The Heisman Trophy ballot isn’t due for weeks. Good thing too.
If the deadline were this week, Northwestern tailback Darnell Autry would lead our ballot because he’s even better than he was a year ago, when he was a Heisman finalist. Autry is averaging 5.1 yards per carry,bout a half-yard more than in 1995, and he’s doing it against eight-man defensive fronts aimed at shutting him down.
But lest we be accused of shameless homerism, our ballot would also list a pair of big-time Big 12 tailbacks: Byron Hanspard of Texas Tech and Troy Davis of Iowa State, who are both on pace to run for more than 2,000 yards this season.
We’d also vote for quarterbacks Danny Wuerffel of Florida and Peyton Manning of Tennessee. We would not forget quarterback Jake Plummer of Arizona State, who last week showed his versatility by producing rushing, receiving and passing touchdowns to lead the Sun Devils’ big comeback against UCLA. And we would definitely find room on the ballot for the Big O, Orlando Pace, Ohio State’s pancake-making offensive tackle.
Unfortunately, Heisman voters are allowed only three picks. So in the next few weeks some of these undergraduates have to jump off the ballot. With all due respect to ESPN’s Lee Corso, who believes Wuerffel is the runaway favorite, there isn’t a clear leader.
Wuerffel, who finished third in the Heisman race last season, is piling up gaudy passing stats for the top-ranked Gators. History says that Wuerffel probably will win if Florida finishes the regular season No. 1; in 1992 and 1993, the Heisman went to the quarterbacks of the top-rated teams going into the bowls (Miami’s Gino Torretta in 1992 and Florida State’s Charlie Ward in 1993).
But history might also work against Wuerffel’s candidacy. It’s been 25 years since a Southeastern Conference quarterback (Auburn’s Pat Sullivan in 1971) won the Heisman, and regionalism reigns in Heisman balloting.
Hanspard could make a move this weekend, when No. 5 Nebraska visits Lubbock, Texas. The Cornhuskers are allowing only 62 rushing yards per game, third-best in the nation. Hanspard is running for 218 yards per game, tops in the nation.
Demise of Texas: Only a month ago the Texas Longhorns were ranked sixth in the nation. Three losses later–two of them on the last play, which ties an NCAA record–they are facing the prospect of staying home for the holidays. Every team on Texas’ (3-3) remaining schedule is at least .500, and the Longhorns have to visit Colorado, Texas Tech and Kansas.
That could mean bad news for John Mackovic, the former Illinois head coach who recently signed a new five-year contract worth $3 million. That might sound like security, but it isn’t, at least not in Austin.
The last UT coach to receive a five-year contract was Mackovic’s predecessor, David McWilliams. One year later, McWilliams was reassigned to the athletic department’s fundraising foundation after the Horns fell to 5-6 from 10-2. Texas went 10-2-1 under Mackovic last season.
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Deep in the something: The Horns aren’t the only disappointment in the Lone Star State. Of the nine Division I-A teams in the state, only Houston (4-2), Texas Tech (4-2) and Baylor (3-2) have winning records–and Baylor has lost its last two games by a total of 70 points. Not a single Texas team is ranked.
AS-Who?: Respect is one thing, identification another. On Tuesday USA Today corrected a Monday photo caption that called Arizona State “the Wildcats.” In Tempe, home of the Arizona State Sun Devils, that is about the worst insult imaginable. ASU’s dreaded rivals are the University of Arizona Wildcats.
Quote, unquote: Indiana coach Bill Mallory on a penalty against his punt team last week: “We had a boo-boo where we allowed a 12th man to be on the field. He happened to be a freshman.”
Fourth and inches: Georgia Tech has been through it all in the ’90s: a shared national championship in 1990 after an 11-0-1 season, two coaching changes and a 1-10 season in 1994. With Clemson and Central Florida in the next two weeks, the Yellow Jackets are likely to be 6-1 going into their Nov. 2 game against Florida State in Atlanta. “Even though we’re young, we’re not making a lot of mistakes and we’re playing very fundamental defense and offense,” head coach George O’Leary said. . . . California is 5-0 under new coach Steve Mariucci. Are the Golden Bears doing it with mirrors? Their defense allows 440 yards per game, 99th in Division I-A. Cal learns if it is for real Nov. 9 at fifth-ranked ASU, which is coached by Bruce Snyder, Mariucci’s boss at Cal from 1987-91. . . . Colorado State has to be the happiest homecoming team in the nation. In the last three weeks the Rams have traveled a total of 9,100 air miles in visiting Nebraska (a 65-9 loss), Hawaii (an 18-16 victory) and Tulsa (a 20-14 loss). “I don’t know who to get mad at, the current AD or former AD,” head coach Sonny Lubick said.