Record: 11-0
Stats: 337-472, 4174 Yards, 38 Touchdowns, 14 Interceptions
Best Game: vs. Washington (12/1) 42-50, 442, 5TDs, 0INTs
Worst Game: The ones they played Northern Colorado, Charleston Southern, UNLV, Idaho, Utah State and Louisiana Tech
Thoughts: You can thank Brennan (and to a lesser extent Graham Harrell of Texas Tech) for the introduction of the phrase "System Quarterback" into the college football lexicon.
June Jones countered this this past Sunday by calling Tim Tebow a "System Quarterback". Truth is coaching is dominating college football right now and every quarterback in the country is recruited and trained to run a coaches system. All quarterbacks are "System Quarterbacks" and Brennan ran June Jones' system better than anyone has.
It doesn't help though that he played a terrible non-conference schedule and played most of his games after writers deadlines, when they are often found drunk.
Chase Daniel, QB, Missouri, Senior
Record: 11-2
Stats: 372-534, 4170 Yards, 33 Touchdowns, 11 Interceptions
Best Game: vs. Kansas (11/24) 40-49, 361, 3TDs 0INTs
Worst Game: vs. Oklahoma (12/1) 23-39, 218, 0TDs 1INT
Thoughts: While his numbers are comparable to Brennan's against what is perceived to be tougher competition. He had a two game audition for the trophy the final two weeks of the season and ended with mixed results. He did nothing to seal the trophy (which has consistently been given to the Quarterback of the best team in the country in absence of a dominant individual performance) last Saturday in the Big XII Championship Game. Its tough to win a Heisman when your worst game is your last and one of two you played on national television.
Darren McFadden, RB, Arkansas, Junior
Record: 8-4
Stats: 304 Carries, 1725 Yards, 15 Touchdowns
Best Game: vs. South Carolina (11/3) 34 Car, 321 Yds, 1TD
Worst Game: vs. Auburn (10/13) 17 Car, 43 Yds, 0TDs
Thoughts: McFadden, who was the preseason favorite for this award hasn't been able to sustain any Heisman campaign momentum as when he was effective in the first five games of the season, Arkansas was only 3-2. His breakout game was against South Carolina and you may remember better that he almost single-handidly beat a team that is playing for the National Championship anyway. He is the "Anti-Daniel" as he left voters with a great closing statement but a vote for McFadden seems to be a vote for two games and Arkansas' pedestrian record even in the SEC doesn't help his cause either.
Tim Tebow QB, Florida, Sophomore
Record: 9-3
Stats: 217-317, 3132 Yards, 29TDs, 6INTs, 838 Rushing Yards, 22 Rushing TDs
Best Game: at South Carolina (11/10) 22-32, 304Yds, 2TDs, 1INT, 120 Rush Yds, 5 Rush TDs
Worst Game: vs. Georgia (10/27) 14-22, 236Yds, 1TD, 0INT, -15 Rush Yds, 2 Rush TDs
Thoughts: I think the numbers clearly tell you that Tebow had statistically the best season of anybody in the country. Two things stand between him and being a clear favorite for this award. He's only a sophomore and no sophomore has ever won the Heisman but many people who may have been able to win it as sophomores have. Those people will be casting votes and don't seem too eager to give the opportunity for this award to Tebow when they never had it as sophomores. Also, Florida's season could be labeled a disappointment. Most Heisman winners take their teams to meet or exceed expectations, Tebow even for all his statistical production, didn't.
And the winner is...
Tebow, those numbers are insane, his worst game was due to a shoulder injury in a game he probably shouldn't have played in and he still accounted for 3TDs. In the last four games he was a dominant player in blowout wins he was for the most part responsible for. He has the numbers, the visibility, and the closeout of a season worthy of this award regardless of class or team expectations.
