Heisman Hopefuls: Top Trophy Contenders in Pac-10 College Football
With all the Heisman talk these days about Auburn's Cam Newton, it is easy to forget that there are plenty of other great college football players out there.
Not that Newton hasn't been deserving of the accolades for his play on the field, of course.
However, he still has plenty of competition for the coveted hardware, much of it coming out of the Pac-10.
Parity in the conference this year has yielded a slew of scintillating season-long performances.
Here are the five best so far.
5. Jeff Maehl, Oregon
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Jeff Maehl may not be getting much publicity nationally, but he's emerged as arguably the best wide receiver in the Pac-10.
Though only 23rd nationally in receiving yardage, Maehl's 830 receiving yards place him third in the conference, while his 11 touchdowns so far this season land him at the top of the charts.
Realistically, however, Maehl wouldn't have a shot at making it to the ceremony in New York. Winning the Heisman as a wide-out requires extraordinary numbers, like those of Oklahoma State's Justin Blackmon (1430 yards, 16 touchdowns), and/or two-way duty, a la Charles Woodson.
Nonetheless, Jeff Maehl deserves at least a word or two in the Heisman conversation.
4. Matt Barkley, USC
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Even with USC on probation and banned from the bowl season, Matt Barkley has developed into a Heisman-caliber quarterback.
Barkley is currently fourth in the nation in touchdowns (25) and second in the Pac-10 in passing yardage (2518).
Unfortunately for Barkley, the Trojans' postseason ban will likely keep him off most Heisman lists until he's a senior.
Until then, he will just have to settle for piling up statistics with Ronald Johnson and Robert Woods running deep routes.
3. Darron Thomas, Oregon
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When it comes to Heisman talk, Oregon quarterback Darron Thomas finds himself in a tough spot.
If not for the spectacular play of his talented teammates, Thomas would be getting far more recognition for his outstanding play this season.
On the other hand, if not for those same teammates, Thomas would not likely be compiling such a stellar resume.
Thomas owes much of the credit for his passing statistics (2225 yards, 23 touchdowns, six interceptions, and a QB rating of 153.0) to the reliability of Jeff Maehl.
On the ground, Thomas would be hard-pressed to average 5.6 yards per carry and accumulate 434 yards and a four touchdowns if not for the fact that opposing defenses are geared up to stop LaMichael James.
Either way, Thomas clearly deserves a solid shout-out to the Heisman voters for his leadership of the top-ranked Ducks.
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2. Andrew Luck, Stanford
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Somehow, Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck has managed to surpass the expectations set for him before the season started.
With Heisman runner-up Toby Gerhart in the NFL, Luck has thrived in leading the sixth-ranked Cardinal to a 9-1 record thus far and consideration as the best one-loss team in the country.
Additionally, Luck's 2511 yards and 22 passing touchdowns (against just seven interceptions) have solidified his status as not only a first-round NFL prospect, but also a front-line Heisman contender.
1. LaMichael James, Oregon
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Is there really any doubt that Oregon running back LaMichael James is the best player in the Pac-10?
After missing the opening game due to suspension, James has tallied 1422 yards and 17 touchdowns on the ground while averaging 174.3 all-purpose yards per game–good for fourth in the nation.
Should Oregon continue its march to the BCS Championship Game–and James his dash for the stat sheet–he could very well find himself with the Heisman Trophy in hand, ahead of the talented-but-troubled Cam Newton.
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