It's never too early to start thinking Heisman
Posted: Wednesday, May 28, 2008 11:05 AM
It’s never too early to think about who’ll win the next Heisman Trophy. After all, the chatter always starts just a few minutes after the annual recipient is announced, especially if an underclassman gets the nod, as then-sophomore Tim Tebow did last December.
However, at this time of year -- post-spring practice and pre-preseason magazine flood (yup, they’ll be on hitting newsstands any day now) -- there’s usually a lull in the speculation.
But bookmakers never rest and the first set of odds on the 2008 Heisman Trophy has been posted at bodoglife.com.
Tebow is the favorite at 7/2. The Gator quarterback would be the first player to retain his title since Archie Griffin in 1975 and then could take his shot at being the first to make a run at a three-peat.
Last May, Tebow opened at 12/1, which seems a little short considering that a sophomore hadn’t won any of the 72 previous statues handed out.
No one is specifically listed as a 12/1 shot at this point this year, but before you get into the players listed in that neighborhood, you have to go past Ohio State running back Chris “Beanie” Wells at 5/1 and Missouri signalcaller Chase Daniel at 8/1. Despite starting out at 20/1 a year ago, Daniel made it all the way to New York City and finished fourth in the 2007 balloting.
The “field” -- any of the 45 players not listed -- also starts off at 5/1. That’s where everybody who plays for the defending BCS champion Louisiana State Tigers figures in.
Then, you’ve got the folks in zone from which Tebow emerged last year.
At 10/1 there’s Oklahoma QB Sam Bradford, Texas Tech WR Michael Crabtree, Georgia RB Knowshon Moreno and West Virginia QB Pat White (stepping up from 15/1 last year).
Interestingly enough, Bradford, Crabtree and Moreno are sophomores being given a less of a payoff than Tebow, perhaps because now we know that it is indeed possible for an underclassman to win. However, unlike Urban Meyer’s Superman, all the players in that trio will be redshirt sophomores this season.
Next up is a collection of standouts who face Heisman competition from teammates already mentioned. They are Georgia QB Matthew Stafford at 14/1 (up from 50/1 a year ago), Oklahoma RB DeMarco Murray at 15/1 (they’re offering the same action on Hillary Clinton to go all the way), Texas Tech QB Graham Harrell at 18/1 and Missouri WR Jeremy Maclin also at 18/1.
And yes, Murray and Maclin are redshirt sophomores. Geez … there certainly was a lot of talent on the sidelines across the nation in the fall of 2006.
Long-shot territory begins at 20/1 with Ohio State QB Todd Boeckman, Wisconsin RB P.J. Hill and Kansas QB Todd Reesing.
Just a tad behind at 22/1 is Pittsburgh RB LeSean McCoy, who unbeknownst to some rushed for 1,328 as a true freshman last year.
At 25/1 you’ve got Florida lethal weapon Percy Harvin (opened at 20/1 a year ago), Texas QB Colt McCoy (18/1 in 2007), USC RB Joe McKnight (C.J. Gable was last year’s “Tailback U” option at a similar 22/1), Purdue QB Curtis Painter and Alabama QB John Parker Wilson.
There Clemson Tigers -- QB Cullen Harper and RBs C.J. Spiller and James Davis -- show up in the same relative area, but Davis takes a slight backseat for some reason. Harper and Spiller are half of the quartet at 30/1, along with Arizona State QB Rudy Carpenter and Tennessee RB Arian Foster. While Davis gets some added value at 35/1 alongside three other running backs, West Virginia’s Noel Devine, Boise State’s Ian Johnson and Michigan State’s Javon Ringer.
Then there’s a run on quarterbacks. USC’s Mark Sanchez and Illinois’ Juice Williams are 40/1, followed by Notre Dame’s Jimmy Clausen, South Florida’s Matt Grothe, BYU’s Max Hall and Texas A&M’s Stephen McGee at 50/1.
Also coming in at 50/1 is the first defensive player on the board, Ohio State linebacker James Laurinaitis.
If your odds are longer than that of a defender, no matter how awesome he is, you’re really just being excluded from the “field.” The players in that category are led by Indiana QB Kellen Lewis at 60/1 and Central Michigan QB Dan LeFevour at 70/1.
At 75/1 you’ve got three more quarterbacks -- Washington’s Jake Locker, Oklahoma State’s Zac Robinson and Arizona’s Willie Tuitama -- and, believe it or not, Tennessee defensive back Eric Berry, who had a spectacular season in 2007 as a true freshman. Among other things, Berry returned five interceptions for a total of 222 yards. However, he’ll have to convince Phil Fulmer to let him return punts and play a bit on offense to come anywhere close to pulling off a “Charles Woodson.”
The final grouping at 100/1 consists of Oregon RB Jeremiah Johnson, Virginia Tech QB Tyrod Taylor and finally Appalachian State QB Armanti Edwards and Ohio State QB Terrelle Pryor. I guess no set of Heisman options is complete without a guy who knows nothing but winning Football Championship Subdivision titles and a true freshman.
Anything is possible these days.
