I yield to my detractors that the Gators are not involved in games of national import anymore, but if the trophy is to go to the “Most Outstanding Player” (MOP just doesn’t sound as good) the hardware must go to the guy in Smallville, er, Gainesville.
1. Tim Tebow, QB Florida
Tim, just stop with all this mind-bending TD scoring will ya? For goodness sake, you just took out one of my favorite fantasy college football QBs of all time, Chance Harridge of Air Force who had held the national record for QB rushing TDs with 22 in 2002.
You are in the SEC, and numbers like this just are not supposed to happen against the conference with the best history of feeding talent to the NFL. Tom Brady was quoted to say “Damn, Tebow has got some stats!” Kinda like what the Patriots are doing against the creme de la creme of the NFL, this assault on the record books will not be treated kindly by the purists.
Know what I like to say about purists? Puck the Furists. Get with the program – by the time Timmy is done the SEC record book will be reissued as Tebow’s first novel. Like any good tome, it will ooze with intrigue, drama and feats of wonder to marvel the reader, then shock them when they realize that is was all true.
Some are already calling the trophy the HE15MAN.
2. Chase Daniel, QB Missouri
Any other year and Daniel would have a clear edge in my book – a charismatic signal-caller for one of the nation’s best teams pushing his teammates beyond what many thought to be their limits. I would not be upset at all to see Daniel grab the award, I just think Tebow is too valuable to his team regardless of age.
In two years we may look back at all the quality talent surrounding Daniel as he assaulted the weak Big 12 defense, but right now he is the maestro and deserves much consideration for the Heisman.
3. Pat White, QB West Virginia
Readers may ask “WTF did he come from on your rankings?” and I am here declaring mea culpa – Pat, I am so sorry for leaving you off my list for the last month. Sometimes great performances are taken for granted and I am guilty as charged of being numbed by the big numbers coming out of Morgantown the last few years. White’s last three games, combined with the tarnishing first-half of Todd Reesing, puts Pat White in my Top Three.
4. Kevin Smith, RB UCF
More stumping for this RB who simply set the Florida college record for rushing yards in a season, is the only offensive star on a Conference USA championship team and leads the nation in TDs scored. See John Huss’ well-reasoned article at Fantasy College Blitz to support 24K for the award over a media darling like Darren McFadden.
That ends the list of who I would vote for and I believe most deserving. Here goes with the rest of the contenders:
5. Darren McFadden (NFL #1 DC, but too inconsistent this year.)
6. Colt Brennan (history’s leading TD passer could go 12-0)
7. Todd Reesing (quite valuable to the Jayhawks – Kerry Meier would not have made this season the same.)
8. Graham Harrell (stat hog)
9. Matt Ryan (too many picks – an East Coast Derek Anderson circa 2003)
10. Dennis Dixon (if healthy and winning could have had a shot)
