Heisman Hosses

It's a four-horse race for the Heisman

Nov. 5, 2007

By Brian Jones

Special to CSTV.com

	BRIAN JONES Brian Jones is a football analyst for CSTV and CSTV.com. E-mail here!

        ---   Column Archive   --- 1/17: Good Call For Some 1/8: Prognosticating Failure 1/8: LSU's Defense The Real MVP 1/3: Oklahoma Flat Out Whipped 12/18: Postseason Pontification, Edition '08 12/5: Final Thoughts - I Think - On 2007 11/28: What A Hoot 11/20: Love And Hate 11/13: Jayhawks Are For Real 11/05: Heisman Hosses 10/29: Corn-shucked 10/15: Nation Who Loves To Hate 10/9: No Love In The Heartland 10/1: Lessons For Professors 9/24: Say What? 9/3: NCAA Alphabet Soup 9/1: Questions On Defense Bit Wolverines 7/24: SEC Breakdown 7/16: Pac-10 Breakdown 7/10: Big East Breakdown 7/03: ACC Breakdown 6/25: 'Big 11' Breakdown 6/19: Big 12 Breakdown 5/14: Who's That 4/30: BJ's All Hi-Def Defense 4/27: `Twas the Night Before The Draft 4/23: Picture Perfect 4/6: Coach Robinson, We'll Miss You 4/3: BJ's 32 3/19: The Deserving Hall of Famers 3/5: Dreaming of December Delirium 2/26: Spring Cleaning 2/19: Gay or Straight, It Shouldn't Matter 2/13: Steroids Were Once Part of The Game 2/7: A Walk Down Recruiting Memory Lane 2/5: Longing For The Day When Race Doesn't Matter 1/29: Old Ways Need to Change 1/22: Change For the Better 1/15: No Problem With Ginn, Peterson Going 12/18: Postseason Pontification 12/12: Season Superlatives 12/4: Handicapping the Heisman Race 11/27: Rutgers Better Lookout For Stewing WVU 11/20: Got To Like Booty And USC 11/13: It's All About The D For Michigan 11/6: Knights Will Be Hard-Pressed to Stop Cards 10/31: Win in Cards For Louisville

Well folks, much like this exciting, crazy 2007 college football season we have been blessed to witness, the race for the Heisman Trophy is just as wacky and inconclusive. I am hard pressed to find another season in which there was such vacillating as to who should earn the supreme hardware, especially considering it could go to one of four or five guys. Now in years past, there may have been a two- or three-horse race, but never five Barbaro's, may he rest in peace.

Now let's breakdown my four Heisman hosses. We'll go in ascending order - first up is Hawai'i QB Colt Brennan (I just can't get away from the horse references). But in this guy's case, colt represents an accurate sharp-shooting pistol. Brennan is completing nearly 70 percent of his passes for 26 TDs and 11 picks. He also has six rushing touchdowns. But lets be honest, the dude plays for Hawai'i and receives as much respect as O.J. in Las Vegas lockup. From Heisman voters to the general college football fan, Brennan might as well be playing on the island of Samoa.

Next we have Mr. Guarantee himself, Mike Hart. You all remember after Michigan lost two straight out of the gate, Hart guaranteed a victory over Notre Dame prep and I received a lot of hate mail from Wolverine fans in response to my finding fault with Hart's prediction. Let's see if he guarantees a victory over Ohio State. That notwithstanding, the kid can flat out play. He has put this Michigan team on his back as they have run off eight straight. And doing all the running is Mr. Hart with 1,188 yards and 12 touchdowns in eight games (remember he missed two because of an ankle injury). The boy is bad. Now can I get a prediction on that last game of the season up in the Big House? Class? Anyone? Bueller? Mr. Hart?

My next thoroughbred is Oregon quarterback Dennis Dixon. Coming off of big wins over USC and previously undefeated Arizona State, Dixon is the Heisman flavor of the week. Not mine, though, as you will see shortly. Dixon is a dynamic athlete that can hurt you with his arm as well as with his lower extremities. Theory has it that he runs as fast as he does so no one can see him in that ugly-ass gang green uniform the Ducks occasionally wear. The only time you should see that much green is in the stables at the county fair, but I digress. This isn't about bull-dooky, it's about Double D and the D stands for "dynamite!" Twenty TDs, 2,074 yards by air with 549 yards and eight touchdowns by land are big numbers, although the big number that shines brightest is the smallest one - only three INTs! He can run and pass - now put him in charge of choosing the game day unis, please!

And last but not least, my main man Darren "McFooten" McFadden. If you've been tuning into CSTV the last few college football seasons, and I know you have, you know that I refer to McFadden as McFooten because of his size-15 roach stompers. Big feet, big heart and big-time running ability - just ask that `Ole Ball Coach Steve Spurrier and his South Carolina Gamecocks defense. McFadden ran around, through and over the Gamecocks to the tune of 321 yards. The final stats had him at 323, which would have been a new SEC record. Apparently, two yards Felix Jones gained were put in McFadden's tally, so no new record. So let me get this straight; I go home thinking I just set a record for rushing in the SEC. I engage in the customary celebrating that you're supposed to in a college town and then come to find out I didn't set a record after all? Fire the stats guy!

But it's not all bad. McFadden did tie the conference single-game rushing record set by some dude from Vanderbilt. I know what you're thinking, Vanderbilt owns the SEC single-game individual rushing record? Yes sir, Frank Mordica, 321 in a 1978 game. Good to know Vandy wideout Earl Bennett has some company in the SEC record books.

You should expect to see McFadden in the company of the Heisman at the conclusion of the regular season. The young man is a beast, having already gained 1,316 yards with 12 touchdowns, all this while sharing time with the talented Jones. McFadden can also take it the distance in the kicking game and throw a few passes if need be. Folks, I tell you this horse is the real deal and has Triple Crown written all over him, as well as Heisman. Now it's time for me to gitty up on outta here!