisman resume, as he = followed=20 up an impressive freshman year with an outstanding sophomore season that = included a fourth-place Heisman finish. He rushed for 1,744 yards and 16 = touchdowns and seemed to break long runs on a weekly basis. He'll have = to=20 compete with White for some of the pub, but he's got great name = recognition at=20 this point and with a big season he could take home the = trophy.

2.=20 Darren McFadden, Jr., RB, Arkansas: No candidate rose up the ranks = in the=20 Heisman field faster than McFadden did toward the end of last season. = Thanks to=20 his running skills and versatility, he came out of nowhere to finish = second in=20 the Heisman voting. On the year, he rushed for 1,647 yards and 14 TDs, = but it=20 was his oft-reprised role as a passer that captured the college football = world's=20 imagination. Without a doubt he is a leading candidate to win the = Heisman in=20 2007, assuming Arkansas can challenge for the SEC title again. =

1.=20 John David Booty, Sr., QB, USC: The USC quarterback has become a = glamour=20 position in college football and Booty stands to benefit from that in = 2007. When=20 you also take into account the likelihood that the Trojans will be the = preseason=20 No. 1 in all the polls, Booty has more advantages in this race than any = other=20 player out there. It doesn't hurt that he is coming off a great junior = year in=20 which he threw for 3,347 yards and 29 touchdowns either. There's a long = way to=20 go, but right now Booty is the front runner for the 2007 Heisman. =

As you=20 can see, this is a very inclusive list, especially as it pertains = to the=20 Heismandments. = Most of the=20 players on this list have very little shot at winning the Heisman, but = if there=20 is a chance--however infinitesimal--they are included.

The closer = we get=20 to the season, the more this list will narrow, until only the players = who can=20 actually win remain.

Posted in:

HP 2006 Heisman Watch "=20 href=3D"http://heismanpundit.com/?sectionid=3D6">

HP 2006 Heisman Watch | Comments (81)=20

An Early = Top 10=20 List

January 19^th, 2007=20

Last year, my=20 early top 10 had Notre Dame at No. 1 (yuk), but Florida was No. 2=20 (yay!).

Here's my very early look at 2007:

1. = USC--The=20 Trojans have the most talented 85-man roster in college football. The=20 question--at least on offense--is whether it has any idea what to do = with it.=20 John David Booty is, perhaps, the Heisman front runner, but will his = young=20 receivers be ready? No such worries on the defensive side of the ball, = as that=20 unit could be one of the best in recent memory, with as many as six = Trojan=20 defenders being legitimate All-American candidates.

2. = Texas--The=20 Longhorns are loaded on both sides of the ball and are bringing in a top = three=20 recruiting class to boot. If Colt McCoy can avoid the sophomore slump = and Jamaal=20 Charles can return to his freshman form, there could be a rematch of the = 2006=20 Rose Bowl.

3. Michigan--The Wolverines return the = triumvirate of=20 Henne, Hart and Manningham, which means the offense should be pretty = good. The=20 defense will still be talented, but must overcome the loss of a couple = key=20 players in the front four.

4. West Virginia--Steve Slaton = and Pat=20 White return, which means the Mountaineers will still be very explosive. = If the=20 defense can hold up, WVU should once again challenge for the Big East = title and=20 maybe more.

5. Florida--The Gators lose a lot on the = defensive=20 side of the ball, but there is still all that exciting talent to draw = from in=20 Gainesville. Tim Tebow should live up to his considerable hype and don't = forget=20 about Percy Harvin, either.

6. Louisville--The Cardinals = lost=20 Bobby Petrino to the NFL, but Steve Kragthorpe should keep things = rolling. Brian=20 Brohm returns, as does the exciting receiver duo of Harry Douglas and = Mario=20 Urrutia.

7. Tennessee--Erik Ainge improvemed dramatically = last=20 year and he is primed for a big season. The Vols' top recruiting class = of three=20 years ago should make its presence felt this year.

8. = LSU--Gary=20 Crowton is LSU's new offensive coordinator and he'll have plenty of = exciting=20 weapons at his disposal. Matt Flynn is the presumptive starter at = quarterback,=20 but the troubled Ryan Perriloux could be a factor, too.

9.=20 Nebraska--ASU transfer Sam Keller takes over the reins of the = offense and=20 the Huskers should actually improve on that side of the ball. All the = pieces are=20 in place for a run at the Big 12 title.

10. Hawaii--You = better be=20 on your best defensive behavior against this team because it will hang = half a=20 hundred on you in a heartbeat. Colt Brennan is an amazing player, even = if he=20 does play in a system designed to put up crazy numbers.

On the = Cusp: California, Georgia, Wisconsin, Virginia Tech, Brigham Young. =

Posted in: HP Top 10 Teams (Updated!)"=20 href=3D"http://heismanpundit.com/?sectionid=3D5">

HP Top 10 Teams (Updated!) | Comments (89)=20

The = Final Top=20 10

January 19^th, 2007=20

It's a little late, but here's my final top 10 for=20 2006:

1. Florida (12-1)--The new superpower in college = football.=20 Hot coach, great mix of talent and scheme.

2. Ohio State=20 (12-1)--Still a very good team. It just ran into a buzzsaw in=20 Glendale.

3. Boise State (13-0)--On a neutral field, I = like their=20 chances against almost any team out there.

4. USC = (11-2)--The=20 Trojans have more talent than they know what to do with, hence the two = losses to=20 lesser teams.

5. LSU (11-2)--Another very talented team = that=20 somehow couldn't seem to put it all together.

6. Louisville=20 (12-1)--Managed to win the Big East despite losing its top running = back and=20 missing Brian Brohm for several games.

7. Michigan = (11-2)--Still a=20 very talented team, but ran out of gas in the final two = games.

8. West=20 Virginia (11-2)--You know this program has reached a new level when = 11 wins=20 is seen as a disappointment.

9. Oklahoma (11-3)--This team = was two=20 miracle losses away from going 13-1.

10. California=20 (10-3)--Finished strong while capturing second 10-win season in = three=20 years.

On the cusp: Texas, Brigham Young, Auburn, Oregon = State,=20 Wisconsin.

Posted in: HP Top 10 Teams (Updated!)"=20 href=3D"http://heismanpundit.com/?sectionid=3D5">

HP Top 10 Teams (Updated!) | Comments (13)=20

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