2006 Heisman Discussion (merged all)

[Best Buckeye]

Fox sports has this
. QB Troy Smith, Ohio State

NSmith was far from perfect Saturday afternoon, throwing his first two picks of the year, but didn't need to be in order to maintain the Heisman pole position. The lasting impression in the minds of voters was a workmanlike Buckeye win over Penn State and that game-changing play from Smith that no other quarterback at this level could have delivered. He'll once again be center stage this Saturday, when Ohio State meets Iowa in an ABC's primetime offering.
Last Week: 12-of-22 for 115 yards, 1 TD and 2 INTs (Penn State)
This Week: at Iowa
2006 Season: 68-of-103 for 884 yards, 8 TDs and 2 INTs
Barometer: Steady

2. RB Adrian Peterson, Oklahoma

Now that Peterson and the Sooners have let off some steam and taken care of business against Middle Tennessee State, they can turn their attention to the annual war with Texas. Now firmly entrenched in the top 3, next Saturday's Red River Shootout will afford Peterson a highly visible, boom-or-bust opportunity to chip away at Smith's early Heisman cushion.
Last Week: 27 carries for 128 yards and 3 TDs (Middle Tennessee State)
This Week: Idle
2006 Season: 117 carries for 643 yards and 7 TDs ? 4 catch for 72 yards and 1 TD
Barometer: Steady
3. RB Steve Slaton, West Virginia

For the first time in seven games, a defense held Slaton under the century mark and for the first time in almost a year, he was kept out of the end zone. Yes, he is human. For the second straight season, East Carolina did a great job of tackling Mountaineer runners and preventing long gains, making it imperative Slaton rebound in two weeks when West Virginia visit Mississippi State.
Last Week: 24 carries for 80 yards ? 3 catches for 35 yards (East Carolina)
This Week: Idle
2006 Season: 86 carries for 583 yards and 6 TDs ? 4 catches for 47 yards
Barometer: Steady
4. QB Chris Leak, Florida

Leak had a pedestrian Saturday evening in the win over Kentucky, which matters little in the grand scheme of all things Heisman. Leak's pursuit of immortality begins this week with a visit from Alabama that kicks off a murderous four-game stretch that'll continue with games against SEC heavyweights LSU, Auburn and Georgia. If the Gators are still unbeaten a month from now, Leak's support from voters will grow exponentially.
Last Week: 15-of-26 for 267 yards, 2 TDs and 1 INT (Kentucky)
This Week: vs. Alabama
2006 Season: 70-of-110 for 1,066 yards, 12 TDs and 4 INTs
Barometer: Steady
Heisman Contender of the Week

 

[G-FORCE]

I'd be SHOCKED if Quinn wins the Heisman. They are going to have at least 2 losses.

If the Buckeyes and Smith take care of business, he'll win it.

 

[osugrad21]

Link

Smith has best shot at Heisman

Inside the Big Ten with Register reporter Andrew Logue



September 28, 2006



Time to check in on the Heisman Trophy race, as it pertains to Big Ten Conference quarterbacks.

Ohio State?s Troy Smith has emerged as the front-runner, and provided one of those did-you-see-that highlights last week against Penn State.

Michigan State?s Drew Stanton tumbled out of contention after last week?s 40-37 loss to Notre Dame. For the first 50 minutes against the Fighting Irish, Stanton looked like a possible sleeper.

Drew Tate of Iowa and Chad Henne of Michigan have yet to make a splash.

There?s little Heisman hype surrounding Tate, but he could get people talking with a stellar effort Saturday against the top-ranked Buckeyes.
Before the season, national experts such as Dick Weiss of the New York Daily News mentioned this game as an opportunity for Tate to step into the national spotlight.

On Wednesday, Smith praised Tate?s skills during a teleconference.
?I like him a whole lot,? Smith said. ?When he?s not in there, you can tell the difference.?

For now, Smith is the passer to catch. After Ohio State beat Penn State, ESPN flashed this headline: Troy Smith sustains Heisman candidacy.

The attention will escalate if Ohio State remains unbeaten.

?I understand it?s something that has to happen,? Smith said.

 

[bkochmc]

1973 was the only year with 2 in the top 5, but I don't think they sent 5 guys to New York for the ceremony like they usually do now.

When Cappelletti won in 1973, John Hicks was second, Archie was fifth, and Randy Gradishar 6th.

When Steve Owens won in 1969, Rex Kern was 3rd, Jim Otis was 7th, and Jack Tatum was 10th.

When Plunkett won in 1970, Kern was 5th and Tatum was 7th.

When Eddie won in 1995, Bobby Hoying finished 10th.

Thanks for the answer!

 

[IronBuckI]

Chris Leak will not win the Heisman if Florida continues to wear those jerseys.

 

[Best Buckeye]

I think Smith is the front runner until he screws up big time if that ever happens.

:osu:

 

[osugrad21]

Link



September 29, 2006

Out of reach
Northern Illinois running back Garrett Wolfe has impressive numbers, but because he plays for a low-profile school, the Heisman Trophy is out of reach
By David Woods
[email protected]
When Northern Illinois traveled to a game at Toledo last year, the bus stopped at South Bend, Ind., allowing the team to tour the College Football Hall of Fame.

Getting votes
Heisman Trophy candidates from low-profile schools finishing in the top five of voting since 1963, when Navy quarterback Roger Staubach won:
? 1964: 2. Jerry Rhome, Tulsa
? 1965: 2. Howard Twilley, Tulsa
? 1971: 2. Ed Marinaro, Cornell
? 1977: 4. Doug Williams, Grambling
? 1984: 5. Kenneth Davis, TCU
? 1986: 2. Paul Palmer, Temple; 5. Gordie Lockbaum, Holy Cross
? 1987: 3. Lockbaum
? 1992: 2. Marshall Faulk, San Diego State
? 1993: 4. Faulk
? 1994: 4. Steve McNair, Alcorn State
? 1997: 4. Randy Moss, Marshall
? 1999: 5. Chad Pennington, Marshall
? 2000: 4. LaDanian Tomlinson, TCU
? 2001: 5. David Carr, Fresno State

Meet Garrett Wolfe
? School: Northern Illinois.
? Class: Senior.
? Age: 22.
? Position: Running back.
? Height, weight: 5-7, 177.
? Hometown: Chicago.
? High school: Holy Cross, River Grove, Ill.

College highlights
? 2006: Leads nation in rushing (207.0 per game) and all-purpose yardage (246.0). Rushed for 171 yards and caught six passes for 114 yards against No. 1 Ohio State.
? 2005: Rushed for 1,580 yards, finishing second in nation in yards per game (175.6) and all-purpose yardage (200.3). Missed three games because of injury. Gained 270 yards against Akron in Mid-American Conference Championship Game.
? 2004: Rushed for 1,656 yards, including school-record 325 against Eastern Michigan, and was fifth in the nation (150.5).

High school
Recruited by Big Ten and Big 12 schools, but he said he didn't qualify for admission to college until late and ended up at Northern Illinois. Gained 4,311 yards and scored 56 touchdowns in final two prep seasons. Two-time all-state performer.

After a 14-minute introductory video, tailback Garrett Wolfe went looking for a place to sit.
"I found myself sitting in the Heisman Trophy room," he said.
Was it coincidence or providence? More to the point: Can someone like Garrett Wolfe have his picture included in that pantheon of Heisman winners?
Probably not.
Wolfe will play Saturday night in a Mid-American Conference game at Ball State, not on ABC before a crowd approaching 100,000. Numbers that matter most are not Wolfe's rushing statistics, but TV ratings.
"I don't think anybody from Northern Illinois or anywhere else in the MAC is going to win the Heisman, even if he's hands-down the best player in the country, because of political realities," ESPN analyst Bill Curry said.
Although Wolfe appears on Heisman watch lists, it will be difficult to overtake favorites such as quarterbacks Troy Smith of Ohio State or Brady Quinn of Notre Dame.
"He just won't. Not to say he shouldn't," CBS Sportsline columnist Dennis Dodd said.
Dodd said playing in the East, where there is heavy concentration of media, would help. That benefited two other Heisman long shots -- Cornell running back Ed Marinaro, who was second in the voting in 1971, and two-way star Gordie Lockbaum of Holy Cross, third in 1987.
Tellingly, Marinaro and Lockbaum acknowledged they had never heard of Wolfe.
"I don't know that all the voters go to the trouble of really researching their vote," said Lockbaum, now vice president of an insurance company. "I'd venture to say a good number of them are just going with the flow."
Lockbaum suggested that it would be harder now for someone from a small school to win, even with more media outlets, than when he played.
Marinaro said the award should go to the outstanding college player, irrespective of pro potential. Wolfe, 5-7 and 177 pounds, is not projected to be a high draft choice and might have to change positions for the NFL.
"The Heisman has lost some of its innocence, if you will. It's become like an entertainment event, with all the hoopla and the TV show and that stuff," said Marinaro, an actor who was cast in the 1980s TV series "Hill Street Blues."
Skepticism about Wolfe's capability of winning the Heisman does not apply to his ability. Quite the contrary.
Curry said Wolfe reminds him of Reggie Bush, the 2005 Heisman winner. Ohio University's Frank Solich, the former Nebraska coach, compared Wolfe's style to that of 1988 Heisman winner Barry Sanders.
Wolfe rushed for 148 yards last year against Michigan, and he ran for 171 yards and caught six passes for 114 against No. 1 Ohio State on Sept. 2. He ran for 198 yards and four touchdowns in a blowout win against Indiana State a week ago but didn't play long enough to pad numbers.
"That's like cheating. That's cheating the statistics," Wolfe said.
Through four games, Wolfe leads the nation -- by a wide margin -- in rushing yards (207.0 per game) and all-purpose yardage (246.0). If he approaches or breaks Sanders' single-season record of 2,628 rushing yards, his support for the Heisman could grow.
"Honestly, I think he's gathering more attention every week," Northern Illinois coach Joe Novak said. "I think the best thing we've done is not send out the hot sauce. Not send out the notepads."
Novak was poking fun at Heisman publicity developed by other programs.
At a news conference this week, Wolfe said there was no need for such a campaign.
Being in the Heisman mix is triumph enough for Wolfe, whose humble beginnings resemble a movie script.
He grew up on Chicago's tough Westside but was kept out of trouble by two attentive parents. A nun recommended he attend Holy Cross High School in suburban River Grove, Ill., requiring a 90-minute ride on a city bus.
High school statistics were overshadowed by an unspectacular academic record, so schools from the Big Ten and Big 12 backed off, Wolfe said. He redshirted at Northern Illinois as a freshman in 2002, when he was the ninth-string tailback. He fell one credit short of eligibility in 2003 before finally getting on the field in 2004.
Perhaps the closest Wolfe will get to the Heisman are that stop at the Hall of Fame and weekly phone conversations with Smith. The stars met at a May event in Phoenix promoting Playboy magazine's All-America team. They could renew acquaintances at the Heisman awards show Dec. 11 in New York.
"The stars have to align for all this to happen," said Lockbaum, who finished behind winner Tim Brown of Notre Dame. "For a low-level player like this, it really has to fall into place. But if you can jump into the top five, that's something to be proud of."

 

[Best Buckeye]

The problem That players that attend a smaller College is that almost everyone believes that his competition wasn't as strong as someone who attends a larger school.
Also that the records of those attending larger schools were then harder to achieve. So while Wolfe's number are great, most people think they came easier. Which in their eyes mean he is less deserving of the Hiesman.
So a player who might have less impressive stats, but played at a larger school will come out ahead in the voting.
:osu:

 

[Best Buckeye]

4 td passes for Troy , Calm, Poised, A leader! Against the 13th ranked team.
He plays for the N01 Bucks.
Just about every other top 10 ten had some difficulty winning.
Wolfe had over 300 yards against a MAC team. Thats phenominal.
Stanton is done, Tate is Done.
Quinn had an easy day against Purdue. I dont think he advanced much.
Troy is still my leader, and Bob Davies and even Brent , umm for now hahaha

 

[osugrad21]

Link

[SIZE=+1]Heisman race[/SIZE]


Troy Smith, senior QB, Ohio State (2-1). Most influential player on best team threw for four touchdowns as Buckeyes blistered Iowa, 37-18, for second tough road victory in a month.
Adrian Peterson, junior RB, Oklahoma (4-1). His nickname is "All Day," as in how long he can run, and he was spectacular in that controversial loss at Oregon when he ran for 211 yards and gained 145 yards in the fourth quarter alone.
Brady Quinn, junior QB, Notre Dame (5-1). When you?re the Notre Dame quarterback you always have a chance, especially with all those nationally televised games. Quinn completed 24 of his first 28 passes and wound up passing for 316 yards and two TDs during a 35-21 victory over previously unbeaten Purdue.
Garrett Wolfe, junior RB, Northern Illinois (8-1). Good things come in small packages.
Calvin Johnson, junior WR, Georgia Tech (10-1). I like watching him play more than any player in the country.

 

[Dryden]

Calvin Johnson, junior WR, Georgia Tech (10-1). I like watching him play more than any player in the country.

The only problem with watching Calvin Johnson is that you have to watch Reggie Ball.

 

[Best Buckeye]

Assuming that neither tOSU or Okla have a melt down it comes down to Smith or Peterson.
Quinn wont catch up
Wolfe may get to go to NY
GT would have to win out for any chance at all and that wont be enough

 

[Dryden]

Assuming that neither tOSU or Okla have a melt down it comes down to Smith or Peterson.
Quinn wont catch up
Wolfe may get to go to NY
GT would have to win out for any chance at all and that wont be enough

I think the Texas rush D stones Peterson and OU this week. The Sooners young, patchwork O-Line is going to be in way over their heads. This isn't UAB or Middle Tennessee State they'll be pushing around.

Frankly, IMHO OSU has the best O-Line in the country, plus a stable of excellent backs, and we still only managed 74 yards on the ground against UT.

 

[DaddyBigBucks]

Good call Dry,

The 'Horns also won't have to worry (much) about a passing game. Being (mostly) one dimensional is not a recipe for success against that defense, even if the guy doing the cooking is AP.

Fortunately for Troy, the media will do their usual oversimplification job and will compare Troy's game vs. Texas to Peterson's. TS will look very good by comparison.

I'm not saying that the voter's aren't smart enough to realize which of the two has the better supporting cast. But I do believe that media coverage can make a difference, and this one is likely to play out in Troy's favor.

 

[Best Buckeye]

I think the Texas rush D stones Peterson and OU this week. The Sooners young, patchwork O-Line is going to be in way over their heads. This isn't UAB or Middle Tennessee State they'll be pushing around.

Frankly, IMHO OSU has the best O-Line in the country, plus a stable of excellent backs, and we still only managed 74 yards on the ground against UT.

YUP :osu:
Ivan Meisel now has Wolfe as his frontrunner?????