Closing Arguments

Sporting News, The, Oct 9, 2000

Can a running back win the Heisman this season?

No--this QB class too good

By Steve Greenberg

Skeptics attributed Ron Dayne's 1999 Heisman Trophy win to the Wisconsin offensive system that enabled him to run for the record books. I didn't buy that then, and I don't buy it now. Dayne won the Heisman because not enough voters bothered to watch Michael Vick play.

Vick won't have such a problem this season, for two reasons: (1) Voters nationwide are setting aside time to catch Virginia Tech's scintillating sophomore quarterback in action, and (2) the exploits of Vick and a few Vick-like quarterbacks have engendered a deep and somewhat surprising respect among pundits and fans for--what shall we call them?--the anti-Wuerffels.

Florida's Danny Wuerffel, whose 1996 Heisman is the last for a quarterback, was the classic pocket passer. UF was fortunate that his complete lack of mobility didn't derail its national-championship run. Vick, Nebraska's Eric Crouch, Clemson's Woodrow Dantzler and Washington's Marques Tuiasosopo--all of whom are best on the run but pass very effectively--simply do more for their bowl-bound teams than Wuerffel ever did for the Gators. They certainly do more for their teams than Dayne, college football's all-time leading rusher, did for the Rose Bowl champion Badgers. Or haven't you noticed UW tailback Michael Bennett's 2000 numbers?

Aside from Bennett, what non-QB could win this year's Heisman? Michigan RB Anthony Thomas? QB Drew Henson, who rescued UM at Illinois two weekends ago, will gobble up most of the credit if the Wolverines win the Big Ten. TCU's LaDainian Tomlinson? Talk to me when he ups his single-game rushing mark to 500 yards.

If the Heisman doesn't go to one of the four quarterbacks listed above (Henson won't be a factor), it'll be because Purdue's Drew Brees or Florida State's Chris Weinke has snatched the hardware. Of course, those guys line up under center, too.

Yes--once the QB hype ends

By Matt Hayes

So this is a Heisman race? It may as well be a watch--let's sit back and see if Michael Vier stumbles over that pre-nomination bounce he got 10 months ago from the Sugar Bowl. Then we'll throw Chris Weinke up front. Or Eric Crouch. Or Woodrow Dantzler.

Every year around this time, the Heisman hype starts, and the search for a quarterback begins. The quarterback is unquestionably the most important player on the field. But that doesn't mean he's the most valuable. And that is what the Heisman Trophy is all about: value and big numbers.

At this point, a handful of tailbacks are the clear leaders. Is there anyone more valuable to his team than Wisconsin's Michael Bennett? Take away that one-game suspension against Cincinnati for Shoegate, and fast Michael would be well over 1,000 yards.

Then there's TCU's LaDainian Tomlinson, who has a legitimate shot at reaching 2,000 yards and leading the Horned Frogs to an unbeaten season. But if Tomlinson goes down, so does TCU. Auburn has been a surprising story, bolting to an unbeaten start two years after the Terry Bowden turmoil. The Tigers wouldn't have beaten LSU without Rudi Johnson, and they might have lost more than once if they didn't have the player some on The Plains are comparing to former Heisman winner Bo Jackson.

Michigan's rise has been attributed to the return of quarterback Drew Henson, but without Anthony Thomas, the Wolverines wouldn't have beaten Illinois (fumble replay notwithstanding). Thomas also had Michigan in position to beat UCLA on the road before special teams problems ended any hope of an unbeaten season.

When the Vick hype subsides, it will boil down to value and production. The last player standing will be a big back with big numbers.