For Heisman candidates these are the most meaningful games of the season. The ones towards the end of the year where you have to give it all you got. Many of the Heisman contenders are making strides and showing why they should be hoisting the hardware at the end of the season.1. Vince Young, QB, Texas, Jr.
Vince has been making critics look foolish in the past few games. Vince does everything and is the best player in college football. Watching Texas games just makes you respect this guy more and more as a football player and a person. Last week, Texas completely humiliated Baylor winning 62-0. Vince passed for 228 yards and 2 touchdowns along with 53 rushing yards. With his play this season Vince could be hoisting multiple pieces of hardware including the ADT National Championship trophy. Vince is the superman of college football and so far, no one has found the kryptonite.
2. Reggie Bush, RB, USC, Jr.
Reggie is lagging behind Vince and the length between the two is widening. Reggie has had a relatively quiet past few weeks where at this time he really needs to have more than just good games. Last week, he didn’t do anything to spectacular except rushing for 113 yards on 12 carries and 4 catches for 27 yards with 1 total TD. Reggie needs to have games with 200+ yards and multiple touchdowns if he wants to gain ground on Vince Young. Odds are against him with the very talented offense of USC but there is a chance of him doing this. Another one of Reggie’s problems is the fact that Matt Leinart may split the vote in the west coast causing Reggie to get fewer votes than if Leinart wasn’t there. In the end, Reggie is going have to do more if he wants to pass Vince Young as number one in the Heisman Watch.
3. Brady Quinn, QB, Notre Dame, Jr.
It’s very close between Brady Quinn and Matt Leinart. I gave the edge to Brady because of his play throughout the season where Brady Quinn has a little less help than Matt Leinart. Last week, Brady passed for 295 yards and 3 touchdowns. This was an impressive win over Tennessee which is going to better their chances of getting to a BCS bowl game. Brady has made great strides throughout the season and is being a leader for Notre Dame. Brady Quinn is going to have to keep up this great play in order to keep is spot in the Heisman watch.
4. Matt Leinart, QB, USC, Sr.
Just when you thought Matt Leinart was done, he comes back with a great week. So far he has been “staying in there” but this week he got back to last year’s form. He completed 22 of 28 passes for 259 yards and three TD’s for USC. It’s a little late for Matt Leinart to be getting back to his form from last year but never the less, he’s still in this race for the Heisman Trophy. Matt Leinart has taken the backseat so far letting Reggie Bush get most of the Heisman hype. If Matt Leinart really wants to get back into, he is going to have to play football like never before. By doing this, he could also split the vote even more between him and Bush.
5. Brett Basanez, QB, Northwestern, Sr.
I haven’t mentioned Brett in my top previously but Brett really showed me something last week that a few select athletes have. Brett just fed off the crowd’s energy and led his team back from a fourth quarter deficit and won the game for the Wildcats. His ability to lead an otherwise mediocre team, except for Tyrell Sutton, is remarkable. Last week, he passed for 338 yards, 2 TD’s and 2 INT’s. Brett was only mentioned in “outside looking in” before and I think that lately he has just boosted this Northwestern team to a whole other level. I think Brett earned the right to be on this Heisman Watch.
Outside looking in:
Maurice Drew, RB, UCLA, Jr.
Maurice got flat out shut down last week as well as UCLA. I had to drop Maurice a little bit because if Drew wants to be a Heisman contender, he has to be a leader and not let his team be demolished like this. Hopefully, UCLA will be able to recover from this brutal loss to Arizona.
Michael Robinson, QB, Penn State, Sr.
I failed to mention Michael Robinson in previous installments but cernig made sure it wouldn’t happen again. Robinson is providing senior leadership for an otherwise young team and is playing fantastic. Like Vince Young, he can throw and pass making himself a dual-threat to opposing defenses.
Laurence Maroney, RB, Minnesota, Jr.
Larry is dropping in my watch and fast because of his lack of production the last few weeks. A part of that is because of recent ankle problems which could knock him out of the Heisman race. Maroney needs to pick it up if he wants to get back into this thin
14 replies on “Heisman Watch 8th Edition”
Leinart I’m voting Leinart. He’s the big dog in the park until USC loses. Plus he made that audible against Notre Dame.
haha yes mrob baby!!! he will get maybe 1 or 2 votes. thanks!!
no problem he’s done great things for Penn State
comment I don’t think just because USC hasn’t lost gives Leinart the right to win the Heisman. I think it has been his supporting cast that has kept USC alive.
anybody have thoughts on the number 5 spot? Do you agree Basanez should be there or do you think somebody else should?
yeah Gimme a little Drew…based on his entire season not the last game…Also, I can finally agree with you that Vince Young should be number 1! 🙂
It’s unfortunate for Bush though, becauase he has soooo many other great players on his team. If Bush was on Texas (not saying they don’t have great players, too, but not as many as USC) he’d probably have 200+ yard games every game!
anyway, I agree with all your rankings this week except Drew should be #5
thanks for your input Finally J.D has seen the light!:) Yes I did have Drew on it before and I forgot to put him on looking in but I think he lost his spot at 5. We’ll see what he does next week. About Bush, if he was on a more run-based team he’d have 200+ yard games. It might be different but I don’t think it would if he was on Texas.
Ric Flair once had a line………. “To be the man you gotta beat the man.”
Matt Leinart gets the Heisman if USC beats Cal, Fresno State, and UCLA. Nobody had more pressure on them than Matt Leinart did coming into the season and should USC run the table. Vince Young should not be awarded the Heisman over him.
you have got to be kidding me Why should he get the Heisman if he beats those three? What if Texas runs the table too? Matt Leinart didn’t have the most pressure coming in. He does something wrong he has Bush and his receiving corps to back him up. I mean you have to look at the stats, Leinart does not deserve the Heisman. I could give a rats behind what he did last year, it’s about this year, and there’s nothing to prove this year that he deserves the Heisman over Vince Young or even Reggie Bush.
Stats Leinart: 191-of-286 (66.8%), 2,789 yds, 23 TDs, 6 INTs. He also has 3 rushing TDs.
Young: 137-of-228 (62.7%), 2,128 yards, 18 TDs, 8 INTs. He also has 8 rushing TDs.
Now correct me if I’m wrong, but Leinart has thrown for 600 more yards, has five more passing touchdowns, and two fewer interceptions.
Oh and Leinart has been present and accounted for for 31 straight USC Trojan wins…….or approximately fifteen more than Young. Add in the fact Leinart is doing this against real competition, not the collection of nobodies that comprises the Small 12 this year and he deserves the Heisman.
correct but you also fail to mention the 5 more rushing TD’s that Vince Young has. Can you really tell me that there is “real” competition in the PAC-10? The only real hard team that USC has faced has been Notre Dame. I will tell you right now that Vince Young will be hoisting the Heisman at the end of the year not Matt Leinart.
uh oh UH OHHHHHH…might have to revoke my statement IUfan…i was not aware of the stat differential between Leinart and Young. I think i have to defer back to Bush for Heisman, and if Bush continues to falter, Leinart is my front runner…so sorry.
comment Oh yeah, that picture w/ Quinn in it is AWESOME…nice block!
I know look at little Darius in there putting the block on that guy! There’s a football player for you.