McFadden, Daniel, Tebow, or Brennan?: Heisman Preview

This weekend marks a monumental time in the college football season. One college standout will hoist up the most coveted prize in college ball—The Heisman Trophy.

For 13 weeks, athletes from all over the country have battled for the prestigious prize. It's college football's MVP trophy, and Saturday night in New York, four all-stars will lock horns one more time for the solo championship.

Here's the 411 on the final four:

 
Darren McFadden, RB, Arkansas Razorbacks

Last year's runner up for the Heisman is not about to settle for second best this year. Following his blockbuster 200-yard game in the Hogs' victory over LSU, both McFadden and soon to be former coach Houston Nutt were talking Heisman winner this time around.

McFadden displayed his resume by being all over the field this season. D-Mac racked up 1,725 yards on 304 carries with 15 TDs and nine 100-yard games. Through the air, he was 6/11 for 123 yards and four touchdowns including one against the Bayou Pussycats. As a receiver, D-Train snagged 21 catches for 164 yards and a touchdown.

Despite the Hogs' up and down season, McFadden has tried to keep pace with the rest of the Heisman pack. He must have done something right because he is on his way back to New York for another shot at immortality.

 
Colt Brennan, QB, Hawaii Warriors

Arguably having the best season of his career, Colt Brennan had the Warriors eyeing the BCS. An undefeated season and several touchdowns later, Brennan is finally in the national spotlight. The Warriors may not be playing until January, but Brennan is ready to cap off his amazing season with the Heisman Trophy coming back to Honolulu.

Brennan completed 337 for 472 (71.4 percent) of his passes for 4,174 yards and 38 touchdowns and averaged 8.8 yards per attempt. He also did a little footwork as he racked up 65 yards and eight touchdowns on 73 carries. He completed his landmark year with a perfect season up to this point and a QB rating of 166.3.

The biggest question here isn’t whether Brennan can finish what he started. The question is can he and his Mighty Rainbow Warriors be this year’s Boise State? That’s a question he’ll answer next month. He’s more focused on saying Aloha to his three opponents and book it back to the island with the MVP trophy in hand.

 
Chase Daniel, QB, Missouri Tigers

He carried the Tigers to within a heartbeat of playing for the national championship and led them to their first Big 12 Championship appearance and their first No. 1 ranking in more than 40 years.

Now, all of Chase Daniel’s hard work could pay off as he was announced as a finalist for the Heisman Trophy.

How did he get here?—Determination and some pretty good numbers.

A fan held up a sign last weekend that said that champions win the Heisman, not stats. Unfortunately, Mizzou didn’t win the Conference, so stats will have to work. Daniel completed 372 of his 534 passes (69.7 percent) for 4,170 yards and 33 touchdowns. He finished with an average of 7.8 yards per attempt.

He got it done on the ground as well, as he rushed for 284 yards and four touchdowns on 104 carries. He finished with a QB rating of 151.9 and his Tigers were the runners up for this year’s Big 12 Championship.

Daniel hopes that he won’t be a runner up after this weekend. Next stop: New York…and for Chase Daniel, hopefully infamy. 

 
Tim Tebow, QB, Florida Gators

Matt Flynn will get his shot at glory when the LSU Whiners face The Ohio State University for the BCS Championship. Flynn will have to watch the Heisman show from his home, though, because he isn’t there this year.

The SEC is still represented with arguably the most exciting QB in the conference, if not the country. All season, fans, and opposing teams alike have been hoping that Tim Tebow jacks himself up so badly that he won’t come back onto the field. Unfortunately for them, he keeps coming back to break records.

This season, as the starter following Chris Leak’s departure, Tebow went 217 of 317 (68.5 percent) for 3,132 yards and 29 touchdowns. His yards per attempt (9.9) was the highest among the Top 10 quarterback leaders in the country. But Tebow’s got legs, too, and he wasn’t afraid to show them. He rushed for 838 yards on 194 carries for 22 touchdowns, one shy of the conference record for most in a season…and did I mention that he’s a quarterback? His QB rating (177.9) was second in the country only to a former Heisman hopeful, Sam Bradford of Oklahoma.

If destiny does indeed await Tim Tebow, he would become the first sophomore to win the Heisman Trophy. It’s hard to argue with stats or facts, but then again, everyone was gunning for Tebow. Maybe the trophy will follow suit. 

 
My Pick

Despite everyone’s campaigning during the season, Pat White and Sam Bradford were sent packing after some shoddy playing during the middle of the season. White’s chances went up in smoke against Pittsburgh, while Bradford waited until the last minute to swing for the fences. This final four is truly a who’s who of college football. Variety is definitely in this year’s race—four mobile football players all out for the same prize.

Colt Brennan’s season was pretty impressive, as was Chase Daniel’s. D-Train didn’t get into second gear until it was make or break time. In the end, it’s hard to argue with the Gator Nation getting another Heisman. Whatever June Jones has to say is irrelevant. He found success in the college ranks after flopping around like a half dead fish in the pros.

Brennan has the undefeated season, Mizzou has the No. 1 ranking, and D-Train has the top pick in the draft—but the Heisman will go to the mobile, lethal quarterback from Gator Country. History will be made tomorrow night. And Tebow will claim what was already his: The Heisman Trophy. 

 
Result (by place): Tebow, Brennan, Daniel, McFadden

See ya next week, knuckleheads.