2009 Top Ten Heisman Contenders: Nos. 6-3

It’s that time of year again.  Ok, no, it’s not.  It’s way too early to start talking Heisman.  But we’re doing it anyway.  Crazy, right?

Of course, this season provides the best chance of picking the winner.  It’s been a three-horse race since Sam Bradford, Tim Tebow, and Colt McCoy all announced their decisions to return for another year of cheap beer and mini skirts.  You can pretty much mark it down — one of those three will win the Heisman.

A lot of people seem to think that McCoy will get it by defauly since he’s the only one of the three without a statue.  And if last year is any indication, they may be right.  Tim Tebow deserved to win his second Heisman, but was passed over by the voters for a guy with more impressive stats against less impressive competition.  Of course, the Heisman is a funny thing, and it may be impossible to deny Tebow this year if he and his Gators are as impressive as they are supposed to be.

So here’s a list of the guys with the sixth through third best chances to win the award in 2009.  Two new candidates will be posted every day this week.  Get your futures bets in early.  I’ve also included predicted stats for each candidate.

• 2009 Top Ten Heisman Contenders:  Nos. 8-7

Sorry guys, took a day off from updating your Heisman favorites, but don’t fret, I’m back.  And guess what, Sam Bradford is in this group.  Boo yah!

6.  Daryll Clark, QB, Penn State

Go ahead, laugh.  I know that I just picked a QB with 19 career TD passes to win the Heisman, but the award is rarely influenced by past successes, unless it’s to keep someone from winning it twice like last year.  Anyway, there’s a clear map that Clark will have to follow if he wants any chance in 2009.

That plan was laid out for him by another Big Ten quarterback a few years ago.  It’s the Troy Smith plan.  And Clark is sitting in a similar position.

He’s back for his last season.  He’s got a great defense.  Penn State looks like a solid bet to win the conference, and possibly run the table with a few breaks.  And although the Nittany Lions will need to lean on the running game a bit, the offense will live and die depending on how well Clark can create plays in the passing game.  His receivers are raw, but talented.  And then there’s his scrambling ability.

If Penn State finds their way into the BCS title game, and Clark puts up 30+ total TDs in an MVP type season, then he could get the Heisman in that old “best player on what we think is the best team” kind of way.  Chances are that Texas, Oklahoma, and Florida might have at least one loss, so a shiny unblemished record could mean more for Clark’s Heisman chances than gaudy stats.

Predicted Stats:  2500 passing yards 25 Tds, 300 rushing yards, 8 TDs

5.  Zac Robinson, QB, Oklahoma State

This is my official sleeper pick.  For more on that, I’ll just direct you to my answer on CFN’s roundtable.

Seriously, with a few big wins, Robinson has a very good chance to steal the trophy from the big three.

Predicted Stats:  3400 passing yards 33 TDs, 550 rushing yards, 7 TDs

4.  Jimmy Clausen, QB, Notre Dame

Yep, you read that right.  Jimmy Clausen.  Viggo from Ghostbusters.  He’s got a real shot in 2009.

First, there’s the obvious boost he’ll get from playing quarterback at Notre Dame.  I know, I’m as surprised as you are that that still means something.  But trust me, old school voters are climbing over themselves to give a Notre Dame passer the hardware.

Second, playing for Notre Dame will give him incredible exposure.  He’ll be on TV nearly every week, and you can’t beat publicity like an exclusive TV deal.

Third, this is the most talented Notre Dame team in a long time.  Clausen will have plenty of weapons around him like Golden Tate.

Fourth, the schedule is a joke.  Nevada, Washington, Washington State, Purdue, Navy, Boston College, and even Michigan should be easy to score on.

Fifth, and this is the most important one in my opinion, he has that same feel about him that Carson Palmer did during his Heisman year.

• Highly touted QB recruit…check
• Attends a school with lots of tradition that has been struggling for a while…check
• Coach is in his third or fourth year in the program…check
• Loads of talent around him…check
• Struggled through his first couple of years as a starter…check

Bottom line, Clausen looks primed to have a big year in 2009.  That bowl win was over Hawaii, I know, but it still did a lot for this team’s confidence, and they should be more relaxed this season with that bowl monkey off of their backs.  Watch out for this guy.

Predicted Stats:  3700 passing yards 35 TDs, 1 rushing TD

3.  Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma

Yeah, he’s third.  I know what he did last year.  And I also know that it’s proof that stats trump success.  And I know that Bradford will likely have another great season in 2009.

But what I also know, that others apparently don’t, is that it won’t be as easy this year.  How about one more list.  This time — reasons Bradford won’t have the same stats as last season.

First, his defense will be much better in 2009.  Gerald McCoy, Demarcus Granger, Travis Lewis and co. will hold opponents as well as any D in the Big 12 which means that Bradford won’t play as much.  Games will get to 30-7 a lot quicker, and even if Bradford isn’t rested from halftime on, the Sooners will likely lean on their three-headed rushing attack to run out the game.

Second, his O line lost some big stars.  I know the OU blocking scheme makes it easier for new players to step in or move positions and still have success, but it’s not going to be a cakewalk.  Trent Williams is a great talent, and he won’t have to change much about what he does when moving over from the right side to the left, but he will face much better pass rushers.  I’m just not sold on him being able to handle the rush from the blindside as well as Phil Loadholt did.  Not yet anyway.  The point — Bradford may not have a chinese calendar year to sit in the backfield and pick apart defenses.

Third, his receivers are gone.  Sure, Jermaine Gresham is back, but he’ll be in to block more at least early on while the O line gels.  That relationship he had with Manny Johnson and Juaquin Iglesias is getting discounted for some reason.   Trust me, it will take a little time for the new WRs to develop Heisman consistency with Bradford.

Of course, all of those reasons will likely only slightly hinder Sam’s stats.  He’ll still be amazing, and his numbers will follow suit.  But I don’t see him beating Texas this year.  And if the Sooners miss out on the Big 12 title game, I think it will be awfully hard for him to win the Heisman with the quality of competition we’ll see for the award in 2009.

Predicted Stats:  4300 passing yards 43 TDs, 20 rushing yards 1 TD