Booty, Brennan & Brohm top Heisman list among QBs
08/14/2007 07:42 AM
By: Chance Harper
They date the cheerleader in the tightest sweater, drive nice cars on campus and are the focus of every fan's attention on game day. Oh, and they also win a lot of Heisman Trophies. College QBs are once again a glamour position and we could see a seventh pivot's name in eight years called out at the Downtown Athletic Club.
The 1960s are back.
Booty, Brennan & Brohm top Heisman list among QBs
The signs are everywhere. Counterculture is on the rise, small cars are reclaiming the streets, and college football is awash in talented quarterbacks. Not since the days of Roger Staubach and Steve Spurrier have we seen this kind of aerial assault. Six of the last seven Heisman Trophy winners were quarterbacks, and there’s more where they came from.
Good thing, too. A good, old-fashioned flexbone is a great way for a program like Navy to carve out a niche for itself. But for the elite NCAA programs, it’s very difficult to stay on top without an elite quarterback to balance a strong running game.
They don’t come much more elite these days than the USC Trojans. They’ve churned out national title contenders since Year Two of the Pete Carroll regime, making Heisman winners out of Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart in the process. This year’s pivot of choice is John David Booty, and with the Trojans threatening to post an undefeated season, Booty is a co-favorite at +400 to take the 2007 Heisman.
Booty is central to USC’s title hopes. He waited patiently for his chance to start while Leinart stuck around campus for an extra year; 2006 was his first crack at the No. 1 job, and he excelled with 29 touchdown throws to just nine interceptions. USC will rely on Booty’s playmaking skills even more in 2007, now that the receiving corps is younger without Dwayne Jarrett and Steve Smith around.
An argument could be made that Booty has an even better skill set than Leinart; you could say the same thing for the next Trojans superstar, sophomore QB Mark Sanchez. But if Booty pulls up lame, USC’s hopes for a championship may be toast. Carroll is hoping instead to nurture Sanchez’ development by finding him some playing time in low-pressure situations, like when USC is up by several touchdowns in the fourth quarter.
Booty may be a Heisman contender, but he might not even be in the Top 5 of this year’s quarterback crop. The consensus BMOC is Hawaii’s Colt Brennan, who set the Division I-A record by throwing 58 TD passes in 2006. And he can run, too. However, we might see more of the latter and less of the former in 2007. The Warriors offensive line isn’t as mighty, and running back Nate Ilaoa is now property of the Philadelphia Eagles. Playing in the WAC doesn’t help Brennan’s Heisman chances at +600, either.
Here’s a rundown of the other top quarterback candidates to win the 2007 Heisman Trophy:
Brian Brohm, Louisville (+500)
Returning for his senior season after winning MVP honors at the Orange Bowl, Brohm has everything an NFL scout could ask for. But can he stay healthy?
Tim Tebow, Florida (+900)
'Timmy' was a fantastic change of pace for the Gators on their march to the national title. It remains to be seen what he can do as the No. 1 pivot now that Chris Leak has graduated.
Patrick White, West Virginia (+1200)
White’s balance of running (1,219 yards, 18 TDs) and passing (1,655 yards, 13 touchdowns) is even more dangerous than Tebow’s. But White plays on the same team as RB Steve Slaton, the other Heisman co-favorite at +400.
Chad Henne, Michigan (+1250)
Henne should have a tremendous season playing behind the powerful Wolverines offensive line and throwing the ball to the likes of Mario Manningham. Yet RB Mike Hart is the bigger Heisman threat at +800.
Colt McCoy, Texas (+1500)
The best value on the board. McCoy completed nearly 70 percent of his passes as a freshman and would have merited serious Heisman consideration had he not been injured late in the season. McCoy is primed to lead the Longhorns to the top of the Big 12 and make another run at the title.
Chase Daniel, Missouri (+1700)
Get to know him. Daniel is one of the true rising stars at the college level, operating in a potent spread offense that will give the ‘Horns a run for their money.
Anthony Morelli, Penn State (+3600)
An amazing high-school player, but Morelli hasn’t managed to put it together since joining PSU. Has a shot at making the Rose Bowl regardless.
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Booty, Brennan & Brohm top Heisman list among QBs
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Originally Posted by pags11
