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| Wednesday, August 1 Updated: August 15, 4:23 PM ET Offense usually steals the show -- and the Heisman By Joe Wojciechowski ESPN.com |
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Want to win the Heisman Trophy? Play offense.
It's almost that simple. While there may be some great defensive players, very rarely do they even snag a vote for the beloved bronze statue. Instead, it's the glamour positions of quarterback, running back and wide receiver that have won 63 of the 66 Heismans.
A simple way to look at it? Think of a rock and roll band. The lineman and defense are the bass players and drummers. The QBs, running backs and receivers are the lead guitarists and singers. Quick, who do you watch at a concert?
While a defensive player may sneak in to the Heisman race, here are the likely candidates, by position, to be sitting at the Downtown Athletic Club in November.
Quarterbacks
Key stats: 80-169, 1,192 yds., 13 TDs, 8 Ints Rushing: 185 att. 1,063 yds., 5.7 ave. 22 TDs Crouch spent the summer recovering from offseason shoulder surgery and maybe that explains why he struggled passing the ball last season. A dangerous threat to go the distance every time he runs with the ball, passing has always been his weakest link. If he can throw the ball a little better, he'll keep the Huskers in title contention and likely land himself a trip to New York. If not? Good-bye.
Key stats: Passing: 137-244, 1,871 yds., 11 TDs, 7 Ints Rushing: 190 att., 1,028 yds, 5.4 ave., 13 TDs. Dantzler was well on his way to becoming the first player to rush for 1,000 yards and throw for 2,000 in the same season before a knee injury limited his availability late in the season. This year, there should be no stopping him. Dantzler is about as close as there is to Michael Vick this season and should he shine in big games against FSU and at Georgia Tech, he could become the favorite to win the Heisman.
Key stats: 210-362, 3,007 yds. 28 TDs, 7 Ints At 6-foot-5, 200 pounds, Dorsey is build more like a shooting guard than an elite QB, but what he lacks in bulk he makes up for in brains. He always seems to make the right decision and rarely gets flustered in the pocket. His 4-to-1 TD to interception ratio backs that up. He won't have Santana Moss or Reggie Wayne to fall back on this season, but Dorsey is more than good enough to keep the Canes potent offense storming along.
Passing: 214-405, 2,967 yds., 22 TDs, 14 Ints Rushing: 66 att., 124 yds., 7 TDs. The billboard outside Madison Square Garden wasn't necessary to make Heisman voters aware of Harrington. Harrington led the Pac-10 in TDs and almost reached the 3,000 yard mark last year. He led the Ducks to a share of the Pac-10 title last year and could lead them to a BCS bowl this season.
Key stats: 84-150, 1,309 yards, 8 TDs, 11 Ints Simms may scoff at the notion of being listed as a Heisman candidate. Heck, it is a little wild a guy who only threw 150 passes last year and had more interceptions than TDs is regarded as one of the best. But just watch him. There's a presence there. Combine this with one of the best groups of receivers in the country (pay no attention to last year's Holiday Bowl) and you have the recipe for a monster year. If Texas is to compete for the National Championship, it's Simms who will guide them there.
Key stats: 311 att., 2,063 yds. 6.6 ave., 23 TDs Anderson finished fifth in the Heisman voting last season, but if he repeats last year's success, here's guessing he'll finish much higher this season. Anderson was second in the country in rushing and his 1,549 in conference games is a Big Ten record. The main attraction of the Wildcats' high-powered offense, he worked even harder in the offseason to improve. His decision to blow off the NFL for one more season at Northwestern could pay off with a trip to New York.
Key stats: 240 att., 1,353 yds., 5.6 ave., 7 TDs While Duckett did disappear at times for the Spartans last season, he showed enough to be mentioned as one of the best in the Big Ten and the country. At 6-foot-1, 252 pounds, he can run over defenders, yet is quick enough to run by them as well. Duckett finally seems to be comfortable as a running back and should challenge Anderson for the Big Ten rushing title.
Key stats: 338 att., 2,040 yds., 6.0 ave. 20 TDs. OK, as anyone who has checked out Peterson's web site (apforheisman.com) can tell you, his numbers are amazing. Peterson has rushed for at least 100 yards in 43 straight games, including 31 straight regular season games, which ties the NCAA record held by Archie Griffin. He's out of the spotlight playing at I-AA Georgia Southern, but if he keeps breaking the 100-yard mark and leads the Eagles to a third consecutive national championship, he could sneak on some Heisman voter cards.
Key stats: 284 att., 1,559 yds., 5.5 ave., 19 TDs The only Pac-10 player to rush for over 1,000 yards as a freshman, sophomore and junior may be in for his best season as a senior. Simonton, who has gone from 1,028 to 1,486 to 1,559, has helped build the Beavers into a Pac-10 powerhouse. A Fiesta Bowl thumping of Notre Dame put Simonton and Oregon State on the national landscape and a repeat effort could put Simonton at the Downtown Athletic Club.
Key stats: 242 att., 1,280 yds., 5.3 ave., 30 TDs Yes, that is right -- 30 TDs. The fact Suggs scored that many TDs and isn't a household names shows just how big of shadow Michael Vick cast last year in Blacksburg. This season, it will be up to Suggs to make the Hokies offense click. Suggs, who idolized Terrell Davis, is a mini-TD. He hits the hole quick and if he can't make the man miss, has no problem running him over. If Suggs has a big game against Miami, he may be able to do one thing Vick couldn't do last year - bring a Heisman back to Virginia Tech.
Key stats: 73 rec., 1,453 yds., 20.0 ave., 13 TDs Bryant, last year's Biletnikoff Award winner, has had his share of the off the field problems, but there is no denying his talent on the field. If he can stay out of trouble - and that is not a sure thing - he could be among the nation's best.
Key stats: 64 rec., 994 yds., 15.5 ave., 10 TDs Back to back seasons of 10 TDs shows just how dangerous Campbell can be. With the development of Godsey - and Tech as an offensive team - those numbers could rise. If Campbell wants to be a legitimate contender, though, he'll need a huge game Sept. 15 at Florida State.
Key stats: 78 rec., 1,259 yds., 16.1 ave., 14 TDs Gaffney burst on the scene in with his game-winning catch to knock off arch-rival Tennessee and didn't slow down. As the season progressed last year, he became the best receiver in the SEC. With a year under his belt, the sophomore should be even better this season.
Key stats: 61 rec., 1,125 yds., 18.4 ave., 11 TDs Johnson burst on the national scene last year with three consecutive 100-yard games, including two in wins over Penn State and Ohio State. He finished with five 100-plus yard games and with his combination of size and speed, he may just be the most dangerous receiver in the Big Ten.
Key stats: 42 rec., 809 yds., 20.2 ave., 8 TDs Mel Kiper calls him the best player in college football and he may be right. His 20.2 yard per catch average is simply obscene. With Chris Simms at the helm, he should easily break the 1,000 yard mark. If he can make the plays he made last season -- with the exception of the Holiday Bowl -- he might just make Kiper's pick the right one.
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