Pete
Fiutak
Q:
Give your top five choices for the Heisman Trophy.
A: 5.
Chase Daniel, QB Missouri
The Tigers would still be strong without him, but he's the triggerman
who's making the machine go. The more I see him, the more I think he's
the next Drew Brees.
4. Darren McFadden, RB Arkansas
One more really big game in a big SEC win and he's permanently in my
five. If he lights up LSU in an upset, he might have to get the prize.
3. Pat White, QB West Virginia
He's eighth in the nation in passing efficiency, has rushed for 656
yards and nine touchdowns despite missing time hurt, and has been every
bit the playmaker he was expected to be leading West Virginia to the
brink of the national title hunt.
2. Tim Tebow, QB Florida
He's been better than the hype. No one has had to carry a top offense
like he has, and he's doing while banged up with a shoulder injury. He
leads the nation in passing efficiency.
1. Dennis Dixon, QB Oregon
The default Heisman pick of the week, this one, unlike Matt Ryan, Andre
Woodson and Mike Hart, might stick. Dixon has not only put up the
numbers, but he's cranking out wins over big-time teams (don't forget
the performance against Michigan), and he's now doing it without a few
of his top receivers. The spotlight is on, and he's not wilting.
Richard
Cirminiello
Q:
Give your top five choices for the Heisman Trophy.
A:
1. Dennis Dixon, Oregon – Dixon has done everything that can be expected
of a quarterback, running for big plays, passing effectively, and rarely
making mistakes. Oh, and there’s no way the Ducks would be No. 3 in the
country and closing in on a major bowl game without their quarterback’s
transformation from last season.
2. Darren McFadden, Arkansas – McFadden didn’t need to break the
SEC single-game rushing record over the weekend to remind everyone that
he’s one of the two or three best amateurs in the country. It didn’t
hurt, however, to scorch South Carolina for 323 yards, adding a
touchdown pass out of the Wild Hog package.
3. Tim Tebow, Florida – Yeah, the Gators won’t be repeating as national
champs, but don’t blame Tebow. He’s carried the program on his back
this fall, leading the nation in passing efficiency and the Gators in
rushing. Tebow won’t win the Heisman in 2007, but he will in either
2008 or 2009.
4. Mike Hart, Michigan – Missing two games in October probably killed
his chances of winning the award, but Hart deserves recognition for
toting the emotional and physical torch for a program that’s battled
back from the depths to contend for the Rose Bowl.
5. Chase Daniel, Missouri – The sparkplug of the nation’s No. 7 offense,
Daniel has accounted for 26 touchdowns, while unexpectedly guiding the
Tigers into the top 10. He has been a phenomenal distributor for Mizzou,
getting all of the program’s skill players involved in the offense.
John
Harris
Q:
Give your top five choices for the Heisman Trophy.
A: 1. Dennis Dixon,
Oregon, QB – Another four touchdowns passing in a win over previously
undefeated Arizona State. Right now, he’s the most dangerous offensive
weapon in the country at the helm of the most explosive offense in the
nation. I guess that off-season baseball ‘thing’ made Dixon a better
quarterback. An exceptional quarterback.
2. Chase Daniel, Missouri QB – Not many
people are paying attention to the kid from Columbia, but other than a
few turnovers in Norman against OU, he’s been phenomenal (2,954 passing
yards, 23 TDs, 363 yards rushing, 3 TDs). Pile up numbers like he had
at Colorado against KU and Mr. Daniel could assure himself a trip to New
York (26-44, 421 yards, 5 TDs).
3. Darren McFadden,
Arkansas RB – It’s not been a great Arkansas season and McFadden was
thought to be playing out the string. But, due to the lack of an
overwhelming candidate, D-Mac got himself back in the race with 323
yards rushing against South Carolina. Of the guys on this board, he’s
got the best chance to rise with a late season meeting with the LSU
defense. Shred that well-respected unit and Fred Flintstone could be
posing in New York
4. Matt Ryan, Boston
College QB – The loss to Florida State will kill any hopes that Matty
Ice had of winning the Trophy, but if he can get the Eagles into the ACC
Championship game, roll up big yardage in a win over Clemson and win
out, he should rise up the board.
5. Tim Tebow, Florida
QB – Although Tebow has Florida’s three losses and the fact that he’s a
sophomore working against him, the young man deserves continued Heisman
‘run’ – literally and figuratively. If Tebow makes it through the
season upright, his numbers deserve attention – 2,228 yards passing, 21
TDs, 598 yards rushing and 14 TDs.
Matthew
Zemek
Q:
Give your top five choices for the Heisman Trophy.
A: 5) James Laurinaitis,
Ohio State - If not the best defensive player in the country, Ohio
State's linebacker makes more clutch plays than any other defender
in America. A defensive player deserves to get a plane ticket to New
York, barring ridiculously good seasons from five offensive players
from high-profile teams. Luarinaitis is that man.
4) Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech - The numbers are staggering. The
numbers deserve to be recognized. Not nearly enough for
consideration as the Heisman winner, however.
3) Chase Daniel, Missouri - The most consistently productive
quarterback you're hearing absolutely nothing about. A Big XII
championship would make him a legitimate threat to win the award
outright.
2) Tim Tebow, Florida - If the sophomore wins the award, it would be
a welcome development in the sense that an underclassman playing on
a three-loss team would be deemed worthy of the Heisman. A Tebow win
would avenge the Rex Grossman snub of 2001 while (much more
importantly) proving that the Heisman can actually be awarded in a
multiplicity of situations to players other than senior QBs on the
No. 1 team in the country. As long as the Heisman is awarded on the
basis of a very narrow set of criteria and a very limited thought
process, the award will fail to possess much credibility. Until this
award starts breaking traditional barriers, it's hard to take it too
seriously.
1) Dennis Dixon, Oregon - This young man is putting together
something more than just a great statistical season. Dixon is
compiling a great game-management season built on superb leadership
and sound instincts. Moreover, Mike Bellotti's star pupil has had
the intestinal fortitude to bounce back from a hellacious 2006. This
is the kind of journey--with equal parts production, team success,
and personal perseverance--that defines a Heisman-winning
season. But if No. 10 stumbles down the stretch, Tebow would deserve
the award more. Stay tuned.