If I'm not mistaken, Virginia still has the rights to "Schaub4Heisman.com," the now defunct Web site promoting the former quarterback known for his incredible ability to throw the ball to Alvin Pearman behind the line of scrimmage.
I think it's past time to update the site, pick a new Heisman candidate from Virginia and blatantly over-promote them in the same fashion that Akron's athletic department is doing with quarterback Charlie Frye. The problem this year is that there are so many great players to choose from, and competition naturally arises. I've taken it upon myself to open the debate with some true dark horses.
My sole qualification for commenting on this race is that I met 1992 Heisman winner Gino Torretta over last winter break. The former Miami quarterback was the guest on an in-house talk show at the ESPN Club in Orlando, where my family and I were vacationing. My younger brother talked me into asking Gino what he thought about being listed second on Xbox's NCAA 2004 all-time Miami team's depth chart behind Vinny Testaverde.
"I guess they wanted the guy who won the Heisman but didn't win a national championship," Torretta said, taking a jab at his fellow Miami alum.
While speaking with Torretta, I briefly tapped into the psyche of a Heisman winner, and I think these dark horse candidates also have the mentality necessary to win the award.
Let's start with Chris Long, son of Howie. Sure it's relatively unheard of for a freshman to win the Heisman, particularly one who plays defensive line and isn't listed as a starter on the depth chart. But if pedigree means anything these days -- which it does (see Eli and Peyton Manning who finished third and second respectively in Heisman balloting) -- then Long is set.
Besides his age, Long's major drawback has to be his numbers, registering only one solo and one assisted tackle over three games. Potential is the key to promotion here, and starting the Long campaign as a freshman could seal the award up by 2008. Al Groh, who must be an expert on Heisman winners since he coached 1984 winner Testaverde in 2000 while with the Jets, commented on Long before the Temple game.
"Chris is certainly advanced at the position, technique and strength-wise, for a kid coming in," Groh said.
Yes, no doubt about it, that's a ringing Heisman endorsement. I'd set the initial odds of a ChrisLong4Heisman.com happening this year at about 70 to one.
The next player to look at as a Heisman possibility is Imhotep Durham. This junior wideout would no doubt earn the "against all odds" vote, considering that his high school didn't even have a football team, according to Virginiasports.com.
Durham has worked his way into the receiver rotation and despite a slow start, with just one catch for 12 yards over four games, he is surely poised to breakout in the next few weeks. His name is perfectly suited for a Heisman campaign because it sticks in the minds of national voters. Odds of an Imhotep4Heisman.com showing up in the next calendar year are slightly better than Long considering his position and age, so I'd set them at 45 to one.
A certain sophomore cornerback was the next player that I thought of when considering Virginia's Heisman hopefuls. Tony Franklin, or "T," as he's known to his biggest fans, is a converted tailback from Cleveland. He was named to the All-ACC team as a freshman despite the fact that he didn't seem to learn the position until this year.
The last corner to win the Heisman was Charles Woodson in 1997, so Franklin comes from a position that has actually won the trophy, just like Durham (the last wideout winner was Desmond Howard in 1991). Franklin is also from Cleveland, which is only two hours from Ohio State, a school which has produced five Heisman winners. Sure, only one of them won the trophy while Franklin was alive, but simply put, winning is contagious.
Franklin has to be one of the top candidates that the athletic department should consider pouring money into a Heisman campaign for. Odds of Franklin4Heisman.com coming online soon have to be about one to one -- it's almost a certainty.
Now, I've also heard people mention a few other names when discussing possible Heisman winners from Virginia, guys with last names like Hagans, Lundy and Miller. I'm not buying it. Nobody has the intangibles going for them like Franklin, Long and Durham. I mean, come on, Imhotep just rolls of the tongue, just like Desmond and Herschel.
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