Brutally Honest Heisman Breakdown - Week 2

Forget about that Sun Belt running back who's putting up monster numbers. The star dual threat MAC quarterback doesn't have a shot. The Heisman goes to the best quarterback or running back from a top BCS team (or a playmaker like Percy Harvin). Pete Fiutak gives the second look at the chase in the 2008 Brutally Honest Heisman Breakdown.

2008 Brutally Honest Heisman Breakdown

Week Two

By Pete Fiutak   

- Week 1

Let's cut through the garbage, the pomp, the circumstance, the PR BS, and the hype surrounding the greatest individual award in all of sports. The Heisman Trophy goes to the most celebrated quarterback or running back from a top BCS team or a top 25 non-BCS program, and while others will be acknowledged here if they have any prayer of potentially finishing in the top five, it'll take something extraordinary to get on this list. Let's not pretend the hot Sun Belt back or the dual threat MAC quarterback has an honest chance. Remember, Tulane's Matt Forte and UCF's Kevin Smith each ran for over 2,000 yards last year and weren't within 5,000 yards of winning the Heisman.

This isn't a ranking of the best players or top NFL prospects. This is an attempt to put the finger on the pulse of the Heisman chase. So without further ado, here are the current favorites AT THE MOMENT (and this will change week after week with players moving in and out of the categories).

No Current Chance To Win It, But Has Finalist Potential

RB Donald Brown, Jr. Connecticut
Last Week: Brown ran 33 times for 161 yards and a touchdown in the 38-13 loss to North Carolina two weeks ago. He faces Rutgers this week.

The nation's leading rusher was off last week, but he'll get a shot to do big things this week against a mediocre Rutgers run defense that's allowing 157 yards per game. Any Heisman finalist thoughts might quickly go away if No. 2 back Andre Dixon starts to get more work, as expected.

QB David Johnson, Sr. Tulsa
Last Week: Johnson completed 17-of-30 passes for 281 yards and three touchdowns with two interceptions, and ran seven times for 26 yards, in the 37-31 win over SMU.

Tulsa isn't going to get much in the way of national respect, even if it finds a way to go unbeaten, but the offensive numbers should be phenomenal. As the leader of the nation's No. 1 offense, and the nation's leader in passing efficiency, Johnson has to put up astronomical numbers to even be on the radar as a finalist. He'll have to do something extraordinary.

WR Jeremy Maclin, Soph. Missouri
Last Week: Maclin caught caught eight passes for 120 yards and ran twice for six yards in the 28-23 loss to Oklahoma State.

While he's out of the picture after a good day against Oklahoma State, but not a special one, he can quickly get back in the hunt by going ballistic against Texas and leading the way to a win. Anything less and he's off the list.

RB LeSean McCoy, Soph. Pitt
Last Week: McCoy ran 28 times for 142 yards and two touchdowns, and caught three passes for 23 yards in the 26-21 win over South Florida two weeks ago. Pitt plays Navy this week.

Navy's run defense has been fine, but that's because everyone has been throwing the ball on the mediocre secondary. McCoy has to lead Pitt to a Big East title and be this year's Darren McFadden. If he's the hot NFL prospect who gets everyone's attention, and if he finishes among the nation's top five rushers, he'll have a shot. The Pitt sports info department is fantastic; it'll go gonzo with publicity the second there's an opening to put McCoy on the Heisman map.

QB Zac Robinson, Jr. Oklahoma State
Last Week: Robinson completed 19-of-28 passes for 215 yards and two touchdowns with an interception. and he ran for 34 yards and a touchdown in the 28-23 win over Missouri.

Robinson's numbers were fine, but nothing special. It doesn't matter. He beat Missouri. RB Kendall Hunter and WR Dez Bryant might have been better so far, but Robinson is the leader and the quarterback who runs the whole show. If Oklahoma State keeps on winning, Robinson will start to move up in the Heisman chase.

On The Radar, But The World Is Looking For More

QB Daryll Clark, QB Penn State
Last Week: Clark completed 16-of-25 passes for 244 yards and a touchdown with an interception, and ran six times for 12 yards and two scores in the 48-7 win over Wisconsin.

Someone from this fantastic team has to be in the Heisman chase. It can't be DE Aaron Maybin, who's ripping up everyone's offensive line. Clark leads the Big Ten in passing efficiency and has been the flawless conductor of the high-octane attack. The big showcase will be at Ohio State in a few weeks. If Clark has a big game against the Buckeyes, and against Michigan this week, he could quickly move into finalist territory.

QB Max Hall, Jr. BYU
Last Week: Hall completed 22-of-34 passes for 258 yards and three touchdowns in the 21-3 win over New Mexico.

There's one problem: WR Austin Collie has been the better BYU offensive playmaker lately. BYU has gone through the motions against horrible teams, and now Hall has a chance to make his statement on a national scale as the Cougars face TCU and the nation's best pass rush. If Hall is terrific and if BYU wins, he'll be one of the top five candidates.

WR Percy Harvin, Jr. Florida
Last Week: Harvin caught six passes for 112 yards and two touchdowns and ran twice for 13 yards in the 51-21 win over LSU.

Tim Tebow might be impossible to overtake as far as Florida Heisman candidates, but that doesn't mean Harvin can't be a finalist. He's not healthy, and he's not going to be until he gets an off-season to rest, but he's still explosive. When he's right, he joins Missouri's Jeremy Maclin in the role as the nation's most explosive playmaker. Tebow's making the throws, but Harvin's turning those passes into touchdowns.

RB Knowshon Moreno, Soph. Georgia
Last Week: Moreno ran 27 times for 101 yards in the 26-14 win over Tennessee.

The 101-yard day against Tennessee is better than it appears. Moreno might be a top ten pro prospect, but he also needs the numbers to be a Heisman finalist. Remember, Georgia isn't out of the national title chase. If Moreno can rumble in a high-profile road game at LSU, and can follow it up with a big day against Florida, he could end up in New York even if his numbers aren't in the stratosphere.

QB Mark Sanchez, Jr. USC
Last Week: Sanchez completed 13-of-26 passes for 179 yards and a touchdown with three interceptions, and ran for a short touchdown, in the 28-0 win over Arizona State.

Sanchez has a knee injury and was awful against Arizona State, but he's the quarterback for USC. As long as the Trojans are winning and winning big, Sanchez is in the hunt for a finalist spot. However, he won't have the numbers to be a winner.

RB Beanie Wells, Jr. Ohio State
Last Week: Wells ran 22 times for 94 yards in the 16-3 win over Purdue.

Uh, Beanie ... 94 yards against Purdue? Averaging 4.2 yards per carry? That's obviously not going to get it done. However, his campaign can get a jump-start over the next two weeks against Michigan State and Penn State. Roll in those two games and the spotlight will be on.

QB Pat White, Sr. West Virginia
Last Week: White missed the Syracuse game with an injury.

White's tremendous career deserves a better finish. A concussion has kept him far, far less than 100%. He missed the Syracuse game, but he gets two weeks to get back to normal before the showdown against Auburn. If he comes up big against the Tigers, and if he's able to lead the Mountaineers to a Big East title, they're 2-0 in conference play, he could get the Lifetime Achievement Award and a trip to New York.

The True Favorites

QB Sam Bradford, Soph. Oklahoma
Last Week: Bradford completed 28-of-39 passes for 387 yards and five touchdowns with two interceptions in the 45-35 loss to Texas.

It's not his fault. He was terrific against Texas, outplaying Colt McCoy in every way but in the win column. He held up well against the Longhorn pass rush, even with two interceptions, and did a great job of bombing away. He can quickly turn his campaign back around with a big performance and a win over Todd Reesing and Kansas.

QB Chase Daniel, Sr. Missouri
Last Week: Daniel completed 39-of-52 passes for 390 yards and a touchdown with three interceptions, and ran for 46 yards, in the 28-23 loss to Oklahoma State.

Yeah, he lost to Oklahoma state and yeah, he threw some bad interceptions, but he was really, really good. His problem? He tried to do too much. He can be one of the top candidates once again with a big game and a win over Texas this week. A loss, and he'll have to fight to be a finalist.

QB Graham Harrell, Sr. Texas Tech
Last Week: Harrell completed 20-of-25 passes for 284 yards and two touchdowns, and he ran for a one-yard score, in the 37-31 overtime win over Nebraska.

It's all about winning at this point. The numbers will be there no matter what, he'll finish with ridiculous yards and touchdown totals, but the one number that stands out is zero. That's how many interceptions he has thrown over the last five games, and that's also how many losses Texas Tech has suffered so far. A trip to Texas A&M and its Big 12's best pass defense are up next.

RB Javon Ringer, Sr. Michigan State
Last Week: Ringer ran 35 times for 124 yards and two touchdowns in the 37-20 win over Northwestern.

The nation's second-leading rusher (behind Connecticut's Donald Brown) has his chance to go from being a decent candidate to the No. 2 man in the race if he has a 100-yard day in a win over Ohio State this week. He already has 1,112 yards and is on pace to finish with over 1,900 yards. However, he needs to reduce his workload soon to rest up for the final stretch.

QB Tim Tebow, Jr. Florida
Last Week: Tebow completed 14-of-21 passes for 210 yards and two touchdowns, and he ran 12 times for 22 yards and a score in the 51-21 win over LSU.

Tebow's numbers aren't going to be anywhere near as strong as last year's epic campaign, but when you beat LSU 51-21, the stats tend to be glossed over. Now it's about winning. If Tebow can keep the Gators on track for the SEC title, he'll be in the hunt for his second straight Heisman. However, because the stats aren't going to be impressive, compared to some of the other top quarterbacks, he might have a ceiling and could settle for being a finalist.

And The Current Leader In The Clubhouse Is ...

QB Colt McCoy, Jr. Texas
Last Week: McCoy completed 28-of-35 passes for 277 yards and a touchdown, and he ran 14 times for 31 yards, in the 45-35 win over Oklahoma.

One win over a No. 1 team later, and he's the man to beat. He didn't outbomb OU's Sam Bradford, but he was efficient, calm and cool under fire. The nation's fourth most efficient passer, he has been unbelievably accurate completing 79% of his throws with 17 touchdown passes and three interceptions. As long as Texas keeps winning, it's McCoy's Trophy to lose.