The Contraband

Issue date: 10/20/04 Section: Sports

Media Credit: KRT Oklahoma quarterback Jason White could repeat as Heisman trophy recipient with big games down the stretch.

With the collegiate football season nearing its halfway point, the list of who could compete for the illustrious Heisman trophy, which will be presented by the Downtown Athletic Club in New York City, has whittled down from a crowded group to a hopeful handful. As with any Heisman list, the group includes a few surprises, any of whom could solidify their position as a dark-horse candidate with big games against a few top teams, and some obvious picks, whose Heisman chances will be tied directly to the success of their team.

Kyle Orton, QB Purdue University
As the quarterback for one of the nation's hottest teams and the leader of one of the country's most exciting offenses, Kyle Orton seems like the top contender in this year's Heisman race. That is, until the Boilermakers' loss last week on Oct. 16 to fellow Big Ten opponent Wisconsin University. The loss may not hurt Orton's chances too much if he can replicate the first half of the season - he threw 22 total touchdowns in the first six games of the year - over the next month. Orton may also be able to make up some ground in the Heisman race by leading Purdue over the University of Michigan this week.

Matt Leinart, QB University of Southern California
Matt Leinart came into this year's season as a preseason Heisman hopeful and has lived up to the expectations he set for himself after last season. With the toughest part of the USC's schedule out of the way and the Trojans still undefeated, Leinart may have the easiest road. With three of the last four Heisman winners being quarterbacks from a team competing for the national title, Leinart may eventually become the front runner for college football's most coveted award. One question to Leinart's candidacy is whether Heisman voters in the rest of the country will stay up late to watch Leinart's games on the west coast, a problem with which many Pacific coast Heisman favorites struggle. However, after fellow Trojan quarterback Carson Palmer's successful Heisman campaign, it does not seem like east coast bias will be a problem for Leinart.

Adrian Peterson, RB Oklahoma University
Adrian Peterson came into the season as a relative unknown to most of the college football world. However, after six straight games with 100 yards rushing, a first for a freshman Sooner, Peterson has risen to national prominence. He solidified his run at the Heisman in Oklahoma's victories over Big 12 rivals the University of Texas and Kansas State University. Peterson kept the offense running in Oklahoma's defensive struggle against Texas by rushing for 225 yards on 32 carries. Against Kansas State, Peterson had a rough start, but when the Sooners needed to run the clock out, he rebounded from his 26-yard performance in the first half to help Oklahoma control the tempo and defeat the Wildcats 31-21. One of the biggest hindrances for Peterson's run at the Heisman is his lack of end zone appearances. In six games, Peterson has only six touchdowns, a typically low number for a Heisman candidate running back. The last running back to win the Heisman was Wisconsin running back Ron Dayne in 1999, who finished with 20 touchdowns that year. Dayne also ran for 2,109 yards and 21 touchdowns his freshman year and did not win the Heisman, so the chances of Peterson's winning may be slim if the voters' age bias has not cleared.

Jason White, QB Oklahoma University
Last season's Heisman winner Jason White is having another good year, although not as well statistically as last year. At this point last year, White had 20 touchdowns compared to the 13 he has this year, and he also finished with 3,846 yards passing last year. With 1,228 passing yards so far this year, White's performance lacks last year's luster and could stifle his run for the Heisman trophy. However, with a few more big performances like his four-touchdown effort against Kansas State University and a perfect record throughout the rest of the season, White could still hold his ground in the Heisman race.

Cedric Benson, RB University of Texas
With 988 yards on 149 attempts and 10 touchdowns this season, few running backs can compare to the Texas Longhorns' Cedric Benson. Four games with over 150 yards rushing and two games with over 200 total yards, Benson has shown consistent excellence. With big games against every opponent of the Longhorns except for Oklahoma, the second-ranked team in the nation (where he still made his presence known with over 120 total yards), Benson is starting to live up to the potential and hype that has surrounded him since his freshman year. If he continues to run wild against the remainder of Texas opponents, Benson could be one of the candidates invited to New York in December.

Braylon Edwards, WR University of Michigan
While there may be a few receivers with more receptions, yards or touchdowns than Braylon Edwards this season, none have a freshman quarterback trying to deliver the ball to them. Edwards is having an amazing season with 53 receptions for 781 yards and eight touchdowns. While Wolverine's quarterback Chad Henne has been impressive in his debut season with the team, part of the reason for his solid play is that almost half of his passing yards and two-thirds of his touchdowns have been to Edwards. Despite these impressive numbers, Edwards may not win the Heisman because it is just not given to a wide receiver very often. Desmond Howard was the last wide receiver to win the Heisman in 1991, unless you count Charles Woodson, who played both cornerback and wide receiver and won the trophy in 1997. Howard won the award because of his combination of receiver and kick return skills, while Woodson won because of his ability to play both offense and defense.

Even after this considerable list of six of college football's greatest performers this season, there may be any number of dark-horse candidates who could make it to New York in December. Defensive standouts such as cornerback Antrel Rolle from Miami and Texas linebacker Derrick Johnson are under consideration for the award. However, the last time a defensive player (not a player who played both offense and defense) won the Heisman was 1949. If Utah Utes quarterback Alex Smith can lead his team to an unbeaten season or a BCS game, he might be guaranteed a ticket to the Downtown Athletic Club. If Oklahoma State running back Vernand Morency can lead his team past fellow Big 12 opponents Oklahoma and Missouri, he too would earn considerable regard from Heisman voters.

With the current season only halfway over, there are still many players in contention for the game's biggest individual award. However, as the weeks progress, a handful of front-runners will stand out among the rest and maybe one of the aforementioned will have a Heisman-worthy season.

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