Greg Paulus - I Kissed a Boy

As you all know I hate Dook. If you don't believe be google the phrase "Hate Duke", my article shows up twice, or just click here. I despise the Blue Devils or Les Diables Bleus - french bastards. Anyway, found this, thought it was worthwhile:



Dook Sucks

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Lincecum Shouldn't Blame the Economy He Should Blame Manny

Spring Training is finally in full swing, but most people are still debating the ARod and Steroid situation which I have been completely sick of for over a year now. If there is something to debate here, or at least a big issue that should be brought to everyone’s attention it would be this: Why is it that some players feel a sense of entitlement to earn a certain amount of money? Why is it that contracts no longer seem binding and that players still get away with seemingly not playing hard yet still earn the financial commitments outlined in those contracts?

The best illustration as of late would be the difference between Dodgers OF Manny Ramirez and Giants P Tim Lincecum.

First lets take a quick look at Manny’s situation. Most recently he has rejected an offer that would pay him $25 million next year with an option for $20 million the following year. Manny may be technically one of the greatest hitters of all time, but he is also one of the biggest wastes of potential. If you look at his numbers you may think that sounds crazy, but there were a lot of years where it seemed as though he really wasn’t trying that hard. The Sox claim he gave up on the team, and quite frankly maybe he did. I think that Manny would be better off playing DH for the Yankees and just sit on a monster contract than trying to play in the NL. Ramirez is still looking for a contract that is 25 and 25 with no deferred money. They will probably give in, but should they?

Tim Lincecum on the other hand won the National League Cy Young in 08’ in just his second year and is the polar opposite of Ramirez. In 08’ Luncecum posted an 18-5 (2nd NL) record with 2.62 ERA (3rd MLB, 2nd NL), 265 SO, 1.17 WHIP.

In 2007 Sabathia won the AL Cy Young giving him a 250k bonus and increasing his salary from 9 mil to 11 in 2008. In the NL Peavy received a 100k bonus and his salary increased from 3 to 11 million a year. Not too shabby right?

Well it was just announced that the Reigning NL Cy Young winner just signed a 1 year deal with the Giants for a mere $650,000. Granted it is reported that he will be eligible for salary arbitration after this upcoming season, but regardless there is a big difference in the respect given. In 2007 Lincecum earned $405,000 making his total salary increase about the same as CC’s bonus.

Who on the Giants staff is bringing in a bigger paycheck? Randy Johnson at $15 million (up from $9 million in 07’) who posted a pretty unimpressive 11-10 record with 3.91 ERA, and 173 SO.

Or How about Barry Zito who is raking in 14.5 million (up from $10 million in 07’) for his 10-17 performance with an ERA over 5 and only 120 SO.

Maybe the Giants learned something from Zito’s situation, and maybe not since they took another step back by signing Johnson. Oh and as a final side note: Lincecum didn’t receive a bonus for taking home the hardware, but CC pocketed $75,000 for placing FIFTH.


4Real Out....

More after the jump...

Goodbye Rex

Ding Dong, The Carni-handed QB is gone. With smaller hands than 4Real, how could we expect Rex to be the franchise quarterback for the Chicago Bears. After all of the Injuries and INTs Rex has his bags packed and is finally out of Sweet Home Chicago.

I'll never forget the Rex Grossman error, I mean, era. The 0.0 QB Rating against the Packers on New Years Eve, the T-Mobile commercial where he talks about being in the Pro Bowl, his epic Favre-like 07 where he threw more INTs than TDs, his 7 of 32 starts with over 3 INTs (22%), and of course snagging defeat from the jaws of victory in XLI with 3 individual turnovers.

I think this sums it up best:


Rex will go down in Bears history with the likes of:

Rusty Lisch, Mike Tomczak, Peter Tom Willis, Will Furrer, Rick Mirer, Steve Stenstrom, (Domschke family Favorite) Moses Moreno, Cade McNown, "Happy Hank" Burris, Kordell Stewart, Jonathan Quinn, and of course the immortal Craig Krenzel.

Among the Bears worst 1st round draft picks with the likes of:

Rashaan Salaam, Curtis Enis, Cade McNown, David Terrell, and Cedric Benson.

So long Sexy Rexy.

More after the jump...

An unexpected interview with Jim Livengood

As I sat in the terminal at Tucson "barely" international airport today and waited for the weather in Dom's hood to clear I happened upon the one and only Jim Livengood.

I was setting up at the laptop counter for a few hours of productivity while my plane was delayed for the third time. I looked up and immediately noticed the most scrutinized man in Tucson. Before I could look away or think of something he smiled at me and said hello, I replied hello Mr. Livengood and he smiled.

I quickly introduced myself and told him about some of our mutual acquaintances. He was very cordial and polite to say the least. He asked why I was traveling and where I was going and when I filled him in he wished me good luck and thanked me for my service to the country(I am a veteran and am en route to a student veterans conference). I told him that I did not envy him at the moment and that I wouldn't want to be in his shoes right now. He smiled at me said that he had every faith things would be fine and that he was grateful that this wasn't his first rodeo. He went on to say his experience as an AD has been helpful during the tougher moments this year.

We chit chatted about nothing in particular for a while and i asked him if he was headed to Washington to watch the Basket-Cats take on WSU and U-Dub. He said he was not and that he was headed to LA for some meetings but would be watching on the TV with baited breath like the rest of us. I told him how much fun the team has been to watch this year and how likable they were compared to years past.

He said he agreed and that he appreciated the kind of ambassadors to the community they were. We talked about some mutual contacts for a while and then his flight began boarding. He stuck out his hand as he stood and as we shook he thanked me again for my service. I told him I was anxious to see the fruits of his recent labor soon and he smiled, laughed and said that he was sure I was. I told him I would take his smile and demeanor as a good sign and he said I should and that the fan base and community would be very very(yes, two very's) happy in the months to come....fingers crossed - Randle El

More after the jump...

Coaching Search: Goodbye My Old Kentucky Home

I believe Stephen C. Foster summed it up best for Lousiville Coach Rick Pitino:

"Weep no more, my lady,
Oh weep no more today!
We will sing one song for the old Kentucky home,
For the old Kentucky home far away."

At least that's what word is here at The Beardown, sources close to us have said that the hire is almost certain and that, "we'd be happy" with the result. Well, Pitino's home in Louisville, Kentucky might be that come April. Far Away. Sources have informed me that the Arizona Coaching Search, a very low profile one, may have come to an end recently. T's still need to be crossed and I's dotted, in other words a deal is not signed and the name can't be released, but the University of Arizona has found, who they feel, is the next Head Coach of this once illustrious program.

I'm not going to lie, I was pulling for Mark Few, but it looks as though he'll still be shoveling snow instead of heading to the southwest. Tom Izzo threw his hat in the ring, and would have been a great hire for Livengood, but it seems the UA decided that Izzo's half court play was too slow for the Pac-10. Not that the Big East is the run 'n Gun of Phoenix Suns past, but it's definitely more uptempo. From what I have heard it really came down to two Big East coaches, and Pitt's Jamie Dixon is happy with where he is, despite the loss to Providence.

Many people have pointed out that longtime Pitino friend, Kentucky legend, and former Kentucky AD, C.M. Newton was in attendance for the Arizona win over Kansas a few months back. Now yes, that was the pre-season NIT Tournament, and we all know that Newton has NIT Ties to say the least. But it seems that Arizona AD Jim Livengood was able to track down Newton and got to talking about Pitino.

There have been numerous reports and rumors as the season has progressed about possible replacements for Lute Olson. Jim Livengood made the statement early on that he wanted to make a big splash with the coaching hire. This hire will likely have a lot to say about Livengood's mediocre legacy at Arizona thus far. Livengood said he wanted a coach who was going to have a good 2008-2009 season. Livengood said he wanted to "win the Press Conference" with the hire.

Recent reports have come out the Livengood has finally made his decision and is waiting until after the season to announce and finalize the deal. The most recent report, courtesy of 620 KTAR in Phoenix, has a confirmed report that the newest Arizona Coach has a National Championship on his record. Well let's look at the list of Coaches with National Championships on their Record:

2008 - Bill Self
2007 - Billy Donovan
2006 - Billy Donovan
2005 - Roy Williams
2004 - Jim Calhoun
2003 - Jim Boeheim
2002 - Gary Williams
2001 - Mike Krizooski
2000 - Tom Izzo
1999 - Jim Calhoun
1998 - Tubby Smith
1997 - Lute Olson
1996 - Rick Pitino
1995 - Jim Harrick
1994 - Nolan Richardson
1993 - Dean Smith
1992 - Mike Krizooski

Self, Donovan, R. Williams, Calhoun, Boeheim, and Krizooski aren't going anywhere.
G. Williams is having a down season.
T. Smith was already disregarded as a candidate.
Lute, Harrick, D. Smith, and Richardson are out of basketball.

Which leaves Izzo and Pitino our top candidates at the start of all of this. Judging by the information that has come across our desk, it sounds like Pitino is the next Head Coach in Tucson.

More after the jump...

Links of the Day

I know it's played out, people posting links. I know I did it a few times when I was out of things to talk about and it was a good way to burn about 25 minutes. With that said I'm not trying to burn any time. I just have had one of those web surfing days where I come across links that just steamroll over oneanother to the point that I just have to share some of them with you. First up:

Special thanks to Garnes on this one. We've all played around on Pandora. Where you enter a song or band and they just keep suggesting things from sometimes similar, sometimes completely off-based, artists and bands that they think you may like. Many of us are also hanging out on twitter. Well Blip decided to find a way to combine the two.


You can post songs (if they are located somewhere on the internet in mp3 format) and continually harass people who decide to follow you. I would also like to thank jrg4 a.k.a. Garnes for blaring Tracy Chapman - Fast Car at 12:45 today, RIGHT before I left for lunch. Yes I was the idiot driving down Speedway who couldn't get that little gem out of his head. Talk about a special kind of torture. But in all honesty this was a great way for me to kill about 2 and a half hours today, I know that because of the time stamps. And ultimately Blip led me to a band called Emocapella. Which leads me to...

What happens when you take a bunch of hoodie wearing college kids from the northeast with iPods and give them a few bottles of Jager? One can only assume that they, at some point, hit shuffle, wind up on their High School playlist of Brand New, The Starting Line, and begin singing their favorite songs. That is the only explanation for what happened to this group of guys from George Washington University.... I heard it and was at a loss for words. I googled it and found this:


It's absolutely amazing, in every sense of the word. Watch the two main guys in the middle, they are so into it, and based on the groups website I think I can safely say they get the joke. Also, they're really good. Which leads me to the next Google clip.

There aren't enough words to describe this, but I'll try. Randy Moller, the radio voice of Your Florida Panthers Hockey Team (I had to put Hockey there because I'm pretty sure a lot of people are unaware they have a hockey team) announcing goals. In the past I mentioned Dan Majerle's reference to "Don't forget the Coffee Hun" on dunks, but these pass that right by:



The next one hits a little close to home and no it's not facebook. It's MyParentsJoinedFacebook.com, and yes my parents have both joined facebook, but aren't in a relationship....weird. Is there something they're not telling me? Anyway, it's basically snarky comments about parents, aunts, and uncles who post status updates on facebook and comment on their children/niece/nephew's walls, and of course hillarity ensues. Also, take this opportunity to Friend The BearDown on Facebook.

Then there's always Our Yardbarker page if you want to go take a look at older articles and comments that have surfaced on that front, feel free, lot's of good stuff. Then again, I'm biased.


Of course, I can't do a link's post without discussing failblog. If you haven't visited yet please click the link at the left and spend the next few hours laughing. The pictures and videos are amazing.

More after the jump...

2009-2010 Heisman Hopefuls

A few days ago Dom posted his Heisman Candidates ranking the Top 15 with an added bonus of 5 sleeper picks for your enjoyment. Being as competitive as I am I want to have more candidates left on my list than him as the season progresses. This is proving pretty difficult considering how early it is and the fact that Dom apparently paid attention to my Heisman Buster Articles over last season. Regardless, I have managed to put together a list of guys to watch.

Note: I am not even going to humor anyone by adding in WR’s, if Crabtree wasn’t in the running than no other WR in the foreseeable future will be either.

The Default Three: Finalists/ Past Winners
Exactly the same as Dom had put it, except with a different order.

QB Colt McCoy: Texas
QB Tim Tebow: Florida
QB Sam Bradford: Oklahoma

Why is Colt the early Favorite?:

Colt McCoy should have won the Heisman this past season for the same reason that Tebow deserved to win it the year before. Bradford was probably the best pure quarterback in the nation, but McCoy did more for his team to win. The Heisman isn’t the Davey O’Brien and it is not the Doak Walker, it is the best College Football Player. From my perspective McCoy embodied that notion and did all the things needed to put Texas in the best position to win as a player, not just a quarterback.

Why Not?:
Tebow. When the media starts debating whether or not a player is the best ever it should make other candidates nervous. Two National Championships and Two Heismans provides for a pretty solid story line. Especially, in a time when “athletes are so out of control” and good ol’ home schooled Tebow is standing right there ready to accept the honors.

The Rest of the Pack

QB Terrelle Pryor: The Ohio State University
2008: 631 Rush Yds, 1,311 Passing Yds, 6 Rush Tds, 12 Passing TDs, 4 INTs, 1 Receiving TD, 145.62 QB Rating

Pryor made an immediate impact on the Buckeyes last season and gave the nation a taste of what he is capable of doing. It has been a long time since I have seen a freshman quarterback step into such a huge role and handle himself the way Pryor did. The scariest thing about his performance was how quick his learning curve. While he did have freshman moments there is no doubt that his athleticism will land him a Heisman before he leaves Columbus.

RB Jahvid Best: California
2008: 1,580 Rush Yds, 246 Rec Yds, 2,247 All Purpose Yds, 16 Total TDs, 131.7 Rush YPG, 8.14 YPC

Best was on my list of Heisman Busters for the majority of last season, and deservedly so. His 2008 numbers are impressive especially considering that he missed a game due to injury and his touches were limited because of it. If he can stay healthy and Cal can keep on track Best is poised to be the premiere back in the nation.

RB Noel Devine: West Virginia
2008: 1289 Rush Yds, 185 Receiving Yds, 1537 AP Yds, 4 TDs, 99.15 Yds PPG

Were still waiting. The follow up to powerhouse Slaton was supposed to be the sequel that everyone actually wanted to see. Unfortunately, he has been in White’s shadow and his rushing numbers may have been affected by his quarterbacks happy feet. Look for the sophomore slump to be over and Devine to be on top of the Big East rushing board.

RB: Joe McKnight: USC
2008: 89 Attempts, 659 Yds, 2 TD, 21 Rec, 193 Yds, 1 TD

This was a tough call for me. McKnight might be one of the most physically gifted backs in the nation, but he has been stuck in a role player position. With the face of USC changing, McKnight might finally have a chance to shine.

QB: Max Hall: BYU
2008: 3,957 Passing Yds, 330/478 69%, 35 TD, 14 INT, 156.88 QB Rating

I was leading the Max Hall bandwagon last year, and am big on Non-BCS school getting some recognition for their performances. Fortunately, he fell short against Arizona in the Vegas Bowl. I thank him for that. That being said I think Hall has the skill to put up huge numbers again, and be considered a solid sleeper throughout the majority of the season.

QB Kellen Moore: Boise State
2008: 3,486 Yds, 281/405 69.4%, 25 TD, 10 INT, 157.11 QB Rating

Try as I might to stray away from the Boise phenomenon Kellen Moore really gets my attention. His numbers are really impressive considering he was just a freshman. Boise will continue to get better while maintaining national coverage left over from a Fiesta Bowl that seemingly ended ages ago. Moore just needs to keep doing what he has been doing and eventually the accolades will start to come his way.

QB Zac Robinson: Oklahoma State
2008: 562 Rush Yds, 3,064 Pass Yds, 8 Rush TDs, 25 Passing TDs, 10 INTs, 235 Passing YPG, 166.84 QB Rating

Zac Robinson had a brief stint in the limelight last year and his OK State team made some noise. The fact of the matter is that being a Big 12 quarterback comes with some huge expectations these days. Were Robinson playing in another conference he may garner more attention towards Heisman Candidacy than he will in his current conference.

RB Evan Royster: Penn State
2008: 1,236 Rush Yds, 160 Rec. Yds, 12 TDs, 6.47 YPC

Royster is another guy that was on my Heisman Busters list last season. Towards the end of Penn State’s run it started to appear that Clarke’s presence was more important than Roysters and he started to fall out of the spot light. I was able to watch a good amount of Penn St football last year, and it appeared that Royster was feeling the effects of sharing the work load. If Royster is able to be the main back and get his touches he will be near the top of the Big Ten Rushing board.

RB Jonathon Dwyer: Georgia Tech
2008: 200 Attempts, 1,395 Yds, 12 TD, 8 Rec, 209 Yds, 1 TD

No one could have seen the success that the newly implemented triple option would have at GTech. Dwyer was a big part of that getting 200 touches in 2008. Georgia Tech is a sleeper team and every underdog needs a face for national coverage. I think Jonathon Dwyer should be it in 2009.

QB Tony Pike: Cincinnati
2008: 2,407 Passing Yds, 199/324 61.4%, 19 TD, 11 INT, 136.39 QB Rating

Cincinnati earned a bid to their first BCS Bowl game last season, and although they fell to Virginia Tech it is a big step for the program. Pike is a guy that the Bearcats will be relying on to be successful in 2009. He is a long shot for Heisman, but hey the Big East gets an automatic bid so anything can happen.

QB Andy Dalton: TCU
2008: 2,242 Passing Yds, 182/307 59.3%, 11 TD, 5 INT

Not a lot to say, but think that his name should come up considering the majority of people probably don’t recognize it. The Mountain West is an interesting conference that shouldn’t be overlooked. Keep in mind that you can thank the MWC for one of the most over used phrases in College Football: “BCS Buster”.

RB MiQuale Lewis: Ball State
2008: 322 Attempts, 1,736 Yds, 22 TD, 35 Rec, 325 Yds, 0 Fumbles

You have to give it up for the little guy. MiQuale gets it done week in and week out and it is great to see a MAC team getting some national recognition. Unfortunately, he does play in the MAC and that is reason enough to not give him a shot at the Heisman.


4Real Out….





More after the jump...

Craig Counsell Best of the Era?

I ran across this article over at TheOnion.com. Thought I would pass it along cause it was pretty entertaining.

Original Article can be found here.

Excerpt:

Bob Uecker lauded the Brewers utilityman as "one of the best I ever saw, if we're talking about those who I can say without a doubt never took steroids. He came this close to stealing a base off of Ivan Rodriguez, and I swear I heard him foul tip a Roger Clemens fastball. The kid could flat-out steroid-free play. One time he was playing third base and he caught a Rafael Palmeiro line drive—just caught it, right in his mitt."

More after the jump...

Arizona's Quest for 25 Still Alive

Just under a month ago, Arizona was coming off of a heartbreaker at USC, and a demoralizer (and yes I made this word up) against UCLA. Things looked bleak for the Kitty Kits. They were 11-7 and 2-4 in Pac-10 Play. The following Thursday the Cats lost to in-state rival Arizona State at Home taking them to 11-8 (2-5). Not only were there doubts about Arizona making it to their 25th straight NCAA Tournament, there were doubts they would even get invitations to other postseason play.

Following the USC and UCLA series this time, Arizona's postseason outlook is a little less bleak. While they are still a bubble team at best (most recently listed in the Last Four In according to bracketologists out there) they just took down USC and UCLA this past weekend. They are in the middle of a 7 game win streak with 6 Pac-10 wins.

The Cats have righted the record and now stand at 18-8 (8-5) and have moved up to 5th in the Pac-10. They are also 2 games back of Conference leader Washington. They have matchups against 3 of the 4 teams ranked above them over the next down the stretch and have the season split with UCLA who is ranked 4th.

What could possibly be next for the Cats?

5-0: This would put the Cats at 23-8 (13-5) and anywhere from 1st-3rd in the Pac-10 as Washington could finish 4-1 (loss to the Cats) and thus land above the Cats, and UCLA could finish 5-1 (with a loss to the Huskies) and thus land above the Cats with a better season record overall. This however is unlikely, not impossible, but the Cats recent stretch of success can be a little misleading as their only road wins during this stretch are against the number 8 and 10 teams in the conference. 5%

4-1: They'd finish up 22-9 (12-6) and could still potentially place 1st in the Pac-10, but it would take a lot of losing in the top part of the leader board, and frankly there aren't enough games left for that to happen. Most likely a 4-1 finish would land the Cats at 3rd, possibly 2nd, but most likely 3rd. This is actually plausible, but it will take a lot of work. Three of the remaining five are not even close to being guaranteed wins. 13%

3-2: Cats go up and down and finish a successful 21-10 (11-7). Still in the Tournament. Depending on how teams fall ahead of them, and which teams they beat, the Cats could be 3rd-5th. Either way I think they're a tournament team. 3-2 seems to be the most likely scenario. I don't see the Cats going 3-0 against ASU, Washington, and Cal, especially with the first two being on the road. Stanford and Washington State are definite opportunities for an Arizona let down. 41%

2-3: Cats sit on the Bubble at 20-11 (10-8) and need USC, UCLA, or Cal to combust down the stretch in order to sit in the top half of the Pac-10. Still a high possibility. The Cats have shown a propensity to play with emotion, and let emotions take over. A loss at ASU could easily snowball into losses at Washington State and/or Washington and Arizona would need to rally at home against Stanford and/or Cal to finish either last four in or first four out. 25%

1-4: Cats let down and end sub 20 wins at 19-12 (9-9). A .500 Pac-10 record leaves the Cats lucky if they're in 6th place to finish the season and would need an amazing Pac-10 Conference performance to be even in the conversation when Selection Sunday rolls around. While not a high possibility, 1-4 seems more likely than 4-1. Injuries would have to play a key part in this scenario. 16%

0-5: Cats crapout under the pressure, finish 18-13 (8-10) and say goodbye to any tournament chances, land in the bottom third of the conference. Hello, NIT. 0-5 seems impossible at this stretch due to the way the Cats have been playing. While 1-4 seems more likely than 4-1, barring injury 5-0 seems more likely than 0-5. Chase, Jordan, and Nic, would will this team to at least one win. 0%

More after the jump...

2009-2010 Heisman Candidates: Top 15 PLUS Small School Sleepers

Last year we gave you some of the earliest predictions for the 2008-2009 Heisman Candidates. So early that one of my predictions was no longer enrolled in his current school (Ryan Mallet - Michigan), Ryan Perriloux was given a decent chance, and one of the candidates was "USC QB", since both Mitch Mustain and Mark Sanchez were in a position to take the helm and both could have been considered at that point last year.

Well this year I held back as long as I could and managed to wait until after players declared for the NFL draft, but alas I couldn't wait any longer. Spring Ball is right around the corner and it's about time to start hyping next year's Bronze Stiff Arm Hopefuls. This year should be interesting as we will have a 2 retuning Heisman winners, as well as another of the finalists. Last year's Top three vote getters could very well be this season's Top three vote getters. I'm willing to bet that has never happened before.

So 4Real and I decided to each put a list together of 15 potential Heisman Candidates as well as 5 possible sleepers. Sleeper being either players who A) didn't play last year, B) play at small or Non-BCS schools, C) True Freshman, D) anyone else who wasn't already on anyone's radar at the end of last season.

#15 Noel Devine, RB - West Virginia
2008 Stats: 1289 Rush Yds, 185 Receiving Yds, 1537 AP Yds, 4 TDs, 99.15 Yds P/G

Why: When I wrote this column last year I had Mountaineer faithful taking time out of mourning/bad mouthing RichRod and burning couches to tell me that Devine was going to win the Heisman. According to them his name had already been etched onto the Bronze Stiff Arm. 2008 didn't turn out exactly as he, or they, planned. But Devine still has the talent that got the Mountaineer fans so amped up. His numbers are good and without Pat White being the One Man Show, Noel Devine is bound to get more carries, yards, and TDs. The Big East might be having a down year this year leaving room for WV and Devine to put up some gaudy numbers.

Why Not: 4 TDs doesn't scream Heisman. West Virginia won't finish the season in the Top Ten, and let's be honest, players on the #22 team in the country don't typically get a lot of run when it comes time to Heisman voting. It's no coincidence that the Heisman Winner has played in the National Championship Game 6 of the last 7 years.

#14 Ryan Mallett, QB - Arkansas
2008 Stats: Did Not Play

Why: I thought he had it going into 2008, and 2009 is no different. I thought he was poised to make a run in the defense heavy Big Eleven and I don't think it will be any different in the SEC. Arkansas had a down year in '08 under new coach Bobby Petrino but should be on the way up in '09. Petrino's system has been in place now over a year, and Mallett should be as familiar with it as anyone, at least on paper.

Why Not: No one knows how much rust is there, he hasn't seen game action since Lloyd Carr's last win over Florida. While the Big Eleven D is tough, the SEC D is fast. Arkansas has a lot of ground to make up in the SEC West.

#13 Zac Robinson, QB - Oklahoma State
2008 Stats: 562 Rush Yds, 3,064 Pass Yds, 8 Rush TDs, 25 Passing TDs, 10 INTs, 235 YPG Passing, 166.84 QB Rating

Why: Oklahoma State is going to get their chance to overcome Texas Tech this year as the Red Raiders lost their QB and Top WR. They would be my pick for Big XII North champs if they were in fact in that division. Zac Robinson has had a statistically successful career for the Cowboys and has thrown for over 20 TDs in each of the last 2 seasons. Dual threat to run when necessary and has his Top Receiving threat, Dez Bryant returning.

Why Not: In the same conference as Colt McCoy, Sam Bradford, and others, and frankly past numbers don't compare. Could potentially be Top 5 QB in the country but won't be Top 2 in his own Conference.

#12 Demarco Murray, RB - Oklahoma
2008 Stats: 1,002 Rush Yds, 395 Rec. Yds, 774 Ret. Yds, 2171 AP Yds, 18 TDs, 5.6 Yds Y/C

Why: The Oklahoma offense was just shy of prolific in 2008, about 1 game shy. With a Heisman Winner at QB and a pair of 1,000 yd rushers in 2009 it looks to be no different. He's a triple threat. Four of the team's five top receivers from last year (1-3, 5) have all departed which means that there will be added pressure on the run game if Bradford and his targets can't match up. Defenses will focus on Bradford and the 50 TDs he threw last year.

Why Not: There is a second 1,000 yard rusher in the Sooner backfield and if the Bradford led aerial attack isn't the same in '09 as it was in '08, expect the Big XII defenses to crack down on the Sooner backs.

#11 Todd Reesing, QB - Kansas
2008 Stats: 3,880 Passing Yds, 4,104 Total Yds, 4 Rush TDs, 32 Passing TDs, 13 INTs, 298.5 YPG Passing, 148.39 QB Rating

Why: Late in 2007 when Kansas was making a run, some people suggested Reesing could be in contention for the Heisman. His 2008 rating was almost identical and yet he wasn't mentioned in any Heisman talks. The difference was the fact that he threw for about 400 more yds in '09 he threw one less TD and six more INTs. Kansas has turned around their football program over the last few years and a lot of that falls on Reesing's shoulders. A little more accuracy in '09 and increased leadership role could have him making lists in December.

Why Not: Not Since Doug Flutie has there been a QB under 6' who won the Heisman and if Reesing is listed at 5'11" you know he can't be taller than 5'9". Like Robinson, he won't even be the best player in his conference, the Heisman will be just out of reach for his short arms, unless Kansas makes a big run.

#10 Golden Tate, WR - Notre Dame
2008 Stats: 1,080 Rec Yds, 637 Ret. Yds, 11 Total TDs, 18.62 Y/C

Why: As a sophomore Golden Tate began to make a name for himself and the Irish. Three of his biggest games came against some in some of Notre Dame's biggest games. Including a 3 TD, 177 yd performance in the Hawaii Bowl. Jimmy Claussen is starting to show flashes of what was once considered the best ND QB commit since Joe Montana and Tate is his #1 Target. Monster Y/C numbers, plus he takes the field for Kick and Punt Returns. 2,300+ All Purpose Yard Potential.

Why Not: Even as the #1 threat only barely topped the 1,000 yd mark. Notre Dame, might get extra Heisman votes when they are undeserved (Tim Brown) but Notre Dame has not yet made the triumphant return to greatness we were promised back in '05.

#9 Chris Brown, RB - Oklahoma
2008 Stats: 1,220 Rush Yds, 21 Total TDs, 5.62 Y/C

Why: Oklahoma's Top Back rushed for 1,220 last year and could easily top that this year. Much of the same reasons Demarco Murray was on the list. Not the triple threat that Murray is, but will continue to be the #1 guy in the backfield. Will get extra touches since 4/5 top receivers are gone.

Why Not: Same as Murray, splitting the load, extra defensive focus.

#8 Evan Royster, RB - Penn State
2008 Stats: 1,236 Rush Yds, 160 Rec. Yds, 12 TDs, 6.47 Y/C

Why: Look at those numbers, in the Big XII he would be a top back, in the Big Eleven where final scores like to hang out below 20, those numbers are even more impressive. a 6.47 Yards per Carry in the Big Eleven is nothing to shake a stick at. Penn State looks to come back in '09 just as strong as they did in '08. If late season letdowns can be avoided the Nittany Lions might have a shot at the National Championship and that will land squarely on Royster's shoulders.

Why Not: The Big Eleven is getting knocked down more and more in everyone's eyes and some voters might see numbers in the Big Eleven as being less significant than in other conferences. Penn State might win the Big Eleven again this year, but voters are getting sick of the Big Eleven no shows in bowl games and even a perfect season might see them on the outside looking in.

#7 Dez Bryant, WR - Oklahoma State
2008 Stats: 1,480 Rec. Yds, 405 Ret. Yds, 21 Total TDs.

Why: He's a scoring machine and Zac Robinson's (#13) Top Receiving Threat. Another triple threat guy who is capable of peaking over 22-2300 yards of all purpose yardage.

Why Not: Just like Robinson he's going to eventually get over looked by another receiver, running back, or quarterback in the Big XII. The Heisman voters look at numbers, and the Big XII is so inflated that even a 1,500 yd/23 TD season will most likely get over looked unless the Cowboys are in the National Championship.

#6 Jacquizz Rodgers, RB - Oregon State
2008 Stats: 1,253 Rush yds, 247 Rec. yds, 12 Total TDs, 113.91 Y/G

Why: Everyone loves the little guy and, listed at, 5'7" it doesn't get much littler. If Oregon State is still in the national spotlight come December that means that another upset over USC is probable. Voters will take into account Rodgers' 186 yd game against USC in '08 even if it is the '09 award because it was that remarkable. His adjusted Y/G (not including his early exit from the Arizona game) puts him at over 123 Y/G. AS A TRUE FRESHMAN. It will be interesting to see how much his game improves from year 1 to year 2.

Why Not: He's on every radar in the country ever since the USC game. While he eats up yardage he has a problem converting those into long TD runs. His yards per carry is just under 5. He's effectively useless inside of the Red Zone because of his size which means he's missing out on anywhere between 7-15 TD's next season.

#5 Terrelle Pryor, QB - Ohio State
2008 Stats: 631 Rush Yds, 1,311 Passing Yds, 6 Rush Tds, 12 Passing TDs, 4 INTs, 1 Receiving TD, 145.62 QB Rating

Why: He started 2008 as a gimmick the vest would use to mix things up. He ended up unseating incumbent starter Todd Boeckman who had 2 National Championship appearances under his belt. He finished last season with 100.8 Y/G Passing. Way too low for a Heisman QB. Then again, while he appeared in all 13 games, he was splitting time in 8 games, and only the starter for 10. Those numbers will increase. Plus he's a 6'6" monster who's got wheels. Could tear apart the Big Eleven next year worse than everyone has in BCS games recently. If the Ohio State we saw in the Fiesta Bowl takes the field next year, they should be a lock for the Big Eleven Championship and in BCS contention.

Why Not: He still needs to prove he can be a pass first quarterback and that he can sit in the pocket to find the open man instead of running first. It's going to mean Ohio State has to get back to being the Ohio State of old, and not the one who lays down in big games. BCS voters are still sour on the Big Eleven.

#4 Jahvid Best, RB - California
2008 Stats: 1,580 Rush Yds, 246 Rec Yds, 2,247 AP Yds, 16 Total TDs, 131.7 Rush Y/G, 8.14 Y/C

Why: Best was by far the Top RB in the country in 2008 in my opinion (sorry Shonn) and will be coming out trying to prove something in '09. He had 4 games with over 185 Yds Rushing. Cal's QB situation is unclear, and is likely to change at least once during the season. This means that the Running Game is key to Cal's success. If Best has a good season, the Bears will have a good season. He is the heart and soul of the team, could reach 2,500+ All Purpose Yards if he stays healthy.

Why Not: The Pac-10 got a lot closer recently and teams are going to be knocking each other off until they have effectively killed any chance of having more than one BCS game. Cal isn't going to beat USC. The QB instability will give Best more carries and better numbers, but ultimately will mean too many L's on the board in Berkley.

No point in going into detail over the Top Three. There's no surprise here. This is how I had it in my book from day one last season and the same will be true for this season.

#3 Tim Tebow, QB - Florida
#2 Sam Bradford, QB - Oklahoma
#1 Colt McCoy, QB - Texas

My 5 Sleeper Picks. Chances are these guys won't be in the final tally, but they're name might be mentioned once or twice on the ESPN Heisman Watch Page, in no particular order.

Damaris Johnson, WR - Tulsa
Austin Collie, WR - BYU
MiQuale Lewis, RB - Ball St.
Shun White, RB - Navy
Dan LeFevour, QB - Central Michigan.

More after the jump...