Don't expect a rush of Heisman running backs

Sporting News, The, Dec 19, 1994 by Ivan Maisel

In the not-too-distant past, Heisman voters discriminated against any player who discriminated up 5 to 7 yards behind the line of scrimmage. The outright snobbery affected even quarterbacks, who normally have to fight off people handing them awards.

Rashaan Salaam collected the Heisman Trophy last week, but don't expect that to end what has become a decade-long domination by the purveyors of the passing game.

From 1973 through '83, running backs won the Heisman every year. In that era, the wishbone ruled college football, the balance between rushing and passing never got off the ground. In 1975 for instance, the combined rushing average per game reached a record 408.9 yards. It's no coincidence that 1975, when Archie Griffin of Ohio State became the only repeat Heisman winner, is the only season in the last quarter-century that a quarterback failed to finish among in the top five in the Heisman vote. The following season, the NCAA liberalized pass-blocking rules to allow linemen to extend their arms.

It appeared it would take a miracle to knock the running backs off their perch - and that's exactly what happened. Doug Flutie's Hail Mary gave Boston College a 47-45 victory over Miami and nailed down the Heisman as well. In the 10 years that began with Flutie's victory, the offensive balance tipped toward passing. Quarterbacks won six Heismans and, lo and behold, receivers even won two.

A rushing renaissance is doubtful. Salaam could help matters considerably if he returns to contend for the award again. At mid-season, Salaam said in a pleading tone that he intended to remain at Colorado for his senior season. His mother pulled him from his, neighborhood high school in San Diego to send him to La Jolla Country Day School. Salaam missed his friends so much that he isn't prepared to let go of the camaraderie in the Buffaloes' locker room.

Even the resignation of Coach Bill McCartney won't affect him. Salaam is close to McCartney's replacement, Rick Neuheisel, who got the job in part because of his relationship with the players.

The question will come down to whether Salaam can be bought He has criticized the decisions of Tyrone Wheatley of Michigan and J.J. Stokes of UCLA to come back for their senior seasons, in which they suffered injuries that diminished their playing time and perhaps their stature with NFL scouts. And Salaam's marketability will never be higher.

While Salaam roamed the country last week, the Colorado football program became the focus of national political attention. The Rainbow Coalition, led by the Rev. Jesse Jackson, said Neuheisel was hired instead of assistant head coach Bob Simmons because Neuheisel is white and Simmons is African American. Colorado President Judith Albino welcomed a chance to meet with Jackson and rebuffed his criticism. Even Simmons downplayed any charge of racism.

However, Jackson found an unlikely endorsement last week. Without referring specifically to Colorado, McCartney laid out the issue for black coaches in simple terms. "White people won't hire them," he told the Rocky Mountain News. "Why else would it be? Most of the players are black. Why now are there only four? It doesn't add up. When guys are qualified, they get passed over. Every school has its own agenda and its own reasons, but that's the bottom line. It's not happening."

McCartney's reference to four black head coaches included Tyrone Willingham, hired by Stanford last week. Willingham had been on Denny Green's staff on the Farm before leaving with Green for the Minnesota Vikings. Willingham got the job the old-fashioned way - through the network. Athletic Director Ted Leland knew him, gave him a chance to win the job and Willingham impressed enough people to get it. It's one ray of hope in a gloomy picture.

Coming around

There's every reason to believe Penn State could go undefeated and not finish No. 1 for the fourth time under Joe Paterno, Big Ten or no Big Ten. The years 1968, '69 and '73 are considered dark years in Happy Valley. To that list, prepare to add 1994.

Not for nothing did the Big Ten athletic directors and coaches last week discuss the possibility of jumping into the Bowl Alliance at some future date. Over the next three seasons, No. 1 will play No. 2 in the Fiesta, Sugar and Orange bowls, respectively. The recent discussion in New York, where the poobahs of college football gathered for the Hall of Fame induction dinner, centered upon the Big Ten and the Rose Bowl moving into the alliance when the current contract runs out in 2001.

But watch Penn State finish 12-0 and No. 2 this year and see how fast that timetable moves up. Commissioner Jim Delany already has made inquiries with Alliance members (i.e., the officers of the other I-A conferences) about making the Rose Bowl the fourth wheel in the Alliance. If the Nittany Lions are snubbed in the polls, that might go a long way toward persuading the Rose Bowl it can't wait.

On the brighter side, Penn State took a big step last week toward maintaining its Big Ten dominance. Quarterback Dan Kendra of Bethlehem (Pa.) Catholic High announced that he planned to sign, with the Nittany Lions. Kendra, one of the top high school players in the country, had narrowed the field to Penn State and Florida State. His father had played quarter-back at West Virginia for Bobby Bowden. But Bowden should have been prepared to lose one of those battles. Two years ago, Scott Bentley turned down his father's alma mater, Notre Dame, to sign with Florida State.