Stanford ratchets up Gerhart Heisman campaign

With Tiger Woods reputation on the rocks, Stanford's favorite son is now RB Toby Gerhart. After shredding a weak Notre Dame defense last week, Stanford decided to produce a Heisman marketing piece for a guy who reminds us of Touchdown Tommy Vardell.

Good luck Toby. You'll probably get the call to NYC, but the trophy is probably going to a quarterback.

More Eric Berry for Heisman

Both the 'Eye and the 'Eer would love to have Eric Berry on their respective teams. It's just too bad he's been stuck at Tennessee the past few years. He's too good for the Vols and he might be a legitimate Heisman candidate if he were playing for a more competitive team. Good news, he's going to get paid well next year.

Eric Berry and the Heisman campaign

Could Tennessee defensive back Eric Berry really win the Heisman Trophy? Probably not. He may need to pick off about four Tim Tebow passes on Sept. 19 in The Swamp. But after watching this video I could see support picking up for him.



This almost has the feel of one of those FreeCreditReport.com commercials. Love the reference to Peyton Manning getting jobbed the year Charles Woodson won the Heisman. This is the second video. New ones are scheduled to come out each week of the season. Here is the first Berry video.

Catching up with Heisman winners

I know, you're wondering what happened to former Miami Hurricane great Gino Torretta. Well, Gino is wealthier than most NFL players as he works for asset management firm GAMCO Investors, Inc. in Miami. Most of his clients are NFL and former NFL players.

Want to know what other former Heisman Trophy winners are doing today? The best source for getting the latest on Colorado's 1994 Heisman winner Rashaan Salaam is LostLettermen.com. Salaam is promoting martial arts fights in China and residing in San Diego, Calif.

Here are a few other interesting updates:

1963: Roger Staubach (Navy) — Pro Football Hall of Famer for Cowboys sold real estate business for $613 million in 2008; resides in Dallas.
1968: O.J. Simpson (USC) — Serving at least nine years in Lovelock, Nev., prison.
1972: Johnny Rodgers (Nebraska) — Owns JetWear kid’s bedroom store in Omaha, Neb.
1979: Charles White (USC) — Rehabbed drug addict works at USC as computer service engineer and resides in Long Beach, Calif.
1983: Mike Rozier (Nebraska) — Stay-at-home dad living in Sicklerville, N.J.

Other observations:

*2000 winner Chris Weinke (Florida State) is 37 years old. Wasn't he that old when he won the award?
* 1967 winner Gary Beban (UCLA) is the least recognizable name on the list.
* Look at this photo of 1966 winner Steve Spurrier (Florida). He was a smug SOB even then.

12 Heismans in one day

That's right. I met 12 Heisman Trophy winners today. OK, I actually paid to get their autographs, but it was a great day. I recall watching each play (except two) and for a mere four bills I added each one to a full-size Heisman helmet I've had for about eight years.

Today's haul:

1. Johnny Rodgers, Nebraska, 1972
2. Eric Crouch, Nebraska, 2001
3. George Rogers, South Carolina, 1980
4. Ron Dayne, Wisconsin, 1999
5. Mike Rozier, Nebraska, 1983
6. Tim Brown, Notre Dame, 1987
7. Billy Sims, Oklahoma, 1978
8. Steve Owens, Oklahoma, 1969
9. Chris Weinke, Florida State, 2000
10. John Cappelletti, Penn State, 1973
11. Jason White, Oklahoma, 2003
12. Gino Torretta, Miami, 1992

All 12 were friendly and enjoyed meeting their fans. But of the group I met today, there were three that really stood out. First, was George Rogers. He laughed, told stories and posed for photos with anyone and everyone. Next was Billy Sims. He never sat down and enjoyed mixing it up with the fans. And then there was Steve Owens. He covered all kinds of topics. He chatted with a man from Detroit about the Red Wings. He talked with another man about Penn State and JoPa. With me, he talked about WVU's pasting of his alma mater at the 2008 Fiesta Bowl and how much he loved Owen Schmitt.

So all in all, it was a great day.

Buckeyes fans rejoice

Archie Griffin and his back-to-back Heisman Trophys are sacred to Ohio State fans. When Tim Tebow won last season many of those fans feared Superman's potential to win in 2008.

Thank you Sam Bradford. Sort of. Now Bradford is the man challenging Griffin's place in history. And let's not forget that Tebow could win it again.

However, the very reliable Heisman site, HeismanPundit.com, says there is no reason to worry.

Preview: BCS National Championship Game

BCS National Championship Game
Dolphin Stadium, Miami Gardens, Fla.
Florida vs. Oklahoma
Date: Jan. 8
Time: 8 p.m.
TV: FOX
Line: Florida -3

About Florida: After watching Gary Danielson do the SEC title game, here's what I know about the Gators: Tim Tebow, Tim Tebow, Tebow, Tim, Tim Tebow, some other guys, Tim Tebow, Holy Crap Tebow, Can you believe that, Tebow? Tebow. I assume there are other guys, but I can't make any guarantees.

Intangibles:
Gainesville: -2
Florida co-eds: +4
Steve Spurrier: -1
Galen Hall: -2
Ron Zook: -4

About Oklahoma: The Sooners average 147 points a game this year and Sam Bradford won the Heisman Trophy thanks to playing against the Big 12. On defense, the Sooners line up 11 guys and do their best to get in the way.

Intangibles:
Stoops' stupid visor: -4
Last four BCS games: -3
Billy Sims: +3
Billy Sims at Heisman ceremony: -3

Impact Player: Florida returner Brandon James is the fastest midget alive. Except for LSU's Trindon Holiday. Makes him hard to see on kick returns.

Bowl slogan: "This is for the national title. We've got a trophy and everything. That makes it real."

Little known fact: Football games usually take between two and a half and three hours. This one will take nearly four.

The Pick: Florida 38, Oklahoma 28

Podcast: Episode 17

Phil and Tom are ready for the bowl season to begin, especially to read Phil's hilarious bowl previews on our blog starting real soon (Hey Phil, give us a date). But before we get to the games we want to discuss the overt racism taking place with Turner Gill, should new coaches leave their current positions immediately, the joke that is the Heisman Trophy and the future of recruiting QBs to the University of Florida. We also tackle some fun quick hitters this week. Enjoy the show.

Need help selecting the Heisman?

ESPN blogger Chris Low provided some very interesting information on Oklahoma's Sam Bradford, Texas' Colt McCoy and Florida's Tim Tebow yesterday evening. He compared the defenses that each Heisman finalist faced in 2008 and the results are not shocking. Tebow has face six defenses in the Top 25, while Bradford has face one and McCoy none.

Here is the list that Low provided:

Sam Bradford
No. 2 TCU
No. 26 Cincinnati
No. 50 Texas
No. 66 Nebraska
No. 72 Texas Tech
No. 86 Oklahoma State
No. 87 Baylor
No. 94 Kansas
No. 99 Missouri
No. 110 Washington
No. 113 Texas A&M
No. 117 Kansas State

Colt McCoy
No. 65 Oklahoma
No. 72 Texas Tech
No. 73 Arkansas
No. 79 Colorado
No. 86 Oklahoma State
No. 91 Missouri
No. 93 Florida Atlantic
No. 94 Kansas
No. 99 Missouri
No. 113 Texas A&M
No. 114 Rice
No. 115 UTEP

Tebow
No. 3 Alabama
No. 4 Tennessee
No. 11 South Carolina
No. 13 Florida State
No. 15 Ole Miss
No. 25 Miami
No. 28 Georgia
No. 29 Vanderbilt
No. 36 LSU
No. 37 Kentucky
No. 59 Hawaii
No. 73 Arkansas

I'm not saying Low's analysis proves Tebow should win, but the argument of comparing statistics should take this evidence into account. However, Tebow may lose the Heisman this year for the same flawed reason he claimed it last year.

Podcast: Episode 16

It's time to take a closer look at the best and worst match ups of the BCS Bowls and non-BCS Bowls. Phil and Tom also discuss the latest on the coaching carousel, as well as who will and who should win the Heisman Trophy. Also, what's up with those Zubaz-inspired pants that the Cincinnati Bearcats wore last week? The boys from An 'Eye and an 'Eer won't go without football this weekend either as both are looking forward to watching FCS Division playoffs.

Slippery when wet

Clearly Florida State didn't do anything well last Saturday. The football team struggled to get the ball in the end zone, while Tim Tebow may have won the Heisman Trophy again with his one-man show.

Field conditions didn't just impact the players. It seems FSU's band, especially the tuba players, had trouble with their footing.

Grumblings from the Retired One

Special Report

Retired Coach Rick
ACC Correspondent

Charlie "Shrek" Weis did a great job against USC. This offensive genius scored three points. I hope the Irish have enough pride to refuse a bowl game.

As much as I hate to say it, don't be shocked when Alabama destroys Florida. The Crimson Tide will create confusion for Tim Tebow and Urban Meyer. This will lead to at least three turnovers. Tebow will not have a good day. I see the final at Alabama 31, Florida 24. Both teams will block a kick.

The ACC has the chance to send 10 teams to bowl games this year. Every conference should have 12 teams and a conference championship at the end (something 'Eye and 'Eer totally disagree with). Play eight conference games and the rest outside the conference.

My Heisman selection is Texas' Colt McCoy. The best player during the 2008 season.

I hope Mountaineer Field is standing room only when Pat White plays his final home game Saturday against South Florida. He has provided the state of West Virginia with more thrills, excitement and pride than any athlete since Jerry West. They need to thank him by being there for his final curtain call.

The eventual Pac-10 champion USC vs the Fat 10 champion Penn State will be another blowout in favor of the Trojans.

Cincinnati in the Orange Bowl should be interesting. I hope Florida is the Bearcats opponent. UF will kill them.

Conference Championship Weekend is coming up and the bad thing is, another college season is coming to an end. I'll do my end of the year clean-up next week.

Ryan Leaf sighting

Ryan Leaf, a former Heisman candidate while at Washington State and NFL wash out, found a way to get back in the news today -- even at little ol' NCAA Division II West Texas A&M. It seems Leaf, an assistant football coach and head golf coach, asked one of the Buffaloes players for a pain pill.

Not a good move. Leaf has taken a leave of absence and his future in Canyon, Texas, is uncertain. It has been reported that Leaf is still a millionaire because of past endorsements, but it seems Leaf's life is spiraling out of control again.

Buckeye Legend is Born

Not that Ohio State fans (as well as Jim Tressel) had not already declared Terrelle Pryor a savior, but his performance against Wisconsin last night is the stuff of legends. He will win a Heisman Trophy before he departs. It may have been nothing more than an 11-yard TD run, but Pryor led the Buckeyes on this late scoring drive for a huge win. What a performance by a true freshman in hostile Camp Randall.