With the season entering the BCS portion I have decided to start my Heisman watch each week. Each week I will put out who I think are the top 5 Heisman candidates in the order I would vote for them. The Heisman trophy is given to the best player in the country and that is how I look at the award. The best player may not, and usually is not, on the best team in the country. This year their is no clear cut favorites to win the award and hopefully one of these guys will emerge later on in the year. Here is my Top 5 starting this week: Mike Hart - Running Back - Michigan
Stats - 7 Games 200 carries 1,078 yards 12 TD's
Hart is the leading rusher in the NCAA and averages the second most yards per game. Michigan lost it's first two games, but that was not due to a poor performance by Mike Hart, who ran for 315 yards and 3 touchdowns in those two games. Mike Hart has been the most important player to his team this year. Michigan lost their first two games and also lost their senior quarterback in the second game. Mike Hart put the team on his back and has carried Michigan back into the top 25 and has them on track to compete with OSU for the Big 10 title. Without Hart the Wolverines would not be in contention for anything and Lloyd Carr would be out of a job.
Andre Woodson - Quarterback - Kentucky
Stats - 7 Games 149.9 Rating 63.7% Passing 255.1 Y/G 21 TD 4 Int 3 Rush TD
Woodson is the best quarterback in college football and has led the resurrection of the Kentucky program in the SEC. Woodson is a smart quarterback who throws a great ball. Last week he led the Wildcats to an upset victory over then number ranked LSU. Woodson has only had one bad game this season and that was at South Carolina when he was blitzed and knocked around all game. Woodson is another guy, like Hart, that can carry the team on his back and whatever way he goes the team goes. Woodson has Kentucky in the top 10 of the BCS for the first time in their history.
Matt Ryan - Quarterback - Boston College
Stats - 7 Games 137 Rating 63.2% Passing 306.9 Y/G 17 TD 6 INT 1 Rush TD
The man that people call "Matty Ice" has led the Eagles to an undefeated record and a top ranking in the BCS. He is a tough kid who is very accurate and a smart passer. His stats are not overly impressive and he has played some weak competition, which is why he is at 3 for me, but he does other things that make up for it. Ryan is a great leader on the field and keeps the team focused on driving down the field and scoring. If Ryan has success against the tougher opponents on the schedule he may move up.
Dennis Dixon - Quarterback - Oregon
Stats - 6 Games 173.6 Rating 70.2% Passing 254.2 Y/G 15 TD 2 INT 324 Rush Yards 6 TD
Dixon returned for his senior season at Oregon after playing baseball for the Braves in the off season and head coach Mike Bellotti was concerned at how he would respond to the lay off. Dixon has responded just fine and has thrown only 2 interceptions all year. Dixon is very fast and is a dual threat quarterback. He has a great arm, very accurate, smart, and a great athlete. He had one bad game where he threw the two interceptions against Cal, but Oregon still had a chance to win in it at the end of the game because of Dixon marching them down the field. Dixon is a great leader and makes the plays when he has to and has the ability to make those plays.
Sam Bradford - Quarterback - Oklahoma
Stats - 7 Games 181.1 Rating 70.7% Passing 241.3 Y/G 20 TD 4 INT
Oklahoma's problem last year was that Rhett Bohmar was thrown out of school just before the start of the season and they did not have a quarterback to fill in. Bradford has come in as a freshman and has led the Sooners to a great record and has done so in exciting fashion. As you can see by his numbers he is a very accurate passer who makes the right plays when they are there and does not force the ball into bad spots. He is not overly mobile, but he does not have to be. Bradford is surprisingly composed for a freshman and is a great field general. His problem is that he is a freshman and I do not expect him to compete for the award because of this, but he is one of the best players in the country.
2 comments:
tebow looked like a man among boys today. bradford effectively played his way out of any consideration today. he should have been able to pad his #s against iowa st. dixon is having a marginal day, from what i've seen against washington. mike hart isn't playing, i don't know if that's damning or not.
Tebow definetly played his way into my top 5. I am a huge Gator fan, but I did not think he deserved it until now.
Sadly, I agree about Bradford. He is a great quarterbak, but struggled against a bad defense and as a freshman you can't do that. Hart may move down in some eyes, but not mine. He has been a coach on that side line and I still think he is the most important person to a team.
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