It’s been a while since we had such a wide-open Heisman Trophy race. Last year, Troy Smith was all but assured the Heisman Trophy even before he faced Michigan. The year before that, it was either Reggie Bush or Vince Young, with few others even considered. But this year, it’s a bit different. There’s only two undefeated teams left in Division-1A and neither Kansas or Hawaii have generated the hype worthy of a Heisman candidate. Because ranking my top five would be next to impossible, I’ll just throw out five names.

Glenn Dorsey, DT LSU. This is where the definition of Heisman Trophy gets a bit skewed. The trophy should be awarded to college football’s best player, which Dorsey (or Michigan tackle Jake Long) is. Instead, it’s often turned into “the guy with the best stats on the best team.” Watch a couple of defensive series and you’ll see how valuable Dorsey is. He’s disruptive, he commands a double team on every play and he’s the cog of a defense that’s surrendering just 236 yards a game, the lowest in the country.

Colt Brennan, QB Hawaii. ESPN finally got around to broadcasting a Hawaii game and Brennan didn’t disappoint, throwing for nearly 400 yards and two touchdown passes before going down to a concussion. But Hawaii doesn’t play anybody, it’s that simple. Brennan can put up these eye-popping numbers and play on Sunday. But until then, he’s going to be seen as a system quarterback the same way Timmy Chang was. Brennan will get a big shot at boosting his resume against Boise State in a couple weeks. Win that one and Hawaii could find themselves in a BCS bowl.

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Winning the Heisman Trophy, college football’s most prestigious award, requires a number of factors. In the past few years, the “Best Player in College Football” has transformed into “The Best Player on the Best Team.” Winning the award requires incredible individual performances, but also a great season by the player’s team. Without further ado, here are ten players to watch in 2007.

10. Percy Harvin. A sophomore has never won the Heisman Trophy and that probably won’t change this year. But Florida’s Harvin could find himself on the big stage in a year or two. His versatility helped Urban Meyer’s offense go to the next level in 2006. He can do it all, whether it’s running the ball, catching it or returning it. Harvin averaged over 11 yards for every touch he got.

9. Brandon Ore. Virginia Tech’s running back will be the primary weapon in helping VT get into a BCS bowl. Big performances against LSU, Miami and Florida State could find Ore getting some Heisman hype. VT is no stranger to Heisman hopefuls at running back. Kevin Jones and Lee Suggs both received plenty of attention and look for Ore to get the same.

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I’ve never been a fan of Heisman Trophy voting. In the end, it’s a popularity contest and I can’t stand it. Instead of “Best Collegiate Football Player,” it should just be changed to “Best Player on Best Team.” That’s what it often boils down to. It’s also too reliant on preseason rankings. Just like team rankings, the Heisman Trophy watch list is generally narrowed down to five players before the season even starts, which makes it tough for lesser known players to make a statement.

2000 winner Chris Weinke probably shouldn’t have won the Heisman Trophy; LaDainian Tomlinson was the best player that season. Weinke just played on the best team and threw for an ungodly amount of yards. 2003 winner Jason White was an even bigger disgrace. Oklahoma was hands down the best team in the country and White’s regular season numbers gave him the Heisman Trophy. He then made a mockery of the award by playing awful in the Big 12 Championship and the Sugar Bowl. The more deserving winner that year was Larry Fitzgerald. But he played for Pittsburgh, a team that didn’t sniff the BCS. Fitzgerald was more dominant, actually got drafted (3rd overall no less), and played for a team that wasn’t full of All Americans. Not to mention his knees actually worked.

This year will be a similar story. Unless Ohio St. manages to lose a game (which is possible, Michigan looms on the schedule), Troy Smith is all but assured of the trophy. And with respects to him, he’s played great. But he’s not at the top of any stats among Division 1A quarterbacks, which is usually the main indicator of a Heisman Trophy winner. Who do I think is the most deserving winner of the Heisman Trophy so far this season? Garrett Wolfe, running back for Northern Illinois. Read the rest of this entry »