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 Friday, December 13, 2002
Weinke facing age discrimination
By Gary Danielson
Special to BCSfootball.com
Each Monday, ABC college football analyst Gary Danielson will break down the top quarterbacks around the country and rank his Top 10.
On Saturday, I was interested in a poll I saw during the Michigan-Ohio State game, on whether age would be a factor in your vote for the Heisman. Seventy-five percent said no. I was more interested on the other number: 25 percent said yes.
|  | | Chris Weinke's age may be a factor in how Heisman voters fill out their ballots. |
It gets back to my original column. I said, whether you like it or not, people are going to have a prejudice against Chris Weinke because of his age. And that he would have to be better than good to get their vote this year. I saw him in the Florida-Florida State game, where he was better than good.
If he was just a regular guy, we would be marveling at him. It's impossible for Chris' age not to be considered. Even though 25 percent of the people are saying they are considering it, in reality, we are all considering it, whether we realize it or not. We can't forget that he is 28 years old. We all think about it whether we dismiss it or not.
It brings a fascinating angle to this year's vote.
It is similar to when Charles Woodson or Peyton Manning challenged for the Trophy in '97. Woodson was a player who played both ways and won the national championship, compared to a player who had returned for his senior year, posted good numbers, and had a good four-year career.
If anyone says they know who is going to win, they are pretending. It is going to be a very close race.
We have it narrowed down to two, which isn't bad considering that we are even with the Presidential race. They have it narrowed down to two; we started with 10, they started with two.
It's a dead heat now between Josh Heupel and Weinke. To tell you the truth, it is too close to call.
Josh Heupel, Oklahoma
Texas Tech: 24-38-248, 1 TD, 2 int.; rush: 1-5
Season: 237-353-3018, 17 TD, 9 int.; rush: 52-118, 6 TD
This week: at Oklahoma State
I'm still leaning towards Heupel. If I had to vote today, I would vote for him because of where he has brought his team this year. Josh is making 10 guys better, which is the true job of a quarterback.
The weather is beginning to become a factor in the Midwest and the pressure is mounting, but he doesn't seem to realize it. He's unfazed, and it's fun to watch.
Heupel has two games to go, and I can't imagine that he will slip. I give him a slight advantage in my vote.
But hold on?
Chris Weinke, Florida State
Florida: 23-44-353, 3 TD, 2 int.
Season: 266-431-4166, 33 TD, 11 int.; rush: 25-(-85), 1 TD
This week: Regular season over
Chris was magnificent Saturday night versus Florida. He made two small mistakes, and one was not all his fault. With the amount of balls he has thrown this season, I would live with those mistakes every day. That's like saying Kareem Abdul-Jabbar missed two sky hooks.
He may be the calming influence that steadies a shaking ship. His poise helps all the players on Florida State, who want to run around and jump up, run fades, and do dances. They look at Chris, and they focus and they concentrate. He is the steadying influence that takes that great talent and makes it work as one.
Weinke's arm strength is second to none. He and Drew Henson have the two best arms in college football.
His numbers speak for themselves, and he has done everything he could do to accomplish both of his goals. He has probably realized the first -- to get his team back to the National Championship Game. The second, while he was not driven to win the Heisman, he has said it would be nice.
But make no mistake. Everyone will think about his age before they vote. If he were 22, people would be salivating about the type of talent he has. He does everything Peyton Manning did at this point in his collegiate career.
Pro scouts have him tabbed as an early second/late first round pick. He would be a good bargain to a good football team even a little earlier than that because he's ready to play. My biggest concern about Chris as an NFL player is his durability. He is big, but he gets dinged quite a bit. He's a courageous player who stands in the pocket a long time.
Drew Brees, Purdue
Indiana: 20-29-216, 1 TD, 1 int.; rush: 10-85, 1 TD; rec: 1-1
Season: 286-473-3393, 24 TD, 12 int.; rush: 91-528, 5 TD; rec: 2-6, 1 TD
This week: Regular season over
From one Boilermaker who couldn't do it, congratulations. All us ex-Boilermakers are proud. Drew, Joe Tiller and everyone in the program realized the Heisman was not meant to be on Saturday against Indiana, because they had Drew hand off the ball and dominate the game with a different aspect. If they thought he was in the running for it, they probably would have let him air it out and have a huge day with the numbers.
Remember Drew, some pretty good quarterbacks didn't win the Heisman, like one of your predecessors, Bob Griese, and Joe Montana.
Sorry, Pac-10, on Jan. 1, I can say "Go Boilers."
Gary Danielson writes a column every Monday for BCSfootball.com
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Chris Weinke finds Marvin Minnis all alone for a 51-yard TD strike.