Video: Heisman time
A sprint for the Heisman
Heisman Trophy ballots are due next Monday at 4 p.m. Oklahoma time. The deadline keeps getting later and later each season, which came in handy this season because I’m still not sure the race has even started yet.
For the first time in history, the entire balloting process will be done on-line. I just hope 1947 winner Johnny Lujack has gone wireless so he can vote. Maybe someday the Heisman people will line up that year’s top four candidates on stage. Voters will then text their votes like American Idol and the winner will be announced after a commercial break.
I believe this is the 23rd time I’ve voted on this thing and I must admit I’ve never been more confused or less captivated. In a weekly poll for Scripps Howard, so far this season I’ve voted six different players at No. 1 — Oklahoma’s Sam Bradford in the preseason, Colt McCoy of Texas, Tim Tebow of Florida, Case Keenum of Houston, Mark Ingram of Alabama and now Toby Gerhart, the running back from Stanford.
I’ll wait until after this weekend’s games before I press “send.” Gerhart won’t play Saturday, but McCoy will. So will Tebow and Ingram and Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh. If there is any justice in America, a boy named Suh would win this year’s Heisman, but that won’t happen. It remains an offensive award.
The Heisman ballot has you list your top three candidates, and all three spots remain open for me. Right now, I’m leaning toward Gerhart. McCoy could sway my vote if he toys with Nebraska. Suh could sway my vote if he toys with the Longhorns. Tebow or Ingram might erupt against each other down in Georgia.
Saturday could be the day this year’s Heisman race finally begins. Instead of a full-season marathon, it could end up being a one-day sprint.
