Every year, the Heisman trophy is awarded to “the most outstanding player in college football.” Instead, maybe the award should bill itself as the award given to the flashiest offensive player in college football. The Heisman has become a popularity contest, as 8 of the past 10 players to win the award were quarterbacks. The other two were running backs. Only three defensive players have ever won the award, the last being Charles Woodson in 1997. Woodson was not even a true defensive player, as he gained many votes from his electrifying punt returns.
     The recent offensive trend in Heisman voting should continue through the 2009 season, and this year’s race figures to be tight with all three finalists from last year returning. Texas QB Colt  McCoy looked like the pre-season favorite, as his Longhorns have been picked by many to win the Big 12 and his offense comes back even more experienced. He has a solid target to throw
to in wide-out Jordan Shipley.     
     Oklahoma QB Sam Bradford’s chances of receiving the award two years in a row took a severe hit when he went down in Week 1 against BYU. Missing 2-4 weeks gives him much less time to compile more ridiculous statistics, which were a key factor in his winning of the award last year.
   Quarterback Tim Tebow of Florida figures to be a big factor in the Heisman race for the third year in a row.
The 2007 winner leads a team that returns most of its starters after winning a national championship. Tebow may mean more to his team than any other player in the country and does a lot more for the Gators than just play QB. If Florida makes it out of the SEC unscathed, which is a highly likely scenario, expect Tebow to be a finalist for the trophy.
       Jacory Harris of Miami, yet another quarterback, has emerged early in the season as a potential candidate. The sophomore has been brilliant in big wins against Florida State and Georgia Tech and is the main reason the Hurricanes were able to crack the top ten early. If Miami can pull out two more big wins against Virginia Tech and Oklahoma, Harris will become a legitimate contender to win the Heisman.
    A non-quarterback who could make some noise in the Heisman race is California running back Jahvid Best. The electrifying junior has averaged nearly 8 yards per carry through his first three weeks and single-handedly defeated Minnesota with a five touchdown performance. If Best manages to stay healthy, he just might be able to crash the quarterback party.