Kickoff Zone College Football Blog

Continuing our countdown of the top 10 Heisman Trophy candidates for the upcoming season.  I should point out that the six remaining candidates were much more difficult to rank than the preceding candidates because there are not near as many question marks surrounding their status as a contender for the prestigious award.  This year, the race is really wide open as there is no real overwhelming favorite, despite the fact that last years winner is returning.

Heisman Trophy Contender #6

Jake Locker- QB, University of Washington

2009 Statistics

Passing: 230-394, 2800 yards, 58.4%, 21 TD, 11 Int, 233.3 yards per game

Rushing: 112 att, 388 yards, 7 TD, 3.5 ypc, 32.3 ypg

Career:

Passing: 5374 total passing yards, 36 TD, 26 Int

Rushing: 1554 total rushing yards, 23 TD

Jake Locker will go into next season as a legitimate favorite for just about every offensive award that he will be eligible for.  He is also considered a lock to be selected in the top 5 in next years NFL Draft, and arguably the first overall pick after deciding to remain in school for his senior season.  A pocket passer with great mobility, he is reminiscent of a young Elway more than any other player in recent memory.  And like Elway, his team’s overall record may prevent him from ever winning the Heisman Trophy.

Locker’s career numbers are mind boggling, especially when one considers that he missed basically his entire sophomore season due to injury.  The Pac-10 Freshman of the Year in 2007, Locker showed no rust last season after missing most of 2008, throwing for 2800 yards and 21 touchdowns, while rushing for nearly 400 yards with 7 scores.  

There isn’t a whole lot to add, at this point.  There aren’t any criticisms that can be made about his game.  He’s a great football player and he won’t be judged on his play, but on that of his team.  Although the Washington Huskies are expected to be much improved in their 2nd full season under HC Steve Sarkisian, they will need some results if they want Locker to be included in the Heisman debate at the end of the year.  Traditionally, great players on bad teams usually find themselves on the outside looking in.  If Locker wants more than just a customary invite to the Heisman ceremony, his team must improve on it’s 5-7 record from a year ago.

Tags: College Football, Heisman Watch, Jake Locker, NCAA, Preseason College Football Rankings, Preseason Prognostications, Top 25, University of Washington, bcs, pac 10 by Tommy
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Continuing with our countdown of the Top 10 Heisman Trophy contenders…

Heisman Trophy Contender #7

Jacory Harris- QB, University of Miami

2009 Stats:

242-406  3352 yds 59.6%, 24 TD, 17 Int

When examining candidates for the Heisman Trophy, one always has to remember that players from traditionally powerful programs will always considered.  For example, a player who has not yet reached their full potential may very well be considered a candidate if they are expected to have a breakout season.  For example, Ohio State’s Terrelle Pryor has not yet been consistent on a weekly basis, but he will be near the top of many preseason Heisman lists because he has shown flashes of greatness.  The same argument can be made about the University of Miami’s Jacory Harris.

While Harris does not have the explosive speed of Pryor (both of whom are rising juniors), he is a more accurate and polished passer than the Buckeye quarterback.  After backing up former Hurricane Robert Marve for much of his true freshman season, Harris took over the starting nod late that year and threw for 1195 yards with 12 touchdowns and 7 interceptions.

Jacory entered last season firmly entrenched as the Hurricanes quarterback, and at times, played brilliantly.  In the 2nd game of the season against 14th ranked Georgia Tech, Harris had his breakout game, completing 20-25 passes for 270 yards, 3 touchdowns and 0 interceptions.   Against Wake Forest, Harris threw two 4th quarter touchdown passes to lead the ‘Canes to a thrilling come from behind victory over the Demon Deacons. 

Harris  was named the ACC Offensive Back of the Week on four different occasions. A true clutch performer, his best performances were in come from behind victories, such as the victory over Wake Forest and then 8th ranked Oklahoma. 

Like many young quarterbacks, Harris struggled with consistency on a weekly basis.  He has the potential to become arguably the best quarterback in Miami history, but has to learn how to pick his moments and cut down on his interceptions.  That should come as he continues to mature as a player, and in doing so, will likely find himself in the Heisman mix.  He is a player that should be on everyone’s radar in 2010.

Tags: Atlantic Coast Conference, College Football, College Football Power Rankings, Heisman Watch, Jacory Harris, NCAA, Preseason College Football Rankings, Preseason Prognostications, Top 25, University of Miami, bcs by Tommy
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Continuing with our Top 10 contenders for the 2010 Heisman Trophy.

Heisman Trophy Candidate #8

Jacquizz Rodgers- RB, Oregon State

2009 Stats:

273 attempts, 1440 yds rushing, 5.3 ypc, 21 TD, 110.8 ypg

78 receptions, 522 yds, 1 TD

Career:

2693 rushing yards, 32 TD

Rodgers, a junior, should be on most preseason All-America and Heisman shortlists heading into the upcoming season.  A two time 1st team All Pac-10 selection, Rodgers has made an impact from the moment he stepped on the playing field as a freshman.  In 2008, he was the first freshman to be named the Pac-10 Offensive MVP, and holds the all time Pac-10 rushing record for freshmen. 

Last season, Rodgers put up similarly stellar numbers.  He rushed for  over 1400 yards averaging 110+ yards per game.  On top of those fine rushing numbers, he caught 78 passes for 522 yards.  He was a semifinalist for the Doak Walker Award, the Maxwell Award, and the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award, while being named 1st team All Pac-10 for the second year in succession.   

It would be a crime not to include Rodgers on any preseason awards list.  He is easily one of the most versatile and dynamic players in college football today.  On top of his elusiveness and speed, he is an excellent reciever out of the backfield.  In fact, Rodgers doesn’t have any real weakness in his game.  If I were to nitpick, I would have to say that the only thing he has going against him is his size.  At 5′7 and 190 lbs., one could wonder how many hits he will be able to take… but his size has not slowed him down yet, and I suspect that it won’t be an issue this season either.

Tags: College Football, Heisman Watch, Jacquizz Rodgers, NCAA, Oregon State University, Preseason College Football Rankings, Preseason Prognostications, Top 25, bcs, pac 10 by Tommy
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Continuing with our Top 10 Heisman candidates for the upcoming season…

Heisman Trophy Candidate Number 9

Jerrod Johnson- QB, Texas A & M

2009 Statistics:

296-497  3579 yards 59.6%  30 TD, 8 Int

145 carries 506 yds rushing.  8 TD

As we all know by now, Texas A & M will be staying in the Big XII for the time being.  Next season, they should be very competitive because they return arguably the most underrated and best all around quarterback in the country: Jerrod Johnson.

At 6-5 and wieghing in at 245 lbs, Johnson is a true physical speciman with speed and cannon-like arm strength.  He was 3rd in the nation in total offense last season, throwing for over 3500 yards, while rushing for 500 and averaging 314 total yards per game. 

While performing well all season, Johnson became a household name after the Aggies final regular season game against Texas, where he completed 26 out of 33 passes for 342 yards with 4 TDs and 1 pick.  He also rushed for 97 yards on 14 carries, with a 41 yard run.  In fact, it was  arguably the most impressive performance by a quarterback all season.  The problem was… they lost the game, and like many great quarterbacks who don’t recieve as much Heisman consideration, he needs his team to perform on that same level and win the close games.

Throughout the 2009 season, Johnson only had two performances that were statistically under par, and in both games the Aggies were blown out.  Johnson threw for over 300 yards but had 3 picks in a 62-14 beatdown handed to them by Kansas State.  Against Oklahoma, one of the better defenses in the Big XII, the Aggies, including Johnson, were completely shutdown on offense.

For Johnson to recieve an invitation to New York at the end of next season, he must continue to improve his consistency, which I believe he can do.  More importantly, his team must improve it’s overall record, which at this point is still debatable as to whether or not they will.  There can not be any more 50 point blowouts at the hands of conference rivals, or Johnson will once again be overlooked.  There’s little doubt that he is one of the most dynamic players in the college game today, but he can’t do it alone.

Tags: Big XII Conference, Heisman Watch, Jerrod Johnson, Preseason College Football Rankings, Preseason Prognostications, Texas A & M University, Top 25, bcs by Tommy
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After listing six of our 2nd tier Heisman Trophy candidates in no particular order, we begin our 1st tier with the #10 ranked contender.  Unlike our previous list, these candidates are ranked from 10th to our #1 pick going into the 2010 season.

Heisman Trophy Candidate Number 10

Ryan Williams- RB, Virginia Tech

2009 Stats

293 attempts 1655 yds, 21 TDs

127.3 rushing yds per game

To say the emergence of Ryan Williams last year was a bit of a surprise would be an understatement.  Expected to see limited playing time his freshman season, Williams was forced into action following the injury to All ACC Sophomore Darren Evans.  Well, all he did was go on to have an all conference season himself, breaking Evans own freshman rushing records at Virginia Tech and conference marks.  He rushed for over 100 yards in 10 games last season, which tied both the school and ACC mark. 

This season, Virginia Tech’s offense is expected to be even better.  With Tyrod Taylor returning under center and both leading recievers back, defenses will not be able to focus solely on shutting the running game down, and will also have to contend with Taylor’s rushing ability once the play breaks down.  This should create more opportunities for Tech’s rushing attack. 

The main reason Williams is not ranked higher than 10th on this list is the fact that Tech has so many weapons on offense that the spotlight will not be solely on him.  Darren Evans is returning this year and will get a large number of carries, and a legitimate case can be made for QB Taylor’s own Heisman chances.

Tags: Atlantic Coast Conference, College Football, Heisman Watch, NCAA, Preseason College Football Rankings, Preseason Prognostications, Virginia Tech, bcs by Tommy
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Finally, as the talk of expansion quiets down, we can put our focus on the upcoming season and what will happen on the field.  In this next series of posts, we will break down the early contenders for the Heisman Trophy for next season.

We have divided the contenders into two different categories, a first and second tier.  All of the following names have a shot at being invited to the ceremony in December, but some have better odds than others.

These rankings are in reverse order.  So today, we focus on the players longer odds of making the trip to New York in December. 

Note:  The first player is the top ranked in this group, while the rest of the names are in no particular order.

The 2nd Tier:

Tyrod Taylor – QB, Virginia Tech University

2009 Passing Statistics:

136-243 56.0%  2311 yds 13 TD 5 Int

Over 1,000 career rushing yards

Outlook: Heading up the 2nd tier of Heisman hopefuls is Virginia Tech’s quarterback, Tyrod Taylor.  In fact, the Kickoffzone blog probably has Taylor ranked higher than any other pundits out there, and here’s the kicker, we think that he will rise into the first tier once the season starts. 

Taylor led the ACC in passing efficiency last year, after 2 years of being known more as a running threat.  The Hokies also return their two leading recievers, both of whom averaged over 20 yards a reception last year.  Unlike Ohio State’s Terrelle Pryor, Taylor has proven that he can excel either throwing or running the ball, which makes him one of the most dangerous players in the country. 

If Taylor has the opportunities to shine, we think he will do just that.  Working against him is the talent around him.  With both Ryan Williams and Darren Evans in the same backfield, Taylor’s Heisman hopes may depend on the Hokies gameplan, and whether or not he is overshadowed by his own teammates again this season.

LaMichael James- RB, Oregon

2009 Statistics

230 carries 1546 yards, 14 TDs

James emerged after the suspension of LaGarrett Blount last season, rushing for over 1500 yards as a freshman.  This year he will be relied on even moreso following the suspension and subsequent removal of Heisman candidate Jeremiah Masoli at quarterback.  With an unproven signal caller, James should be a workhorse.  It also doesn’t hurt that he has an experienced offensive line returning as well.

James will have to prove he can shoulder the load in spite of his small frame, as he is only 5′9 and weighs in around 180 lbs.  Another factor is whether or not he is overshadowed by the tumultous offseason the program endured, and whether that will have an effect on the teams overall record.

Christian Ponder- QB, Florida State University

2009 Statistics:

227-330 68.8% 2717 yards 14 TD 7 Int

Ponder was well on his way to putting up Heisman-type numbers before an injury cut his season short last year.  He has all the tools of a top flight quarterback, but will have to prove that he has recovered from his blow out shoulder.  He also needs to be more consistent on a weekly basis, as blowouts against the likes of BYU will likely damage his chances in the upcoming season.  Plus, it remains to be seen how the team will be affected by the fact that Bobby Bowden is no longer on the sidelines or leading the team through the tunnel.

Terrelle Pryor- QB, Ohio State University

2009 Statistics:

167-295 56.6% 2094 yds.  18 TD 11 Int

162 rushing attempts, 779 yds rushing, 7 TD

Unlike almost every other publications or pundit, we here at the Kickoffzone blog are not on the “Terrelle Pryor for Heisman” bandwagon yet.  In fact, I have him rated below seven other quarterbacks on my Heisman watch list.  If this sounds ridiculous, well… sue us. 

In the long run, Pryor has yet to perform with any sort of consistency.  He had a solid Rose Bowl performance against the University of Oregon, but his numbers weren’t all that impressive.  He’s no Vince Young… yet.  In fact, we rate Tyrod Taylor higher, at this point.

In his favor, Pryor probably has more potential than anyone at his position in college football.  When he is on, he is an unbelievable football player, showing a lethal combination of speed and arm strength.  He just has to prove that he can put it all together on a weekly basis, and much like Ponder, he can’t afford to underperform against the likes of Purdue if he wants to be a contender for the most prestigous, and controversial award in college football.

Josh Nesbitt- QB, Georgia Tech

2009 Stats:

Passing: 75-162 46.3% 1701 yards 10 TD 5 Int

Rushing: 279 Att.  1037 yds, 18 TD

Possibly the most unconventional name to make more than one Heisman watch list is Georgia Tech QB Josh Nesbitt.  Not since Nebraska’s Eric Crouch has an option quarterback been a serious contender for the award and Nesbitt may not change that, but he could be rated highly enough to make the trip to New York at the end of the season. 

It all depends on how successful the Jackets are.  If they make the ACC Title game again, then you can bet that Nesbitt will have had a successful season, and that he will get some consideration.  He will need to put up monster numbers on the ground, while staying efficient, if not accurate, through the air. 

John Clay- RB, University of Wisconsin

2009 Stats:

287 Att.  1,587 yds 18 TD

John Clay is just the latest in a long line of successful Wisconsin running backs to reach an all-conference level.  His numbers are very impressive, and at 6′1 and weighing in at 250 lbs., he’s got Dayne-like size.

Clay has two things going against him.  The first is his conference.  Wisconsin, despite the fact that they contend for the title on a yearly basis, are always overshadowed in the media by the big market teams.  Although it may not be deserved, Terrelle Pryor will get the majority of the Heisman spotlight at the beginning of the season.  The second is ”the fact that he is a running back for the University of Wisconsin.”   The Badgers always turn out successful running backs who gain 1000+ yards a season.  Many voters may feel that he’s just a product of his system, much the way a Texas Tech qb may be the product of their system, which will likely diminish their Heisman value.

Tags: Atlantic Coast Conference, Big 10 Conference, College Football, College Football Power Rankings, Florida State, Heisman Watch, NCAA, Ohio State University, Preseason College Football Rankings, Preseason Prognostications, Southeastern Conference, Terrelle Pryor, Top 25, University of Wisconsin, Virginia Tech, pac 10 by Tommy
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As if on cue, former Notre Dame coach and current star of late night ESPN television Lou Holtz has done a 180 on the idea of Notre joining the Big Ten.

From the Minneapolis Star-Tribune:

Lou Holtz changed his mind. He thinks Notre Dame should join the Big Ten.

“I’m an old man, and all my life I’ve said that Notre Dame should remain independent because it’s a national school,” said Holtz, a former Fighting Irish coach who was in the Twin Cities last weekend. “We played the very best in the country from Texas to Tennessee to Miami of Florida to Southern Cal.

“However, two days ago was the first time I’ve ever said that I think Notre Dame ought to seriously consider joining the Big Ten.

I’m willing to bet that Mark “my homeboy”  May is saving this for ammunition come football season.  Of course, if Dr. Lou finally decides to run for congress, his opponents can use the always lethal ”flip flop” charge.

Tags: Big 10 Conference, College Football, Conference realignment, NCAA, Notre Dame University, Schedule, bcs, expansion, rumor mill by Tommy
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There is a great article that was published by the Chicago Tribune yesterday concerning Notre Dame and their stubborn, yet proud, assertion of their own independence.  It can’t be argued that the Irish still carry a great deal of influence within the ranks of college football.  If Texas has taken over the number one ranking on the “behind the curtain” college football power ranking system that I discussed yesterday, the Irish haven’t fallen that far behind them. 

The Golden Domers still wield a big stick financially, but are mediocre on the field.  The facts are that the Irish haven’t won a National Title in 22 years, and haven’t put an above average football team on the field since Lou Holtz left after the 1996 season.  Since 1994, they are 1-9 in bowl games- their lone victory coming against the University of Hawaii in a minor bowl.  For a team that carries as much influence as Notre Dame off the field, that’s downright embarrassing.

Asserting your independence is always admirable, but their supporters shouldn’t expect for their program to be respected when their product on the field is never more than mediocre.  Until then, they shouldn’t be considered national title contenders, their star players shouldn’t be on any short list for the Heisman Trophy, and they shouldn’t be talked about for at large BCS Bowl bids when all they are going to do is embarrass themselves on the field because of their talent deficiency. 

Seriously… just because Beano Cook thinks Ron Pawlus is a perennial Heisman frontrunner doesn’t make him one.  Jimmy Clausen was hyped as a potential number one draft pick, but then dropped to the middle of the second round before finally being selected.  Why?  Well… because it’s not really all that impressive when you put up big numbers against mediocre competition.  At the present time, close games against the University of Michigan does not seal legendary status across the nation.  Nobody is buying the hype that comes with playing at Notre Dame anymore.  If they want that respect, then join the Big 10.  Compete against Penn State, Ohio State, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Iowa, etc… on a yearly basis.  Army and Navy are traditional rivals, but don’t expect the country to take notice when victories over them are the highlight of the season.

Notre Dame’s biggest problem is that outside of their sizeable fan base.. nobody really cares that much any more.  Nobody considers a victory over the Fighting Irish all that much of an accomplishment anymore.

Tags: Big 10 Conference, College Football, College Football Power Rankings, Conference realignment, NCAA, Notre Dame University, Schedule, bcs, rumor mill by Tommy
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It won’t be official until Thursday, but Utah will be the second team added to the Pac 10, giving them 12 total teams. 

More on this Tomorrow…

Tags: Big 10 Conference, Big XII Conference, College Football, College Football Power Rankings, Conference realignment, Mountain West Conference, NCAA, Schedule, Southeastern Conference, University of Utah, bcs, pac 10, rumor mill by Tommy
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Thought the expansion talk was over for the time being?  Not so fast, my friend…  We are still awaiting word on whether or not the University of Utah will be added to the Pac 10.

It would be a pretty significant blow to the MWC, considering that with the recent addition of Boise State, it would have a strong argument for inclusion in the BCS.  Personally, I’m hoping that they stay put for the time being, as the perennial outsider conference would have a legitimate gripe for their inclusion in the big boys club.

Tags: College Football, College Football Power Rankings, Conference realignment, Mountain West Conference, NCAA, Schedule, University of Utah, bcs, pac 10, rumor mill by Tommy
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