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| Published: Dec 5, 2007 1:20 AM EST |
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Heisman Watch |
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Since this year in college football has been unpredictable I decided to pick the Heisman winner by using a point system that I created. The point system is made up of statistics, team, consistency, opponents, and that Heisman moment we never forget that the winner ends up giving every year.
I narrowed it down to 5 candidates this year. The highest point total I’ll give a player is +5 and the lowest is +1. Whomever totals the most points is my pick to win the 2007 Heisman Trophy.
Tim Tebow, QB, Florida
Statistics +5 - Tim Tebow threw for over 3,000 yards and ran for over 800 yards. He totaled 51 touchdowns. 29 passing and 22 rushing. He’s the first player in FBS history to have 20+ touchdowns passing and rushing.
Team +2 - The Florida Gators finished the season 9-3 in large part due to Tim Tebow but failed to ultimately reach their goal of a BCS Game. The defending champions had tough losses to LSU, Auburn, and Georgia.
Consistency +5 - Week in week out Tim Tebow put up great numbers. Tebow had at least 1 passing and 1 rushing touchdown in every single game this season with over 200 total yards in every single game.
Opponents +5 - The SEC is the best conference in football in my opinion. How good is the SEC? The SEC Champion LSU this year blew out the ACC champion Virginia Tech. Florida played the likes of LSU, Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, South Carolina, and Florida State.
Heisman Moment +1 - Tebow’s Heisman moment was a 7 touchdown performance against South Carolina. On the road Tebow dominated the Gamecocks with 5 rushing touchdowns and 2 passing scores.
Darren McFadden, RB, Arkansas
Statistics +3 - McFadden was head and shoulders the best running back in college football this year. Yes some backs may of put up more rushing yardage but nobody did it quite like McFadden. He had over 1,700 yards rushing with 15 rushing touchdowns. He added 4 more touchdowns passing and 1 more receiving.
Team +1 - Arkansas finished the season 8-4 and had what most would consider a down year. Losses to Alabama and Kentucky on back to back weeks really set the team back. Auburn and Tennessee also were among the Razorbacks defeats.
Consistency +2 - I can’t say Darren McFadden was the most consistent player in football this year. I’ll point to 3 games as to why I rank him lower in this category. 17 carries for 43 yards against Auburn, 28 carries for 88 yards against Mississippi State, and 19 carries for 61 yards against Florida International.
Opponents +4 - Like Florida, Arkansas played a very though schedule. Kentucky, LSU, Alabama, Tennessee and South Carolina were among the teams Arkansas had to play this season.
Heisman Moment +5 - McFadden had his fair share of Heisman moments this season. One we’ll remember for a long time and another one is in the history books. His 321 yards on the ground against South Carolina is an SEC record but most wouldn’t consider that to be his best of the season. On the road against the #1 ranked team in the country, Darren McFadden ran for 206 yards and 3 touchdowns leading the Razorbacks to an upset victory over LSU.
Chase Daniel, QB, Missouri
Statistics +1 - Chase Daniel threw for over 4,000 yards and had 33 touchdown passes on the year. He also added 4 touchdowns on the ground.
Team +4 - Missouri had a pretty good year. They were ranked #1 and controlled their own destiny heading into the Big 12 Championship game but lost to an Oklahoma team that some argue to be the best in college football. Their 11-2 record should’ve earned them a BCS Bowl game but they were snubbed in favor of Kansas.
Consistency +3 - Daniel showed up in every week but one. Unfortunately he saved his downfall for the Big 12 Championship. Daniel had 11 games with 250 or more passing yards and had 7 games with 3 or more touchdowns.
Opponents +3 - Missouri played a respectable schedule. They played Oklahoma twice and Kansas once but their non conference game against Illinois gives them even more respect in my book.
Heisman Moment +4 - Chase Daniel threw for 361 yards and 3 touchdowns on 0 interceptions against then #2 Kansas. It happened in Arrowhead Stadium which in my opinion is one of the best sporting venues in America.
Colt Brennan, QB, Hawaii
Statistics +4 - Colt Brennan threw for over 4,000 yards and had 38 touchdown passes. He also added 8 touchdowns on the ground which gives him a total of 46 which is only 6 behind Tim Tebow’s 52.
Team +5 - You can’t argue with Hawaii’s record this year. They did what they had to. The biggest thing I look at when analyzing Hawaii is Boise State might be a better team than any opponent Ohio State played this year and Ohio State is playing for the National Title.
Consistency +1 - Brennan was not the most consistent player. He had 0 touchdown passes against Nevada. He also only had 1 against Utah State. The biggest flaw on his record is 5 interceptions against Idaho. I said this a while back and I’m going to ask it again. Can you really award the Heisman to a player who threw 5 interceptions against 1-11 Idaho?
Opponents +1 - Hawaii played one of the worse schedules in college football this year. Their biggest win came against Boise State but outside of that their wasn’t another ranked team on their schedule.
Heisman Moment +3 - With the WAC title on the line on a Nationally televised ESPN game, Brennan threw for 5 touchdowns and 495 yards against Boise State. This win propelled Hawaii into the BCS picture.
Dennis Dixon, QB, Oregon
Statistics +2 - Dixon had 20 touchdown passes and 9 rushing touchdowns. He threw for over 2,000 yards and had only 4 interceptions. He did this all in about 9 full games.
Team +3 - Had Dixon not gotten hurt, Oregon might be playing for the National Title right now. At the very least they’d probably be in the Rose Bowl. Oregon had key wins over Michigan, USC, and Arizona State.
Consistency +4 - Dixon was consistent up until he got hurt. He wasn’t on the level of Tim Tebow but he was at one time the leading candidate for the Heisman and consistency is a big reason why. In 6 of his 9 games he had 3 or more total touchdowns.
Opponents +2 - Oregon played a fair schedule but unfortunately it doesn’t match that of the SEC. USC and Arizona State are strong opponents and going to Michigan is respectable.
Heisman Moment +2 - Against an undefeated Arizona State team, Dixon threw for 4 touchdowns leading the Oregon Ducks to a victory and putting them in the driver seat for the Pac-10 title. Unfortunately one game later he injured his ACL.
Results
1. Tim Tebow - 18 points
2. Chase Daniel - 16 points
3. Darren McFadden - 15 points
4. Colt Brennan - 14 points
5. Dennis Dixon - 13 points |
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| Published: Dec 5, 2007 1:20 AM EST |
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