Then there are those campaigns that make sense in the preseason, pick up a little steam in playing time, and then bite the dust, whether by freak accident, or by plain old lack of production.
I've compiled ten campaigns over the past ten years that ran aground at some point in the season for a variety of reasons. Have a look, enjoy, weep, mourn, curse the voters for their lack of consistency, and above all, tell me about your favorite Heisman busts in the comments, and I'll make room for them.
Kenny Irons, Auburn RB, 2006
Auburn was in the national title hunt in 2006, upsetting #6 LSU 7-3 in a defensive struggle and boasting a power running game behind Kenny Irons.
Irons habitually ran into a pile, disappeared, and popped out the other side, blasting into the secondary. He rarely went down on first contact, and made up for a lack of speed with strength and elusiveness.
His dark-horse Heisman hopes fizzled in Auburn's upset loss to Arkansas that year, when Irons was held out of the endzone by the Arkansas defense, and outshined by up-and-coming Razorback RB Darren McFadden, who doubled Irons' numbers at 143 and ran for a score on an Auburn defense that hadn't allowed a rushing TD all year.
He couldn't put up the gaudy numbers expected of running backs from the SEC. In the end, he was just another hard guy to tackle.
Jahvid Best, Cal RB, 2009
Before you stick a fork in the Heisman chances of certain injury-plagued QBs from the Big 12 and SEC, count Jahvid Best as the first preseason-Heisman-hype casualty of 2009. Nothing dooms your chances more than two sub-60 yard efforts without scores in the two most meaningful games of your season.
Those are precisely the stats Jahvid Best posted after running for two scores against Maryland, one on Eastern Washington, and putting on a stellar five touchdown effort against Minnesota, the last of which was responsible for upgrading Best's Heisman status from "legit dark horse" to "viable contender".
Best looked human against the Duck and Trojan run defenses, and is back to earth now. Apparently, they didn't get the memo that he can't be tackled and that he picked his holes better than anybody. That's not something Heisman voters like to find out this early.
Best's best chance right now is to stick around for 2010, when Cal is 0-0 and still considered a legitimate PAC-10 contender again. Which, as soon as NFL scouts come calling in December, is about as slim a possibility as taking home the trophy this year.
Reggie McNeal, Texas A&M QB, 2005
McNeal started the '05 season as one of SI's Heisman dark horses, and graced the cover of Texas Football magazine alongside someone named Vince Young, who maybe played for Rice or something.
McNeal had been the fifth-ranked prospect overall and the best athlete in the Rivals 2002 class, and had come off the bench to throw four touchdowns against then-#1 Oklahoma in the fall.
After a minor regression as a sophomore, McNeal continued his development as a junior, throwing 14 TDs and rushing for eight more en route to first-team All-Big 12 QB status. There was hope that his senior season would be the time that A&M challenged Texas for the conference title.
Instead, take Vince Young's 2005 season and flip it; that was McNeal's. The Aggies went 5-6, needed an OT to beat Baylor, lost their last four straight, and missed a bowl. McNeal was held out of the Texas game due to an injury he suffered in a loss to Oklahoma.
Going through two coaches and having Dennis Franchione as your offensive guru was, in retrospect, not in keeping with McNeal's multivarious talents. His name didn't crack the Heisman ten-deep, and he's currently playing Canadian ball as a QB/WR combo.
Desean Jackson, Cal WR, 2007
Desean Jackson's Heisman campaign, from the outset, had caveats. He was the premier wide receiver in a talented wide receiving corp all around, played on the West Coast (which, without question, impedes recognition), and, most notably, the Cal QB play had been less than consistent since the days of Aaron Rodgers.
It began promisingly, however, as Cal started the season 5-0 and ascended to #2 in the country. Jackson's team was in the limelight, and it appeared he might be able to win the Heisman as a wide receiver for the first time since Desmond Howard.
However, the #2 ranking came just in time for the Oregon State Beavers to come to Memorial Stadium with upset in mind. Longshore was held out of the game due to injury, forcing freshman Kevin Riley to make his first start.
You've Riley's scramble to get tackled on the field cost Cal the chance at a last-second comeback, and Jackson's Heisman campaign went limp as Cal's season imploded.
Jackson's stats for receptions and touchdowns regressed significantly, and he was held out of the endzone in Cal's loss to USC, dooming his appearance on the ballot. He didn't even make the top ten in final voting, and instead of playing out his senior season, chose to depart to the NFL, where he has occasionally been carefree with the football.
Cody Pickett, Washington QB, 2003
Cody Pickett, as any Husky fan would point out, threw for more yards than Carson Palmer in 2002. But the Huskies were 7-6 to USC's 11-2.
Pickett deferred from the NFL draft in favor of returning to the now Neuheisel-less Huskies for his senior year. SI.com had him picked as the #2 Heisman contender, behind Phillip Rivers, on the strength of the Pickett-to-Williams connection and Pickett's three outstanding years at the Dub.
But a banged up offensive line and receiving corps led to more costly losses, and Pickett battled a nagging shoulder injury for the second half of the season that cost him his gaudy numbers. Plus that team down in Southern California was getting most of the quite-sparse West Coast love.
Pickett missed out big on the trophy, but had enough in him to secure the win over UDub's instate rivals in the clip below.
Adrian Peterson, Oklahoma RB, 2006
Peterson's Heisman campaign historically began as a freshman, when he came in second to Matt Leinart in the final vote, lead the nation in rushing attempts and was also a finalist for the Doak Walker Award, the trophy given to college's best running back.
His 2005 season was limited due to a high ankle sprain, yet he still finished second in Big 12 rushing yardage, posted 20 touchdowns, and made the All-Big 12 team.
2006 was Peterson's year to finally collect the hardware. His was among the top three names getting mentioned week after week until a fateful leap into the endzone against Iowa State caused a break in his collarbone, effectively ending his chase for the stiff-armed man.
For many it seemed an unfair conclusion to a college career as the nation's premier bruising runner, one who never took the easy way out of bounds, and continually punished Big 12 defenders for soft tackling.
However, Peterson's injury and subsequent fall from Heisman contention is mitigated now by his professional success on the field as well as the near-unanimous belief in his long-term viability as a running back.
Dennis Dixon, Oregon QB, 2007
Oregon QB Dennis Dixon had his Ducks rolling towards national title contention with wins over Michigan, USC, and undefeated Arizona State and one loss to Cal, still considered a strong team in spite of the L.
He'd greatly improved his downfield accuracy, had speed to burn, and was at the helm of one of the most prolific offenses in the country. Recognition as one of the most dynamic players in the country meant Heisman hype wasn't far behind.
Having already posted a 39-yard scamper for a score, some treacherous part of Dennis Dixon's knee decided it wanted to go left when the rest of him wanted to go right during a cakewalk against the struggling Arizona Wilcats. Dixon collapsed to the turf without being touched, and was taken out of the game in the first quarter.
As expected, Dixon's absence proved profound as Brady Leaf (yes, that Brady Leaf, of the Leaf line) threw two picks, one for six, in the depressing loss. .
Dixon still managed to place fifth in the final Heisman voting, but the acknowledgment was small comfort for a team whose star had collapsed, unjustly, just weeks before reaching the summit.
But regardless, dynamic Indiana Hoosier quarterback Antwaan Randle El was without question one of the nation's most dynamic players and was at the forefront of Heisman contention at the start of the hype train.
That is, until head coach Cam Cameron decided to move his best player to wide receiver prior to early season losses to Utah, North Carolina State, and Ohio.
Cameron's move was too smart by half as the Hoosiers offense sputtered and started the year 1-5.
Randle El eventually moved back to QB and surpassed Michigan's Rick Leach for most points scored by a QB passing and rushing, leading the Hoosiers in upset wins over Northwestern, Michigan State, and Purdue. But the early season losses proved insurmountable as Indiana was denied a bowl game, and Randle El fell to fifth in the voting.
The losing season also cost Cameron his job.
Got an hour and a half? Check out one of Randle El's most exciting games over on Hulu.
Ken Simonton, Oregon State RB, 2001
After terrific freshman, sophomore, and junior seasons of consecutive record-breaking numbers, Ken Simonton entered his senior year leading all Heisman contenders in hype, and needing 1000 yards to become the first PAC-10 player to have 1000 yard seasons in all four years of his career. Sports Illustrated ranked the Beavers their preseason #1 team, and featured Simonton on their cover.
But there was a definite lack of flash to Simonton's game (think Jacquizz Rogers) that made the Heisman hype-machine unsustainable, and the undersized workhorse was held underneath the 1000 yard mark. The Beavers devolved to 5-6, missing a bowl game a year after posting an 11-1 record and defeating Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl.
SImonton went undrafted in the 2002 NFL draft due to questions about his size and durability.
Brian Brohm, Louisville QB, 2007
Another classic example of a player's Heisman campaign ruined by the collapse of his team, Brian Brohm entered his senior year amid sky high expectations for the Cardinals, who had defeated Wake Forest in the Orange Bowl the year before and were ranked a top ten team in the preseason.
Though revisionist historians have called Brohm's season "outstanding" (and it was; Brohm passed for 4,000+ yards and 30 touchdowns to 12 interceptions), the only thing that stood out about the Louisville Cardinals in 2007 was their loss column.
Steve Kragthorpe's team went 6-6, including losses to bottom-dwelling Syracuse (who put up 38 points), rival Kentucky, unranked Utah, UConn, West Virginia, and South Florida. The Cardinals also missed a bowl game, which in the modern era is Heisman hype anathema.
Poor Brian Brohm had to ply his trade at the Senior Bowl in a draft year suddenly flush with pro-style quarterback talent. He currently sits behind LSU's Matt Flynn on the Green Bay Packers roster.
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