AggieJohn
05-21-2005, 01:54 AM
here are the top 10:
1. QB Matt Leinart, USC Unlike Jason White in 2004, Leinart will defend his Heisman crown with a full head of steam and the unanimous respect of the voters. The loss of offensive coordinator Norm Chow will be offset by a receiving corps that's light years better than it was nine months ago.
2. QB Vince Young, Texas Young's Heisman campaign began in Pasadena three months ago, when he authored one of the great individual efforts in Horn history. Early season encounters with Ohio State and Oklahoma afford him the platform to go toe-to-toe with Leinart.
3. RB Adrian Peterson, Oklahoma Peterson is already the most complete back in the college game, but a reshuffled line and an inexperienced quarterback could make yards a wee bit tougher to come by this fall.
4. RB Reggie Bush, USC If the Heisman championed college football's Most Entertaining or Most Dangerous player, some ballots might already be cast. Bush is college football's ultimate weapon, who can do everything, except, perhaps, convince Heisman voters he's the most valuable player on his own team.
5. QB Chris Leak, Florida Leak is not the letter-perfect quarterback to run Urban Meyer's read-option attack, but the coach is wise enough to install a playbook that'll get the most out of his junior's deep reservoir of talent. Meyer was a starmaker for his last two quarterbacks, and Leak was already on the All-American doorstep.
6. WR Ted Ginn, Jr., Ohio State The mercurial and multi-faceted Ginn is on the tarmac, and preparing for lift-off in 2005. He'll challenge Bush as the most electrifying player in America.
7. QB Drew Tate, Iowa Tate was thrust into an impossible situation in 2004, and he responded by being named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year. With a running game to balance the offense and a Top 10 team to attract attention, the Hawkeyes could have their second Heisman finalist in four years.
8. QB Reggie McNeal, Texas A&M To the dismay of the rest of the Big XII, McNeal keeps maturing into a complete quarterback. If he can continue honing his passing skills and engineer an upset of either Oklahoma or Texas in November, he'll mount a stiff challenge.
9. RB DeAngelo Williams, Memphis Assuming the broken leg he suffered in the GMAC Bowl heals fine, Williams should be a fixture in the Heisman race right through November. He'll have the numbers and the national recognition, however, all bets are off if he sputters in Knoxville Nov. 12.
10. RB Laurence Maroney, Minnesota Marion Barber's early departure to the NFL opens the door for Maroney to make a push for All-American honors. He's a tremendous combination of power and breakaway speed, who'll put up Heisman caliber numbers in 2005.
1. QB Matt Leinart, USC Unlike Jason White in 2004, Leinart will defend his Heisman crown with a full head of steam and the unanimous respect of the voters. The loss of offensive coordinator Norm Chow will be offset by a receiving corps that's light years better than it was nine months ago.
2. QB Vince Young, Texas Young's Heisman campaign began in Pasadena three months ago, when he authored one of the great individual efforts in Horn history. Early season encounters with Ohio State and Oklahoma afford him the platform to go toe-to-toe with Leinart.
3. RB Adrian Peterson, Oklahoma Peterson is already the most complete back in the college game, but a reshuffled line and an inexperienced quarterback could make yards a wee bit tougher to come by this fall.
4. RB Reggie Bush, USC If the Heisman championed college football's Most Entertaining or Most Dangerous player, some ballots might already be cast. Bush is college football's ultimate weapon, who can do everything, except, perhaps, convince Heisman voters he's the most valuable player on his own team.
5. QB Chris Leak, Florida Leak is not the letter-perfect quarterback to run Urban Meyer's read-option attack, but the coach is wise enough to install a playbook that'll get the most out of his junior's deep reservoir of talent. Meyer was a starmaker for his last two quarterbacks, and Leak was already on the All-American doorstep.
6. WR Ted Ginn, Jr., Ohio State The mercurial and multi-faceted Ginn is on the tarmac, and preparing for lift-off in 2005. He'll challenge Bush as the most electrifying player in America.
7. QB Drew Tate, Iowa Tate was thrust into an impossible situation in 2004, and he responded by being named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year. With a running game to balance the offense and a Top 10 team to attract attention, the Hawkeyes could have their second Heisman finalist in four years.
8. QB Reggie McNeal, Texas A&M To the dismay of the rest of the Big XII, McNeal keeps maturing into a complete quarterback. If he can continue honing his passing skills and engineer an upset of either Oklahoma or Texas in November, he'll mount a stiff challenge.
9. RB DeAngelo Williams, Memphis Assuming the broken leg he suffered in the GMAC Bowl heals fine, Williams should be a fixture in the Heisman race right through November. He'll have the numbers and the national recognition, however, all bets are off if he sputters in Knoxville Nov. 12.
10. RB Laurence Maroney, Minnesota Marion Barber's early departure to the NFL opens the door for Maroney to make a push for All-American honors. He's a tremendous combination of power and breakaway speed, who'll put up Heisman caliber numbers in 2005.