West Virginia Football, Geno Smith: Buy or Sell as a Heisman Contender?

West Virginia football does not get enough attention.

Not only do they have a very good football team this year, but they also have one of the best players in the country.

Quarterback Geno Smith is underrated and is flying under the radar this year.

Is it time to buy or sell Geno Smith as a Heisman contender? Let's take a look.

Buy: Numbers Don’t Lie

To separate players from one another, the best measuring stick is stats. Before today’s game against Maryland, Smith had compiled 31 career touchdowns to just eight interceptions.

During the 2010 season he passed for over 2,700 yards and led the Mountaineers to a 9-4 record. He seems to be getting better every year and is the leader of this team.

Sell: Not as Good as the Other Quarterbacks

Geno Smith is very talented, but if you believe that he is a Heisman candidate then you have to put him in the same class as some of the other quarterbacks on the list—which includes Stanford’s Andrew Luck and Oklahoma’s Landry Jones.

Smith is good, but he is not that good.

Buy: What Have You Done for Me Lately?

The game against Maryland is not over, but Smith is proving that he is the MVP of this Mountaineer team.

As I write this, he has passed for 322 yards on 26-of-34 passes. He has one touchdown and a very comfortable lead over the rival Terrapins.

Sell: Big Least

The Mountaineers play in the Big (L)east and that is not impressive. With the exception of the out-of-conference game against LSU, Smith does not face the toughest competition. The toughest road game on the schedule is arguably against South Florida.

That is not the type of résumé that a Heisman candidate needs to win the hardware.

Buy or Sell?

The jury is still out on Geno Smith. Regardless of whether you buy or sell his Heisman chances, there is one thing that cannot be ignored: He has talent.

He may not be a household name right now, but if the Mountaineers beat Maryland and find a way to upset LSU, everyone will know the name Geno Smith.

James Brown is a B/R Featured Columnist. Feel free to contact James at [e-mail].