Roll Out the Red Carpet...Let's Talk About the Heisman...4 Weeks In

In case you were looking for another reason to exemplify why college football is in fact the greatest sport in the universe, I have another for you: it possesses the single greatest award of personal achievement surpassing the Nobel Peace Prize. Yes, it's the Heisman Trophy.

What's great about the award is that it has more mystique than any another award. Only the Heisman can promote someone of such athletic prowess to see them disappear in 6 months. Jason White, where are you? Troy Smith, where are you? Rashaan Salaam, where are you?

It can also catapult careers to the next level: Carson Palmer, Paul Hornung, Roger Staubach, Marcus Allen. It can also be sold to pay off your debt from a Civil Case: OJ Simpson.

And again with the Heisman, we can talk about it, beat it to death, and still, it never gets old. Better start somewhere.

I consider the Heisman to go to the best player in the country. That's the definition and we've been through this before. Right now, as we speak, who is the best player in the country?

That's a good question. Let's start with the quarterbacks. Right now, the Tim Tebow stock is on the rise. Here's my problem with Tebow and the award. If you can't give the award to Colt Brennan, you can't give it to Tebow. Why? People talk about how Hawaii is a gimmick system and how the system is designed for the quarterback to put up numbers. What exactly is the difference between that concept and that of Florida? Last I looked, both Hawaii and Florida put their quarterback in the shotgun about 99% of the time...and much of that time all by themselves. Tebow splits his numbers between running and passing where Brennan does it all through the air. Ok, so Tebow is more versatile, but Brennan's numbers are superior. The argument then falls to...Hawaii doesn't play anyone. Well, if you balance out the talent level of Hawaii's team, it matches that of it's opponents. Florida has more talent than their opponents. So, is Tebow the better player right now? Probably. But if you want to compare numbers, and call the Hawaii system a gimmick, you best understand that Tebow's numbers are just as "inflated" by his system and athletes as Brennan's are by THE JUNE JONES.

Matt Ryan is putting together a nice season. Boston College has the chance to win the ACC; a conference with The U, Florida State and Virginia Tech. Who thought that was supposed to happen? I think if Ryan can continue to put up numbers and carry his team...win a big game or two he will be right there. Only if the guy who I think is the second best player in the country falls off.

That man is Steve Slaton. I love Steve Slaton. He is the best running back in the game today. He is almost as perfect of a fit for his offense as true freshman Noel Devine is (Devine might be the front runner next year) and brings a speed that is un-matched at the running back position. He also can square his shoulders and take someone on if need be. He's a dynamic back. Don't fumble and win out. See you against the Sooners in New Orleans. Yeah, I'm sticking with the pick.

Right now, there is no question as to who the best player in the country is. It's Percy Harvin from Florida. Again, the guy doesn't have a position and won't translate well to the NFL other than at kick returner. This has nothing to do with the NFL. The guy creates matchup issues for every team he faces, has an exciting highlight reel and has the ability to take it to the HOUSE every time he touches the ball. The fact that he doesn't have a position makes him so valuable as you can play him as a running back, as a receiver, and he can take a snap. It is without any doubt that he is the best player in college football right now. The knock on Harvin? He's injury prone. If he can stay healthy, someone other than the coahces and myself should notice that he is the reason that Florida's offense is so dynamic.

Harvin won't win though. It just won't happen. Slaton and Ryan will split too many of the northeast votes. Tebow will carry the southeast, but who really wants to give the award to a sophomore? Oregon has a good team. They have a very good team. I've said it once and I'll say it again...I think USC will lose. USC has a track record against big, talented, dual threat quarterbacks wearing #10? I like Dennis Dixon to win the award if, and this is a big if, he can play well enough not to lose the award this weekend against Cal, and beat USC. Oregon can afford to lose to Cal this week, but I like them to beat USC and Dixon to be right there for the Heisman if they can go through the year with one loss. If they do, he would be the best player in the nation and should win the Heisman.

There's a long way to go in this season. Many things can happen...Kyle Wright could start throwing for 400 yards a game. Ok, that might be a little much. But most certainly we have a long way to go. That's the slate right now, No Owens style. More on this subject matter to come.