College Football Predictions 2011: 5 Heisman Candidates Ready to Pose

The Heisman Trophy is one of the most prestigious awards in all of sports. It is awarded to the most outstanding player in collegiate football.

A player can't just have great statistical numbers to win the trophy. Their team must be in the area of title contention.

The winner of the award is generally a quarterback or running back with the occasional wide receiver or tight end.

Here are my favorites to win the trophy heading into the 2011 season.

No 5: Kellen Moore

College: Boise State

Position: QB

Similar to 2010, Kellen Moore and the Broncos will start the season away from the blue turf against a tough competitor. Last year it was Virginia Tech, and this year it is Georgia.

Seeing how Moore plays in a weaker conference, he doesn't get the Heisman votes that maybe he deserves. His aspirations of winning the award could be over after game one if the Broncos go down.

If his performance can replicate what he did against Virginia Tech—215 yards and three touchdowns— Moore would start the season on a great note.

2010: 35 touchdowns compared to six interceptions.

2009: 39 touchdowns compared to three interceptions.

If he could come closer to his 2009 touchdown-to-interception ratio Moore will be making the trip to New York for the award presentation.

My Prediction: 3,600 yards passing, 36 touchdowns and five interceptions.

No 4: Trent Richardson

College: Alabama

Position: RB

Trent Richardson will be the primary back for the Alabama Crimson Tide this season.

2010: 700 yards rushing on 112 attempts, 6.3 yards per rush and 10 total touchdowns.

2009: 751 yards rushing on 145 attempts, 5.2 yards per rush and eight total touchdowns.

His touches will increase significantly without former running back Mark Ingram, therefore his yards and touchdowns will both increase significantly, allowing him to be in Heisman contention.

He is capable of breaking one loose every time he touches the ball. His yards per rush could decrease because of the increase in touches or increase because he is a lethal big-gain type of player.

My 2011 Prediction: 1,550 yards on 235 attempts, 6.6 yards per rush and 20 total touchdowns.

No 3: LaMichael James

College: Oregon

Position: RB

LaMichael James and the Oregon Ducks had a magical season that came up one game short of a national championship. Now, they are looking to repeat their 2010 performance, with a better end result.

Their explosive offense was first in college football averaging 47 points per game. James played a huge role in the Ducks' attack.

2010: 1,731 yards rushing on 294 attempts, 5.9 yards per rush and 24 total touchdowns.

2009: 1,546 yards rushing on 230 attempts, 6.7 yards per rush and 14 total touchdowns.

Oregon is primarily a rushing offense that mixes a pass every so often. They ran the ball 629 times compared to 395 pass attempts in 2010, and James will continue to benefit from their style in 2011.

My 2011 Prediction: 1,650 yards rushing on 275 attempts, six yards per rush and 23 total touchdowns. 

No 2: Andrew Luck

College: Stanford

Position: QB

Andrew Luck would have been the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft if he decided to leave school. It turns out that he really wanted to graduate from Stanford so kudos to him. That is an accomplishment and decision that you can respect, regardless if you agree with it or not.

Luck improved his statistics drastically from 2009.

2010: 3,338 yards passing, 32 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He connected on 71 percent of his passes, which is phenomenal.

2009: 2,575 yards passing, 13 touchdowns and four interceptions. His completion percentage was 56.3.

I expect great improvement in his numbers this season.

My 2011 Prediction: 4,000 yards passing, 35 touchdowns and nine interceptions.

No 1: Landry Jones

College: Oklahoma

Position: QB

Landry Jones had a fantastic season with the Sooners in 2010. He threw for 4,718 yards and 38 touchdowns. He threw 12 interceptions in 2010, a statistic that will need to improve if Jones wants to win the Heisman Trophy.

Jones had 11 multi-touchdown games, including eight three-plus touchdown games in 2011. He completed 66 percent of his passes. His passing numbers are great because his offense allows him to throw more than most of the teams in college football.

His freshman season was up-and-down. He threw 26 touchdowns compared to 14 interceptions while completing 58 percent of his passes.

Jones improved greatly from 2009, and his improvement should be noticeable in 2011. Noticeable enough to award him with a trip to New York for the Heisman presentation.

My 2011 Prediction: 4,800 yards, 40 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

One game can decide who wins the Heisman or not, so I really feel that all five of these players, as well as some others, can win the trophy.

My selection, as of right now, is Jones. It may not be the most glamorous choice because of Luck and James, but I feel that Jones and the Sooners will be in the hunt for the national title game, and his numbers will be hard to pass on.