Heisman Favorites Through Week 4

[Daddy Duck]

My top 5 Steve Slaton, Adrian Peterson, Kenny Irons, Dennis Dixon and Chris Leak.

[inSTAALed]

Troy Smith...

[markh100]

#1. Troy Smith
#2. Adrian Peterson
#3. Steve Slaton
#4. Ted Ginn, Jr.
...
#5. Mike Hart (A longshot, I know - Hart doesn't have the numbers of an Adrian Peterson or Steve Slaton, but he is just as valuable to his team. Without Hart, Michigan was 7-5 last season. This year, with a healthy Hart, they are unstoppable. I include Smith, Ginn and Hart in my top five, because I consider Ohio State and Michigan to be the two top teams in the nation. Adrian Peterson is an aberration, but you simply can't ignore his 160+ YPG rushing stat.)

[the big house]

Ginn isn't even the #1 WR on OSU, Gonzales is.

[inSTAALed]

Originally Posted by the big house

Ginn isn't even the #1 WR on OSU, Gonzales is.

No, he's our #1 receiver.

We just use his speed as a distraction so they double cover him and leave Gonzo wide open.

Ginn is our big play receiver... Gonzalez is... our big play receiver....

We are fortunate.

[Big Blue]

Manningham impresses me more than both Ginn and Gonzo.

Can I throw Zac Taylor into this conversation?

[Daddy Duck]

Mike Hart is great pick as a darkhorse. I need to explain my criteria before i piss off OSU fans, I think Troy Smith is a hell of a college qaurterback, that being said I think you can take any number of Qb's put em at OSU and there still no.1. Oklahoma without Peterson is very mediocre, same with Slaton and WVU. Nobody in the country is talking about Dennis Dixon, thats about to change. Oregon's offense is built completly around Dixon and this guy can beat you with his feet or through the air. Oregon's offense is the most dangerous in college, by season's end I think Dixon will have one of the most prolific season's in Pac 10 history.

[MS72]

preseason for me

1. Kenny Irons
2. Adrian Peterson
3. Brady Quinn
3. Troy Smith
5. Steve Slaton

now my heisman favorites

1. Kenny Irons
2. Troy Smith
3. Steve Slaton
4. Ted Ginn Jr.
5. Brady Quinn

[DatFan]

I think the Heisman should go to the player that can put his team on his back and carry them ala Vince Young in the NC last year. Thats got me leaning to Steve Slaton at West Virginia. He is on a contender, because he made his team a contender for the NC!

[tbell ncsu]

i think kenny irons and adrian peterson are the frontrunners. i think quinn is pretty much out of it at this point due to him struggle slightly, and notre dame losing. i know the heisman is supposep to be an individual award, but the heisman voters always fault a player for his team's win/loss record.

[markh100]

Originally Posted by daddyduck

Mike Hart is great pick as a darkhorse. I need to explain my criteria before i piss off OSU fans, I think Troy Smith is a hell of a college qaurterback, that being said I think you can take any number of Qb's put em at OSU and there still no.1. Oklahoma without Peterson is very mediocre, same with Slaton and WVU. Nobody in the country is talking about Dennis Dixon, thats about to change. Oregon's offense is built completly around Dixon and this guy can beat you with his feet or through the air. Oregon's offense is the most dangerous in college, by season's end I think Dixon will have one of the most prolific season's in Pac 10 history.

With Hart's 195 rushing performance last night, he climbed the rankings to 6th overall in yards per game, at 134.4 YPG. It's not Garret Wolfe, Ray Rice, Adrian Peterson territory, but he closed the gap on Steve Slaton. For now, Hart remains a darkhorse, but if Michigan keeps winning, they will climb the rankings, and Hart should receive more consideration.

[Daddy Duck]

Originally Posted by markh100

With Hart's 195 rushing performance last night, he climbed the rankings to 6th overall in yards per game, at 134.4 YPG. It's not Garret Wolfe, Ray Rice, Adrian Peterson territory, but he closed the gap on Steve Slaton. For now, Hart remains a darkhorse, but if Michigan keeps winning, they will climb the rankings, and Hart should receive more consideration.

I have to agree, i just wonder if the voters will look at Manningham more than Hart, any way i think Michigan will have a serious Heisman candidate emerge soon.

[markh100]

Originally Posted by daddyduck

I have to agree, i just wonder if the voters will look at Manningham more than Hart, any way i think Michigan will have a serious Heisman candidate emerge soon.

Good point. With another 2 touchdown performance this week, Manningham now has 8 touchdown receptions in the past 4 games, and 9 on the season. He is now tied with Adrian Peterson for 10th overall in scoring, with 54 points scored. The national leaderboard has Jorvorskie Lane and Garrett Wolfe leading the way with 13 and 12 touchdowns respectively, but if Manningham continues his 2 touchdown a week pace for very much longer, he'll be contending for the national scoring title before we know it.

As it stands, Manningham's 9 touchdown receptions are good for 1st overall in the nation. ahead of 4 receivers, including the great Calvlin Johnson, with 8 TD receptions each.

This kid is only a sophomore, and I am drooling at the possibility of having him play for the Wolverines for two more seasons.

Deciding on a Heisman candidate between Hart and Manningham is a tossup for me. Hart is the essential component to the Michigan offense. By establishing the run early, Michigan has the ability to dictate the defensive formations they face, and then burn the opposition with a streaking Mario Manningham. Henne has developed into a very complete quarterback. When you through in the combination of a very strong offensive line, short field position provided by Steve Breaston, a strong change of pace back in Grady, a secondary offensive threat in Adrian Arrington, the best rush defense in the nation, and a mobile secondary, and you realize that Michigan has become a well-oiled machine. They are, in my mind, the most complete and well-balanced team in the nation. All components are essential, and all components function as a team. I can't single out either Hart or Manningham as more valuable to the team. Last season, we witnessed how ineffective Michigan was at moving the ball without Hart in the lineup. Manningham is having a spectacular season, but that would not be possible without the consistent backfield threat that Hart provides.