Mac Smack
Moderated by Arkansas Online Staff
Will the record hurt Mac's chances?
Posted September 27, 2007
HEISMAN HYPE
Much has been made this week of Arkansas’ 1-2 record hurting Darren McFadden’s chances to win the Heisman Trophy. Some think it has already killed his chances. Others don’t see it that way:
Thumbs up
Houston Nutt, Arkansas football coach
"We're always trying to win as many games as we can. That's first and foremost, you know that. But what is the trophy? Is it for the best player, or is it for the best team?"
Nutt was an assistant at Oklahoma State in 1988 when Barry Sanders won the Heisman. The Cowboys went 10-2 that season but lost to Nebraska and Oklahoma.
"I don't think we won the Big Eight that year, and he won it It's about giving it to the best player I think. That's what the Heisman Trophy stands for. ... You're talking about a kick returner, you're talking about an unselfish player a blocker. You're talking about a pass catcher. You're talking about a guy that's going to go over 1,000 yards, he's going to have some of the most spectacular runs, and he can throw it as well. Pretty valuable, and that's why he's got to be in there."
Jim Thomas, The Daily Breeze of Torrance, Calif.
“The Heisman Trophy race is starting to take shape and Arkansas running back Darren McFadden remains the favorite heading into the last weekend of September. He finished second last year and he's on pace to gain more than 2,000 yards as a junior. However, two quarterbacks are coming on strong.
Thumbs down
Mike Lopresti, columnist for Gannett Newspapers
“He's leading the nation rushing at 173 yards per game, but if the 1-2 Razorbacks keep losing, it's going to cost votes.”
Wendell Barnhouse, Fort Worth Star-Telegram
“Arkansas running back Darren McFadden was the Heisman favorite coming into the 2007 season, but with the Razorbacks having two losses, his campaign has lost some steam. McFadden, the preseason Heisman favorite, leads the nation in rushing. That's the good news. The bad news is that Arkansas has two losses. Given the Razorbacks' remaining schedule, it's difficult to imagine them closing out the season without another loss. USC's Carson Palmer (2002) and Wisconsin's Ron Dayne (1999) won the Heisman playing on teams with two regular-season losses. Since 1970, only Texas running back Ricky Williams -- who was on his way to becoming the career rushing leader -- has won the Heisman playing for a team that lost three games before the votes were tallied.”
Rocky Mountain News, Denver (Colo.)
“ Florida quarterback Tim Tebow has surged into the lead in this week's Scripps Howard Heisman Trophy poll.
“With an impressive 427 yards of total offense with 2 TD passes, and 2 TD runs in a 30-24 win at Ole Miss, Tebow replaced Arkansas running back Darren McFadden, last week's leader who has been hurt by consecutive losses by the Razorbacks. A sophomore, Tebow would have to overcome long odds to win as no sophomore has ever won the Heisman.
Scripps-howard poll
There are 10 voters, all college football writers and two from each voting region, who vote for five players each week. The tabulations are made on a 5-4-3-2-1 basis, with five points for a first-place vote, four points for second, etc. First-place votes are in parentheses.
Name, pos., SchooL (1ST) pts
Tim Tebow, QB, Florida (4) 35
Darren McFadden, RB Arkansas (4) 27
Andre Woodson, QB Kentucky (0) 18
John David Booty, QB USC (0) 15
Dennis Dixon, QB Oregon (1) 12
Matt Ryan, QB Boston College (0) 12
Pat White, QB West Virginia (0) 12
Others receiving votes Steve Slaton (RB, West Virginia) 9; Brian Brohm (QB, Louisville) 4; Colt Brennan (QB, Hawaii) 3; Sam Bradford (QB, Oklahoma) 2; Mike Hart (RB, Michigan) 1.
Voters Wendell Barnhouse (Fort Worth Star-Telegram); Kirk Bohls (Austin American-Statesman); Dennis Dodd (CBSSports.com); Vahe Gregorian (St. Louis Post-Dispatch); Mike Griffith (Knoxville News-Sentinel); Randy Holtz (Rocky Mountain News); Michael Lewis (Salt Lake Tribune); Tom Luicci (The \[Newark] Star-Ledger); Dana O'Neil (Philadelphia Daily News); and John Rohde (The Oklahoman).
THIS AND THAT
- Wendell Barnhouse had an interesting take on the Heisman race in his report for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram this week: “The Heisman race is muddled one-third of the way into the season. Here's a quick update on some of the candidates that explains: A running back (Arkansas's Darren McFadden) who gets most of his highlight footage lining up at quarterback. A quarterback (Florida's Tim Tebow) who plays like a running back.
- Doug Segrest of The Birmingham (Ala.) News, tongue-in-cheek, wrote about 10 things worth buzzing about over the weekend and Arkansas made the top 10 twice, both references to Darren McFadden and Felix Jones getting sick on the sideline during last Saturday’s game against Kentucky.
At No. 6, Forget firing Houston Nutt. How about the Gatorade man?
At No. 7, Darren McFadden and Felix Jones may be the nation's best 1-2 running back combo, but how good are they if they're (throwing up) on the sideline due to dehydration or a virus?
- Lonnie White of the Los Ångeles Times reports that the odds are still favoring McFadden but Florida quarterback Tim Tebow has made the biggest move in the odds race for this season's Heisman Trophy, according to nsawins.com. “With the Gators off to a 4-0 start, Tebow is now listed at 7-2 to win the award after he accounted for four touchdowns in Florida's 30-24 victory at Mississippi last week. Tebow's ability to pass (261 yards against the Rebels) and run (166 yards) has made his stock climb. But Tebow still trails Arkansas running back Darren McFadden, who has held on to his position as favorite at 3-1. McFadden rushed for 173 yards and a touchdown in the Razorbacks' loss at Kentucky last week. USC quarterback John David Booty and Michigan running back Mike Hart are next at 5-1, followed by Hawaii quarterback Colt Brennan at 6-1 and West Virginia running back Steve Slaton at 7-1.”
Comments
Posted on October 1 at 11:26 p.m.
Heisman hype
We are watching something that has never before been seen in history. Arkansas has two running backs who go over a hundred yards every week against lines stacked with 8 and 9 players and there is still no answer. The only reason Arkansas lost those two games was not the quarterback but receivers who dropped critical passes when drives needed to be sustained. Go back and review all the films; I watched both games. In the Alabama game the flanker dropped a pass on a slant route (no one was in front of him if he caught the pass). Another receiver caught a pass that looked like a 30 yard gain and just simply dropped the ball. That was not Casey Dick's fault. In the Kentucky game, a running back fumbles with less than a minute before halftime and instead of being up 23-7 or 27-7 we go in up 20-14. You do the math.
With 6'6 Marcus Monk Arkansas will run the table and win the SEC championship. If you can gain 400 or 500 yards a week with key players out then what will happen when the deck is loaded? Remember no one has held Arkansas under 29 points this year. -- JF McClain, Memphis
Posted on October 1 at 11:27 p.m.
Will the record hurt Mac's chances?
Oh and by the way: About the Heisman thing. Swap players for just a moment. Tebow playing for Arkansas and McFadden for Florida. John David Booty with Arkansas and McFadden with USC.
Case closed. -- JF McClain, Memphis
Posted on October 23 at 6:26 a.m.
darren mcfadden
i dont think mcfadden is in any trouble the people around the country know he is the best player he can play any position. if they are smart they will vote for him cause you can never count d mac out. -- joey, fort smith
Posted on October 27 at 11:56 p.m.
Heisman Hype
The Heisman is suppose to go to THE BEST ALL AROUND PLAYER regardless of a teams record and there is no doubt who that it is.It's Darren McFadden.Just think what would have happened if the Hogs had had a decent passing game and there best receivers were not injured.The yards he would have gained would be unthinkable.It still amazes me what he does now with all opponents knowing that all the Hogs have is basically a running game and that is what they prepare for and he still has good numbers.So if your going to vote people then vote for the BEST ALL-ROUND football player and that player is Darren McFadden. -- Charlie Rebble Price, Marion AR
Posted on October 28 at 8:56 a.m.
Heisman Hype
The Heisman is suppose to go to THE BEST ALL AROUND PLAYER regardless of a teams record and there is no doubt who that it is.It's Darren McFadden.Just think what would have happened if the Hogs had had a decent passing game and there best receivers were not injured.The yards he would have gained would be unthinkable.It still amazes me what he does now with all opponents knowing that all the Hogs have is basically a running game and that is what they prepare for and he still has good numbers.So if your going to vote people then vote for the BEST ALL-ROUND football player and that player is Darren McFadden. -- Charlie Rebble Price, Marion AR
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