One big event happening this coming weekend will be the announcement of the 2010 Heisman Trophy winner. The Heisman Trophy is awarded annually to the best player in college football, who is elected by a committee of voters. Last year, Alabama running back Mark Ingram beat out fellow RB Toby Gerhart, QBs Tim Tebow and Colt McCoy, and DT Ndamukong Suh. All four of the runners-up are now in the NFL.
Well, the first Heisman Trophy was given out in 1935, and they've been given out every year since (including 2005, when Reggie Bush won, but he has since given it back since he was paid and offered other benefits, to attend USC). Some of the winners have gone on to illustrious careers in pro football: Roger Staubach (1963), O.J. Simpson (yes, THAT O.J., 1969), Tony Dorsett (1976), Herschel Walker (1982), Bo Jackson (1985), Barry Sanders (1988), Ricky Williams (1998). Others, like 2008 winner Sam Bradford (who now starts as QB for the St. Louis Rams), are currently tearing the NFL apart. A few of the winners of recent years have proven to be professional busts (like 2004 winner Matt Leinart), and some others ('02's Carson Palmer, '06's Troy Smith, '07's Tim Tebow) are still trying to figure things out.
Well, this year's candidates are Auburn QB Cam Newton (still in the hunt despite all the controversy over whether or not he received benefits to attend Auburn), Oregon RB LaMichael James (who will face off against Newton in the BCS National Championship Game in January), Stanford QB Andrew Luck, and Boise State QB Kellen Moore.
Newton, who led Auburn to a 59-17 punishing of South Carolina in the SEC Championship Game, has passed for 2,589 yards and 28 touchdowns, and rushed for 1,409 yards and 20 TDs. He has thrown just 6 interceptions.
James has rushed for 1,682 yards on 281 carries, and scored 21 touchdowns.
Luck has passed for 3,051 yards and 28 touchdowns, and has rushed for 438 yards, while throwing just 7 interceptions.
Moore has passed for 3,506 yards and 33 touchdowns, throwing just 5 interceptions.
This award has, especially of late, been primarily given to quarterbacks, and, of them, Newton has been the biggest game-changer and make-maker for his team, so, unless all the bad press really haunts voters, he should be the clear winner. True, he is a more run-oriented quarterback than Luck or Moore, but his eye-popping stats give him the edge. Moore, who is not a runner, has eye-popping stats for a passer as well, but the strength-of-schedule argument will hurt his chances just as it hurt his team's chances to make a major Bowl game before they lost their undefeated season at Nevada last week.
The announcement is going to be made Saturday at 8 p.m.
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