2009 Heisman Watch Redux—Ten Names To Know: Part II

by HD Handshoe
Founder—BlockONation


This two-part series was originally published on BlockONation May 3, 2009


The following are the second five of ten players I feel have the most legitimate chance to contend for and possibly win the 2009 Heisman Trophy if they each meet their full potential and stay healthy in the coming season!

I've also added a special bonus for you all at the end—They don't call me sneaky for nothing!


JacQuizz Rodgers, RB, Oregon State

Oregon State should once again challenge USC for the Pac-10 title and a healthy Rodgers will go a long way to helping the Beavers overtake the Trojans. (Pun not intended, but I couldn't help but laugh a little after I typed that!)

Rodgers gained 186 yards and scored 2 touchdowns while almost single-handedly blowing up the USC defense last year—The same defense that just sent nine of it's eleven players to the NFL.

He missed the final two games of the season due to injury nut in the 11 games he played in, JacQuizz rushed for 1253 yards and 11 touchdowns on 259 carries and added 29 receptions for 247 yards and a touchdown.

Oregon State is a program on the rise and Rodgers made a name for himself last season, so if he can stay healthy this season and duplicate his 2008 performance, especially against USC, there's no doubt he will be garner serious attention from the Heisman committee come December.


Dez Bryant, WR, Oklahoma State

Bryant missed Spring football in Stillwater after having minor knee surgery to repair a small ligament tear, but should be ready to go this fall!

The Cowboys will need him to be their go to guy even more with the loss of their second leading receiver, tight end Brandon Pettigrew to the NFL.

A year ago, Bryant was easily one of the best receivers in the Big 12, if not the entire nation. He made 87 receptions for 1480 yards (123.3 per game) and scored 19 touchdowns.

Running back Kendall Hunter (1555 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns in 2008), should command enough respect coming out the backfield to open up the passing lanes to allow Bryant and veteran quarterback Zac Robinson to hook up for some big plays again this year.

Oklahoma State could be this years Texas Tech, but even better with a legitimate threat at running back in Hunter, in addition to their high-powered passing game.

Bryant will have plenty of opportunities to be noticed with OSU's schedule. They open at home vs. Georgia, then Houston in week two will not be a pushover. In October, they play at Baylor, then the following week host Texas and finish the season with a visit from the Sooners.

I don't doubt that Bryant will have a solid season, but will the Cowboys win enough of games to keep him in the Heisman race?


Zac Robinson, QB, Oklahoma State

Basically, everything I said above about Bryant goes for Robinson as well. Robinson should have a very productive year, but can he lead the Cowboys to enough wins?

In 2008, Robinson was unknown to most of the country at the start of the season, but that wouldn't last. He posted a QB rating of 166.8 while throwing for just over 3000 yards and 25 touchdowns to only 10 interceptions and rushing for another 562 yards and 8 scores.

Robinson led Oklahoma State to what was considered a huge upset win at then No. 3 Missouri on October 11th.

One week later on Espn's game of the week, the Cowboys barely lost to then No. 1 Texas in Austin, 28-24.

Okie State did however suffer two lopsided losses in national spotlight games late in the season vs. Texas Tech (56-20) and Oklahoma (61-41).

If they can avoid those kinds of letdowns in 2009, Robinson, Bryant and even the less-hyped Hunter may all receive attention from the Heisman voters.


Jahvid Best, RB, California

Many would consider Best the nation’s most exciting running back heading into the 2009 season. Rightfully so when you consider what he did in 2008.

He rushed for 1580 yards (131.7 per game) on 194 carries for an impressive 8.1 yards per carry, and added 15 touchdowns

It's extremely likely that he’ll put up highlight run after highlight run. Much like Ohio State's Beanie Wells a year ago, if he stays healthy, (a big if), a 2,000-yard could be on the horizon.

Just as I said with JacQuizz Rodgers, the key for Best in the eyes of the Heisman voters will be the same: How he does against USC.

Last season, he had his worst game of the year as the USC defense held him to just 30 yards on 13 carries.

I have very little doubt that Best will redeem himself vs. the Trojans in 2009 and catapult himself near the top of the Heisman finalists list.


Colt McCoy, QB, Texas

McCoy and the Longhorns felt slighted in 2008 after losing only to Texas Tech, on an almost fluke-like touchdown by Michael Crabtree, on the last play of game.

That one play cost the Horns a shot at Florida in the BCS title game, where instead, Oklahoma, who Texas had beaten 45-35 on a neutral field earlier in the year, got the nod and then proceeded to lose their fifth straight BCS bowl game.

If Colt McCoy has anything to say about it this year, that will not happen again!

McCoy, who posted a 173.8 QB rating, threw for 3,859 passing yards, 34 touchdowns to only 8 interceptions and also ran for 561 yards and found the endzone with his legs 11 times. 173.8 QB Rating. He finished second in the Heisman trophy voting behind Sam Bradford and ahead of Tim Tebow.

Texas has a tough schedule but they have a great team and if any team is going to go unbeaten in the Big 12 in 2009, they are the the pick.

With his roommate and top receiver Jordan Shipley returning for a sixth season and without a true standout running back in the mix, McCoy should once again put up great passing and rushing numbers, and solidify his status as one of, if not the No. 1 Heisman contender for 2009 and increase his stock as a potential top NFL pick for 2010.

---

Now, I'm sure I'm not alone with most or all of the top ten that I chose, so I also wanted to pick five guys who may not be on the 2009 Heisman radar yet. These are the players I see as potential dark horse candidates. Some are longshots—some are more legit than others.


Kendall Hunter, RB, Oklahoma State

QB Zac Robinson and WR Dez Bryant overshadowed a great year by Hunter in 2008. Will they do it again in 2009?


Chris Brown/DeMarco Murray, RB, Oklahoma

Both backs rushed for over 100 yards but Murray was the No. 1 guy before he was injured. Who will emerge as No. 1 this season or will Oklahoma play the running back by committee game since they both appear to be qualified?


Noel Devine, RB, West Virginia

Now a junior and out of the shadow of Pat White, this is Devine's team. He quietly rushed for nearly 1300 yards a year ago, but only 4 touchdowns. Can he shine is the spotlight and lead WVU to a Big East Championship on his own merit?


Case Keenum, QB, Houston

Keenum has to be the least known player to make this list and therefore is the biggest dark horse of them all. Not to mention, players from non-BCS conferences are almost guaranteed to not get the recognition they deserve because of the perception of their SOS. That being said, Keenum threw for over 5000 yards and tossed 44 touchdowns and also ran for 7 scores. He threw for 300+ yards in every game last season and only failed to throw for 350+ once! Will his real-life EA Sports NCAA Football-level stats be enough to get him noticed by the voters in 2009?


Robert Griffin, QB, Baylor

Last, but certainly not least, in a word, Griffin was AMAZING in 2008. All he did as a true freshman in 2008 was pass for 2,091 yards, 15 touchdowns to only three interceptions, and run for another 843 yards and 13 touchdowns, all while posting a QB rating of 142.0 for the Bears. Unfortunately, Griffin's incredible stats didn't translate into much, as Baylor finished the year 4-8. While those gaudy stats could prove hard to duplicate, I expect that Griffin will be able to put up similar numbers, and with any help from his defense at all, the Bears could become bowl eligible in 2009. I hope they do because it's a shame that most of the nation has never seen Griffin play, and without a bowl game for Baylor, it will probably remain that way.

---

I hope you will let me know what you think of my entire top ten and sleepers in contention for the 2009 Heisman trophy!

9/23/2009 UPDATE: It's probably safe to say that Quizz Rodgers, Robert Griffin, and Kendall Hunter are no longer Heisman worthy. One name that I could throw out there would be that of Cincinnati QB Tony Pike.

The Bearcats are 3-0 and Pike has nearly 1000 passing yards to go along with 10 touchdowns. Cincy hasn't really been tested however, and they have a fairly easy schedule, so he's likely to continue putting up big numbers. I'm just not sure how legit they will be.

CLICK HERE for more from
BlockONation ::: Buckeye Football Lives Here

College Football's Top 10 Quarterbacks to Watch in 2009

by HD Handshoe
Founder
BlockONation.com


The fortunes (or misfortunes for some) of many a team will depend on how well their key players step up and shoulder the load to help carry their team to success.

There is no position more crucial in this cause than that of the quarterback.

For some, it may a chance to win the Heisman trophy. For others, possibly a chance for redemption in a BCS bowl game or even the BCS title game or to earn a BCS bowl game invite and earn the title of "BCS Buster"!

Here are the top 10 QB's to watch in 2009 that have the opportunity to make or break the 2009 season for their respective teams and provide all of us fans with quite a thrill ride along the way!



No. 10—Tyrod Taylor—Virginia Tech

Just about every year in recent memory, Virginia Tech has been hyped up and ranked in or near the top ten in the AP Preseason Poll. And just about every year in recent memory, they have been the poster child for why preseason polls make no sense.

According to ESPN's Mark Schlabach in his "Way Too Early Top 25" article, Va Tech is once again highly regarded, coming in at No. 5.

In 2008, Tech went 10-4, winning the ACC and beating Cincinnati 20-7 in the Fedex Orange Bowl in what many considered to be a foundation year for 2009.

They were one of the youngest teams in the nation a year ago. If Tyrod Taylor can improve in the passing game (1036 yards,2 TD, 7 INT), and with star tailback Darren Evans there to help take some of the pressure off of Taylor, the Hokies might actually deserve their preseason ranking and may even be contenders for the national championship.


No. 9—Jimmy Clausen—Notre Dame

Charlie Weis is on the hottest seat in college football and if he is to keep his job at Notre Dame, Clausen must live up to the hype and meet, if not exceed, expectations this season.

Notre Dame crushed Hawaii 49-21 in the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl and Clausen led the way with 401 yards and five touchdown passes. Weis can only pray that Clausen builds off of that performance and continues to play at that level or pretty near it this season.

2009 is do or die for the quarterback and the coach. If Clausen faulters, he might find a seat on the bench with highly-touted Dayne Christ waiting in the wings and Weis will most likely find himself out of a job if the Irish win less than nine or ten games.


No. 8—Kellen Moore—Boise State

The Broncos have become a mainstay "mid-major" program that has been and will continue to be in the BCS bowl discussion this season. Last year, Boise finished the regular season with a perfect 12-0 record before being tripped-up by TCU in the Poinsettia Bowl.

Sophomore QB Kellen Moore has proven he is one of the country's best quarterbacks (3,486 yards, 25 TD, 9 INT, 157.1 QB Rating), but he'll be missing his top targets from a year ago. Tailback Ian Johnson and receivers Jeremy Childs and Vinny Perretta are big losses.

Moore will need to duplicate his 2008 season if Boise is to have any chance at another "BCS busting" undefeated season.

He and the Broncos will be tested early in 2009, opening the season with Oregon at home before road games at Tulsa and Fresno State.


No. 7—Robert Griffin—Baylor

Baylor isn't exactly on national TV week to week but, if you haven't at least heard of Robert Griffin, you must not pay attention to teams outside of your own because all Griffin did as a true freshman in 2008 was pass for 2,091 yards and 15 touchdowns to only 3 interceptions and ran for another 843 yards and 13 touchdowns, while posting a QB rating of 142.0 for the Bears!

Unfortunately, Griffins' incredible stats didn't translate into much as Baylor finished the year 4-8.

While those gaudy stats could prove hard to duplicate, I expect that Griffin will be able to put up similar numbers and with any help from his defense at all, the Bears could become bowl eligible in 2009.

I hope they do because it's a shame that most of the nation has never seen Griffin play, and without a bowl game for Baylor, it will probably remain that way.


No. 6—Jevan Snead—Ole Miss

Snead could have been Matt Cassell 2.0, but instead he decided to transfer from Texas at the end of the 2006 season where he would have been Colt McCoy's backup to Ole Miss where instead, he is the man and the rest is history.

Only one team beat the eventual BCS Champion Florida Gators in 2008 and that team was, you guessed it, Ole Miss!

In that 31-30 thrilling road win that catapulted the Rebels into the top 25 and the national discussion, Snead threw for 185 yards and 2 touchdowns and ran for a third.

There were a couple of lows however, when Wake Forest, Vanderbilt and South Carolina each handed Mississippi three, somewhat unexpected losses.

The Rebels bounced back with a huge victory over Texas Tech in the Cotton Bowl to close the season and end the year on a positive note to build on!

Ole Miss has a favorable schedule in 2009 and Snead should be able to replicate his stats from a year ago (2,762 yards, 26 TD, 12 INT, 145.5 QB Rating) and lead the Rebels back to another successful season and a possible SEC Championship!


No. 5—Terrelle Pryor—Ohio State

While Pryor didn't have the stats (1,311 passing yards, 631 rushing yards, 12 passing and 6 rushing TD, 4 INT, 146.5 QB Rating) that Robert Griffin or Kellen Moore did in 2008, he did have a solid season for the Buckeyes with an 8-2 record as a starter and let's face it—He is the QB of "THE" Ohio State Buckeyes and, not to belittle Baylor or Boise State but, the reality is that the expectations of him and pressure on him far exceed those of/on Griffin or Moore.

I believe the Buckeyes lost four starters on offense and five on defense and yet they are No. 7 in Schlabachs' rankings. The number one reason why they are ranked in his top ten is Terrelle Pryor, so you can see what I'm saying about the expectations and pressure placed upon him.

At times, Pryor made some amazing passes and at other times, some were just plain ridiculous and downright horrible. But remember, he was a true freshman and took the starting job away from Senior QB and team captain, Todd Boeckman. I can't begin to imagine the stress he must have felt.

Still, he persevered. His only losses as a starter in 2008 came to then No. 3 Penn State after an errant pass was picked off, which gave the Nittany Lions the ball late in the game, deep in OSU territory, leading to the games only touchdown and a PSU win.

In the Fiesta Bowl, Pryor caught a TD pass from Boeckman against then No. 3 Texas as the Buckeyes held a 21-17 lead with less than a minute to go in the game when McCoy found Quan Cosby on a quick slant as the Buckeyes were on an all out blitz and Texas went on to the 24-21 victory.

Pryor is rumored to have gained 10-15 pounds of muscle this off-season and the Buckeyes are promising to open up the offense more to suit his abilities. There's talk in Buckeye cyberspace that there will be more use of the Pistol formation and even the Single-Wing or Wildcat as it's now more commonly known.

He will be surrounded by speedy tailbacks Dan Herron, Brandon Saine, and speedy new comer Jaamal Berry, as well as a very deep corp of young but talented receivers. These formations make sense and will keep defense guessing.

The biggest challenges of the season will be hosting USC in Columbus on 9/12/09 and traveling to Happy Valley to take on Penn State on 11/07/09.

If the Bucks can win those two games, there's really no other legit threat on their schedule or reason why Pryor shouldn't be able to lead them to an undefeated season and their fourth BCS title game appearance in the last eight years!


No. 4—Zac Robinson—Oklahoma State

Robinson, WR Dez Bryant, and RB Kendall Hunter comprise the three-headed monster and potential nightmare for oponnents in the Big 12 this coming season.

Last season, Robinson threw for 3,064 yards and 25 touchdowns with only 10 interceptions and also ran for 508 yards and 7 scores so while he is more of a pocket passer, he certainly can scramble and make plays with his feet when needed.

With Bryant returning from off-season knee surgery, Hunter may be asked to carry more of the workload initially until Bryant proves he's back to 100% but if and when he is, Oklahoma State, 10th in Schlabachs' Preseason rankings, could be this years Texas Tech!


No. 3—Tim Tebow—Florida

The Gators may be considered the No. 1 heading into 2009, but Tebow is not the No. 1 QB to watch but he's close coming in at third.

He's been on two championship teams and won the 2007 Heisman so what can "Superman" as Gator fans call him do for an encore?

We'll have to wait and see but if the Gators are going to make have any chance at a repeat title in 2009, the onus will be squarely on Tebows' shoulders.

Playmaker extraordinaire Percy Harvin defected early for the NFL Draft leaving Tebow (2,746 yards, 30 passing touchdowns, 4 interceptions, 673 rush yards, 12 rushing touchdowns, 172.4 QB Rating) and TE Aaron Hernandez as the only proven weapons on offense.

Chris Rainey, Jeff Demps and Emmanual Moody combined for over 1600 yards but individually, none of them had more than 650 yards, thus the jury is still out on which, if any can step up and help replace the loss of Harvin.

Florida has an exceptionally favorable schedule with only four road games, the toughest of which will be at LSU.

With a little help, Tebow should easily put up another great statistical season and if the Gators can avoid the upset bug, they may very well be on the road to a possible third title in four years.


No. 2—Colt McCoy—Texas

The Longhorns felt slighted in 2008 after losing only to Texas Tech, on an almost fluke-like touchdown by Michael Crabtree, on the last play of game.

That one play cost the Horns a shot at Florida in the BCS title game, where instead, Oklahoma, who Texas had beaten 45-35 on a neutral field earlier in the year, got the nod and then proceeded to lose their fifth straight BCS bowl game.

If Colt McCoy has anything to say about it this year, that will not happen again!

McCoy's stats (3,859 passing yards, 34TD / 8 INT, 561 rushing yards, 11 rushing TD, 173.8 QB Rating) were impressive enough to earn him a 2nd place finish in the Heisman trophy voting.

With his roommate, receiver Jordan Shipley returning for a sixth season and without a standout running back in the mix, McCoy should once again put up great passing and rushing numbers and solidify his status as a Heisman contender and potential top NFL pick for 2010.

Now, can I have a drumroll please......(as if you don't already know who No. 1 is!)

No. 1—Sam Bradford—Oklahoma

Bradford, the 2008 Heisman winner, looks to repeat the the unbelievable season and production he accomplished last year heading into 2009 but it won't be easy.

He set the bar extremely high for himself, as he threw for over 4,700 yards and 50 touchdowns to only 8 interceptions and rushed for 5 more scores while posting a ridiculous QB Rating of nearly 181.

Chris Brown and Demarco Murray, each 1000+ yard rushers a year ago who combined for 34 touchdowns, both return and with the loss of top receiver Juaquin Iglesias and even with the surprising return of star tight end Jermaine Gresham, Bradford will be hard-pressed to duplicate the numbers he put up a year ago.

OU should still be considered the team to beat in the Big 12 with Texas a close second.

---

That's it—That's the list!

If you agree or disagree with my list or you believe I overlooked a QB that you feel deserves to make the list over one of my ten, YOU'RE WRONG (just kidding) make sure you post a comment and tell me who and why!


CLICK HERE for more Buckeye articles from BlockONation


This article is also featured on

The Way Too Early 2009 Heisman Watch—Ten Names To Know: Part II

The following are the second five of ten players I feel have the most legitimate chance to contend for and possibly win the 2009 Heisman Trophy if they each meet their full potential and stay healthy in the coming season!

I've also added a special bonus for you all at the end—They don't call me sneaky for nothing!


JacQuizz Rodgers, RB, Oregon State

Oregon State should once again challenge USC for the Pac-10 title and a healthy Rodgers will go a long way to helping the Beavers overtake the Trojans. (Pun not intended, but I couldn't help but laugh a little after I typed that!)

Rodgers gained 186 yards and scored 2 touchdowns while almost single-handedly blowing up the USC defense last year—The same defense that just sent nine of it's eleven players to the NFL.

He missed the final two games of the season due to injury nut in the 11 games he played in, JacQuizz rushed for 1253 yards and 11 touchdowns on 259 carries and added 29 receptions for 247 yards and a touchdown.

Oregon State is a program on the rise and Rodgers made a name for himself last season, so if he can stay healthy this season and duplicate his 2008 performance, especially against USC, there's no doubt he will be garner serious attention from the Heisman committee come December.


Dez Bryant, WR, Oklahoma State

Bryant missed Spring football in Stillwater after having minor knee surgery to repair a small ligament tear, but should be ready to go this fall!

The Cowboys will need him to be their go to guy even more with the loss of their second leading receiver, tight end Brandon Pettigrew to the NFL.

A year ago, Bryant was easily one of the best receivers in the Big 12, if not the entire nation. He made 87 receptions for 1480 yards (123.3 per game) and scored 19 touchdowns.

Running back Kendall Hunter (1555 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns in 2008), should command enough respect coming out the backfield to open up the passing lanes to allow Bryant and veteran quarterback Zac Robinson to hook up for some big plays again this year.

Oklahoma State could be this years Texas Tech, but even better with a legitimate threat at running back in Hunter, in addition to their high-powered passing game.

Bryant will have plenty of opportunities to be noticed with OSU's schedule. They open at home vs. Georgia, then Houston in week two will not be a pushover. In October, they play at Baylor, then the following week host Texas and finish the season with a visit from the Sooners.

I don't doubt that Bryant will have a solid season, but will the Cowboys win enough of games to keep him in the Heisman race?


Zac Robinson, QB, Oklahoma State

Basically, everything I said above about Bryant goes for Robinson as well. Robinson should have a very productive year, but can he lead the Cowboys to enough wins?

In 2008, Robinson was unknown to most of the country at the start of the season, but that wouldn't last. He posted a QB rating of 166.8 while throwing for just over 3000 yards and 25 touchdowns to only 10 interceptions and rushing for another 562 yards and 8 scores.

Robinson led Oklahoma State to what was considered a huge upset win at then No. 3 Missouri on October 11th.

One week later on Espn's game of the week, the Cowboys barely lost to then No. 1 Texas in Austin, 28-24.

Okie State did however suffer two lopsided losses in national spotlight games late in the season vs. Texas Tech (56-20) and Oklahoma (61-41).

If they can avoid those kinds of letdowns in 2009, Robinson, Bryant and even the less-hyped Hunter may all receive attention from the Heisman voters.


Jahvid Best, RB, California

Many would consider Best the nation’s most exciting running back heading into the 2009 season. Rightfully so when you consider what he did in 2008.

He rushed for 1580 yards (131.7 per game) on 194 carries for an impressive 8.1 yards per carry, and added 15 touchdowns

It's extremely likely that he’ll put up highlight run after highlight run. Much like Ohio State's Beanie Wells a year ago, if he stays healthy, (a big if), a 2,000-yard could be on the horizon.

Just as I said with JacQuizz Rodgers, the key for Best in the eyes of the Heisman voters will be the same: How he does against USC.

Last season, he had his worst game of the year as the USC defense held him to just 30 yards on 13 carries.

I have very little doubt that Best will redeem himself vs. the Trojans in 2009 and catapult himself near the top of the Heisman finalists list.


Colt McCoy, QB, Texas

McCoy and the Longhorns felt slighted in 2008 after losing only to Texas Tech, on an almost fluke-like touchdown by Michael Crabtree, on the last play of game.

That one play cost the Horns a shot at Florida in the BCS title game, where instead, Oklahoma, who Texas had beaten 45-35 on a neutral field earlier in the year, got the nod and then proceeded to lose their fifth straight BCS bowl game.

If Colt McCoy has anything to say about it this year, that will not happen again!

McCoy, who posted a 173.8 QB rating, threw for 3,859 passing yards, 34 touchdowns to only 8 interceptions and also ran for 561 yards and found the endzone with his legs 11 times. 173.8 QB Rating. He finished second in the Heisman trophy voting behind Sam Bradford and ahead of Tim Tebow.

Texas has a tough schedule but they have a great team and if any team is going to go unbeaten in the Big 12 in 2009, they are the the pick.

With his roommate and top receiver Jordan Shipley returning for a sixth season and without a true standout running back in the mix, McCoy should once again put up great passing and rushing numbers, and solidify his status as one of, if not the No. 1 Heisman contender for 2009 and increase his stock as a potential top NFL pick for 2010.

---

Now, I'm sure I'm not alone with most or all of the top ten that I chose, so I also wanted to pick five guys who may not be on the 2009 Heisman radar yet. These are the players I see as potential dark horse candidates. Some are longshots—some are more legit than others.


Kendall Hunter, RB, Oklahoma State

QB Zac Robinson and WR Dez Bryant overshadowed a great year by Hunter in 2008. Will they do it again in 2009?


Chris Brown/DeMarco Murray, RB, Oklahoma

Both backs rushed for over 100 yards but Murray was the No. 1 guy before he was injured. Who will emerge as No. 1 this season or will Oklahoma play the running back by committee game since they both appear to be qualified?


Noel Devine, RB, West Virginia

Now a junior and out of the shadow of Pat White, this is Devine's team. He quietly rushed for nearly 1300 yards a year ago, but only 4 touchdowns. Can he shine is the spotlight and lead WVU to a Big East Championship on his own merit?


Case Keenum, QB, Houston

Keenum has to be the least known player to make this list and therefore is the biggest dark horse of them all. Not to mention, players from non-BCS conferences are almost guaranteed to not get the recognition they deserve because of the perception of their SOS. That being said, Keenum threw for over 5000 yards and tossed 44 touchdowns and also ran for 7 scores. He threw for 300+ yards in every game last season and only failed to throw for 350+ once! Will his real-life EA Sports NCAA Football-level stats be enough to get him noticed by the voters in 2009?


Robert Griffin, QB, Baylor

Last, but certainly not least, in a word, Griffin was AMAZING in 2008. All he did as a true freshman in 2008 was pass for 2,091 yards, 15 touchdowns to only three interceptions, and run for another 843 yards and 13 touchdowns, all while posting a QB rating of 142.0 for the Bears. Unfortunately, Griffin's incredible stats didn't translate into much, as Baylor finished the year 4-8. While those gaudy stats could prove hard to duplicate, I expect that Griffin will be able to put up similar numbers, and with any help from his defense at all, the Bears could become bowl eligible in 2009. I hope they do because it's a shame that most of the nation has never seen Griffin play, and without a bowl game for Baylor, it will probably remain that way.

I hope you will let me know what you think of my entire top ten and sleepers in contention for the 2009 Heisman trophy!

This article is currently featured on

CLICK HERE to return to the Blog.BlockONation.com Front Page

Top Ten College Quarterbacks to Watch in 2009

by HD Handshoe
Founder
BlockONation.com





The fortunes (or misfortunes for some) of many a team will depend on how well their key players step up and shoulder the load to help carry their team to success.

There is no position more crucial in this cause than that of the quarterback.

For some, it may a chance to win the Heisman trophy. For others, possibly a chance for redemption in a BCS bowl game or even the BCS title game or to earn a BCS bowl game invite and earn the title of "BCS Buster"!

Here are the top ten QB's to watch in 2009 that have the opportunity to make or break the 2009 season for their respective teams and provide all of us fans with quite a thrill ride along the way!


No. 10 - Robert Griffin - Baylor

Baylor isn't exactly on national TV week to week but, if you haven't at least heard of Robert Griffin, you must not pay attention to teams outside of your own because all Griffin did as a true freshman in 2008 was pass for 2,091 yards and 15 touchdowns to only 3 interceptions and ran for another 843 yards and 13 touchdowns, while posting a QB rating of 142.0 for the Bears!

Unfortunately, Griffins' incredible stats didn't translate into much as Baylor finished the year 4-8.

While those gaudy stats could prove hard to duplicate, I expect that Griffin will be able to put up similar numbers and with any help from his defense at all, the Bears could become bowl eligible in 2009.

I hope they do because it's a shame that most of the nation has never seen Griffin play, and without a bowl game for Baylor, it will probably remain that way.


No. 9 - Jimmy Clausen - Notre Dame

Charlie Weis is on the hottest seat in college football and if he is to keep his job at Notre Dame, Clausen must live up to the hype and meet, if not exceed, expectations this season.

Notre Dame crushed Hawaii 49-21 in the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl and Clausen led the way with 401 yards and five touchdown passes. Weis can only pray that Clausen builds off of that performance and continues to play at that level or pretty near it this season.

2009 is do or die for the quarterback and the coach. If Clausen faulters, he might find a seat on the bench with highly-touted Dayne Christ waiting in the wings and Weis will most likely find himself out of a job if the Irish win less than nine or ten games.

No. 8 - Tyrod Taylor - Virginia Tech

Just about every year in recent memory, Virginia Tech has been hyped up and ranked in or near the top ten in the AP Preseason Poll. And just about every year in recent memory, they have been the poster child for why preseason polls make no sense.

According to ESPN's Mark Schlabach in his "Way Too Early Top 25" article, Va Tech is once again highly regarded, coming in at No. 5.

In 2008, Tech went 10-4, winning the ACC and beating Cincinnati 20-7 in the Fedex Orange Bowl in what many considered to be a foundation year for 2009.

They were one of the youngest teams in the nation a year ago. If Tyrod Taylor can improve in the passing game (1036 yards,2 TD, 7 INT), and with star tailback Darren Evans there to help take some of the pressure off of Taylor, the Hokies might actually deserve their preseason ranking and may even be contenders for the national championship.


No. 7 - Kellen Moore - Boise State

The Broncos have become a mainstay "mid-major" program that has been and will continue to be in the BCS bowl discussion this season. Last year, Boise finished the regular season with a perfect 12-0 record before being tripped-up by TCU in the Poinsettia Bowl.

Sophomore QB Kellen Moore has proven he is one of the country's best quarterbacks (3,486 yards, 25 TD, 9 INT, 157.1 QB Rating), but he'll be missing his top targets from a year ago. Tailback Ian Johnson and receivers Jeremy Childs and Vinny Perretta are big losses.

Moore will need to duplicate his 2008 season if Boise is to have any chance at another "BCS busting" undefeated season.

He and the Broncos will be tested early in 2009, opening the season with Oregon at home before road games at Tulsa and Fresno State.


No. 6 - Jevan Snead - Ole Miss

Snead could have been Matt Cassell 2.0, but instead he decided to transfer from Texas at the end of the 2006 season where he would have been Colt McCoy's backup to Ole Miss where instead, he is the man and the rest is history.

Only one team beat the eventual BCS Champion Florida Gators in 2008 and that team was, you guessed it, Ole Miss!

In that 31-30 thrilling road win that catapulted the Rebels into the top 25 and the national discussion, Snead threw for 185 yards and 2 touchdowns and ran for a third.

There were a couple of lows however, when Wake Forest, Vanderbilt and South Carolina each handed Mississippi three, somewhat unexpected losses.

The Rebels bounced back with a huge victory over Texas Tech in the Cotton Bowl to close the season and end the year on a positive note to build on!

Ole Miss has a favorable schedule in 2009 and Snead should be able to replicate his stats from a year ago (2,762 yards, 26 TD, 12 INT, 145.5 QB Rating) and lead the Rebels back to another successful season and a possible SEC Championship!



No. 5 - Terrelle Pryor - Ohio State

While Pryor didn't have the stats (1,311 passing yards, 631 rushing yards, 12 passing and 6 rushing TD, 4 INT, 146.5 QB Rating) that Robert Griffin or Kellen Moore did in 2008, he did have a solid season for the Buckeyes with an 8-2 record as a starter and let's face it—He is the QB of "THE" Ohio State Buckeyes and, not to belittle Baylor or Boise State but, the reality is that the expectations of him and pressure on him far exceed those of/on Griffin or Moore.

I believe the Buckeyes lost four starters on offense and five on defense and yet they are No. 7 in Schlabachs' rankings. The number one reason why they are ranked in his top ten is Terrelle Pryor, so you can see what I'm saying about the expectations and pressure placed upon him.

At times, Pryor made some amazing passes and at other times, some were just plain ridiculous and downright horrible. But remember, he was a true freshman and took the starting job away from Senior QB and team captain, Todd Boeckman. I can't begin to imagine the stress he must have felt.

Still, he persevered. His only losses as a starter in 2008 came to then No. 3 Penn State after an errant pass was picked off, which gave the Nittany Lions the ball late in the game, deep in OSU territory, leading to the games only touchdown and a PSU win.

In the Fiesta Bowl, Pryor caught a TD pass from Boeckman against then No. 3 Texas as the Buckeyes held a 21-17 lead with less than a minute to go in the game when McCoy found Quan Cosby on a quick slant as the Buckeyes were on an all out blitz and Texas went on to the 24-21 victory.

Pryor is rumored to have gained 10-15 pounds of muscle this off-season and the Buckeyes are promising to open up the offense more to suit his abilities. There's talk in Buckeye cyberspace that there will be more use of the Pistol formation and even the Single-Wing or Wildcat as it's now more commonly known.

He will be surrounded by speedy tailbacks Dan Herron, Jamaal Berry and powerback Carlos Hyde and a very deep corp of young but talented receivers led by senior Ray Small so these formations make sense and will keep defense guessing.

The biggest challenges of the season will be hosting USC in Columbus on 9/12/09 and traveling to Happy Valley to take on Penn State on 11/07/09.

If the Bucks can win those two games, there's really no other legit threat on their schedule or reason why Pryor shouldn't be able to lead them to an undefeated season and their fourth BCS title game appearance in the last eight years!


No. 4 - Zac Robinson - Oklahoma State

Robinson, WR Dez Bryant, and RB Kendall Hunter comprise the three-headed monster and potential nightmare for oponnents in the Big 12 this coming season.

Last season, Robinson threw for 3,064 yards and 25 touchdowns with only 10 interceptions and also ran for 508 yards and 7 scores so while he is more of a pocket passer, he certainly can scramble and make plays with his feet when needed.

With Bryant returning from off-season knee surgery, Hunter may be asked to carry more of the workload initially until Bryant proves he's back to 100% but if and when he is, Oklahoma State, 10th in Schlabachs' Preseason rankings, could be this years Texas Tech!


No. 3 - Tim Tebow - Florida

The Gators may be considered the No. 1 heading into 2009, but Tebow is not the No. 1 QB to watch but he's close coming in at third.

He's been on two championship teams and won the 2007 Heisman so what can "Superman" as Gator fans call him do for an encore?

We'll have to wait and see but if the Gators are going to make have any chance at a repeat title in 2009, the onus will be squarely on Tebows' shoulders.

Playmaker extraordinaire Percy Harvin defected early for the NFL Draft leaving Tebow (2,746 yards, 30 passing touchdowns, 4 interceptions, 673 rush yards, 12 rushing touchdowns, 172.4 QB Rating) and TE Aaron Hernandez as the only proven weapons on offense.

Chris Rainey, Jeff Demps and Emmanual Moody combined for over 1600 yards but individually, none of them had more than 650 yards, thus the jury is still out on which, if any can step up and help replace the loss of Harvin.

Florida has an exceptionally favorable schedule with only four road games, the toughest of which will be at LSU.

With a little help, Tebow should easily put up another great statistical season and if the Gators can avoid the upset bug, they may very well be on the road to a possible third title in four years.


No. 2 - Colt McCoy - Texas

The Longhorns felt slighted in 2008 after losing only to Texas Tech, on an almost fluke-like touchdown by Michael Crabtree, on the last play of game.

That one play cost the Horns a shot at Florida in the BCS title game, where instead, Oklahoma, who Texas had beaten 45-35 on a neutral field earlier in the year, got the nod and then proceeded to lose their fifth straight BCS bowl game.

If Colt McCoy has anything to say about it this year, that will not happen again!

McCoy's stats (3,859 passing yards, 34TD / 8 INT, 561 rushing yards, 11 rushing TD, 173.8 QB Rating) were impressive enough to earn him a 2nd place finish in the Heisman trophy voting.

With his roommate, receiver Jordan Shipley returning for a sixth season and without a standout running back in the mix, McCoy should once again put up great passing and rushing numbers and solidify his status as a Heisman contender and potential top NFL pick for 2010.

Now, can I have a drumroll please......(as if you don't already know who No. 1 is!)

No. 1 - Sam Bradford - Oklahoma

Bradford, the 2008 Heisman winner, looks to repeat the the unbelievable season and production he accomplished last year heading into 2009 but it won't be easy.

He set the bar extremely high for himself, as he threw for over 4,700 yards and 50 touchdowns to only 8 interceptions and rushed for 5 more scores while posting a ridiculous QB Rating of nearly 181.

Chris Brown and Demarco Murray, each 1000+ yard rushers a year ago who combined for 34 touchdowns, both return and with the loss of top receiver Juaquin Iglesias and even with the surprising return of star tight end Jermaine Gresham, Bradford will be hard-pressed to duplicate the numbers he put up a year ago.

OU should still be considered the team to beat in the Big 12 with Texas a close second.

---

That's it—That's the list!

If you agree or disagree with my list or you believe I overlooked a QB that you feel deserves to make the list over one of my ten, YOU'RE WRONG (just kidding) make sure you post a comment and tell me who and why!

This article is currently featured on

CLICK HERE to return to the Blog.BlockONation.com Front Page