Heisman hype: we're back again to tout the contenders for college football's biggest award, starting with Tennessee QB Casey Clausen

Football Digest, Oct, 2002 by Joe Donatelli

BEFORE DELVING INTO the annual celebration of manufactured frivolity that is; the Heisman Trophy race, let us pause and remember the award's first winner, who passed away this summer.

Jay Berwanger, a University of Chicago halfback, won the inaugural Heisman Trophy in 1935. Back then, it was called--stay with us here--the Downtown Athletic Club's Trophy to the Outstanding College Football Player East of the Mississippi River. The award's name was changed ill 1936 to the John W. Heisman Memorial Trophy, in honor of the club's athletic director.

Berwanger's was a much different era. In those days, skilled players ran, kicked, passed, played defense, and returned kicks. And they had names like Monk Meyer of Army, Pepper Constable of Princeton, and (yes, this is his taunt) William Shakespeare of Notre Dame, all three of whom Berwanger beat for that inaugural award.

Under the guidance of head coach Amos Alonzo Stagg, Berwanger led the powerhouse Maroons in rushing and passing and became known as "The Flying Dutchman," even though his ancestry was German. Legend has it that Berwanger gave his Heisman Trophy to an aunt, who was so impressed she used the hardware as a doorstop.

After Berwanger finished college, the Philadelphia Eagles made him the first draft pick in NFL history. Chicago bought his fights from the Eagles, but negotiations broke down between Berwanger and Bears owner George Halas. Alas, Berwanger never played, thus establishing a rather dubious but lasting legacy: the Heisman winner who reaches the NFL, and discovers his trophy has all the usefulness of, well, a doorstop.

Anyway, after that nod to the award's past, it's time to focus on its future. Here, then, are the top candidates to win the Heisman Trophy in 2002 (listed in predicted order of finish):

CASEY CLAUSEN, QUARTERBACK

TENNESEE, JUNIOR

Clausen didn't finish among the top 10 vote-getters last season, but that doesn't mailer. He's a proven winner who figures to keep the Volunteers in the national-title hunt. The Southern Californian's swagger was not immediately embraced in east Tennessee, but that all changed in last year's Citrus Bowl, when he threw three touchdowns and ran for two more in a 45-17 win over Michigan. Now he's being mentioned with Peyton Manning and Tee Martin among the great quarterbacks in school history. A big victory over Florida early in the season and the trophy is his to lose.

USELESS FACT: No Tennessee player has ever won the Heisman. Peyton Manning (1997), Heath Shuler (1993), Johnny Majors (1956), and Hank Lauricella (1951) all finished second.

KEY GAMES: Florida (September 21); Alabama (October 26); Miami (November 9).

REX GROSSMAN, QUARTERBACK

FLORIDA, JUNIOR

There's no questioning his ability. Grossman completed 65.6% of his passes for 3,896 yards and 34 touchdowns last season. He also threw only 12 interceptions. The question is, how will the Florida QB adjust to Life After Spurrier? Ron Zook is a defensive-minded head coach who spends time on both sides of the ball, whereas Spurrier, the 1966 Heisman winner, was a quarterback micro-manager who consistently squeezed every drop of talent out of the signalcallers under his command. As the nation's top returning Heisman vote-getter--he finished second-Grossman has name recognition. And with Brock Berlin now at Miami, there are no longer doubts about playing time.

USELESS FACT: Grossman was the nation's most efficient passer in 2001 (170.8); eventual No. 1 draft pick David Carr finished second (166.7).

KEY GAMES: Miami (September 7); at Tennessee (September 21); at Florida State (November 30).

BYRON LEFTWICH, QUARTERBACK

MARSHALL, SENIOR

Well keep him among the favorites as long as he promises not to borrow Randy Moss' suit for the awards ceremony. Yikes. Anyway, Leftwich is a 6'5", 230-pound potential No. I draft pick who has all the physical skills. He lacks name recognition but makes up for that by shining in the rare instances Marshall is in the spotlight. He threw for 421 yards and four TDs in the MAC title game against Toledo last year and engineered an improbable comeback against East Carolina in the GMAC Bowl, completing 41 of 70 passes for 576 yards and four TDs in a 64-61 overtime thriller.

USELESS FACT: The kid's got a cannon. One time after practice, Leftwich stood at his own 30 and hit the goalpost on the fly. That's 80-plus yards.

KEY GAME: at Virginia Tech (September 12).

KEN DORSEY, QUARTERBACK

MIAMI, SENIOR

Although Dorsey eventually would win the national championship, the voters gave the, 2001 award to Nebraska quarterback Eric Crouch. And maybe they were right. While Dorsey enjoyed a fine season, he disappeared late in the season during an 18-7 nail-biter against Boston College (0 TDs, four interceptions)and during a 26-24 victory over Virginia Tech (21-for-44, one TD). To his credit, Dorsey passed on the NFL to play one more season for a Miami team that will be good but not great. It's this maturity, as well as his solid showing against Nebraska in the national-title game, that gives us hope this could be Dorsey's year.