Harrell or Crabtree?
So simple, but so difficult to decide who’s the Heisman front-runner this week. Is it the guy who threw the game-winning touchdown pass, or the guy who caught it.
Crabtree’s year hasn’t been as prolific as last year, but 70 catches, 921 yards, and 15 touchdowns through nine games isn’t shabby. More than the numbers, he’s made big catches, namely his catch in double coverage, tackle break, and tiptoe to topple the Longhorns.
You know you want to see it, unless you’re a Texas fan, so here it is, the future ESPY nominee in all its glory (the long version):
As for Harrell, well, he’s thrown all those passes to Crabtree, and to a lot of others. He’s made the clutch throws in Tech’s close games, and he’s thrown a lot of passes with few mistakes (five interceptions in 413 attempts).
Colt McCoy drops to #3 on my list. He certainly did all he could in the second half on Saturday, but hey, he couldn‘t be on the field for Texas Tech‘s last drive, could he?
It’s not over for McCoy though, but all he can do is play his best and hope the other dominoes fall in the right direction, both for him and Texas’ title (Big 12 and national) aspirations.
Sam Bradford (19-27, 311 yards, 5 TD vs. Nebraska) and Oklahoma are both in catch-up mode, but they’re in a position where winning out could pay off big dividends for player and team. He’s on track for 4,000 yards and well over 40 touchdowns, so even if he doesn’t win the Heisman, he could be getting paid big-time in April.
Is it too late for Tim Tebow to make a serious run? His numbers through Florida’s first seven games weren’t really eye-popping, but a five-touchdown game against Georgia, and he’s still kicking, along with UF’s national title hopes.
I’ve got to give some love to the Oklahoma State trio of Zac Robinson, Dez Bryant, and Kendall Hunter. They might all be long shots at this point, but having Texas Tech and Oklahoma left on their slate mean the opportunity’s there to at least state their case for 2009.
Robinson threw five touchdown passes in Saturday’s 59-17 rout of Iowa State, with four of them going to Bryant, who caught nine passes for 171 yards and gave me the boost I needed to seal a playoff spot in my fantasy league. Meanwhile, Hunter had his 7th 100-yard game in a season in which he hasn’t run for less than 90 yards in any of OSU’s nine games.
Unless Robinson decides to enter the 2009 NFL Draft, all three will be back in 2009, and that’s a scary thought.
Anyone else? Well, the clock’s a-ticking for the likes of Javon Ringer and Max Hall, if it hasn’t run out already.
