DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Tailgate Forum 2007 Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith quarterback Ohio State University

Congrats Troy.

You have come long way.






















[img]http://www.1958bhs.com/heisman.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.noacsc.org/allen/dl/04-05%20Web%20Pages/Damon%20Joseph/mich%20flag.gif[/img]

WOOOO! Congrats! <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

wow broke the record with 87% of the first place votes!

Quinn came in 3rd, hehe

Ohio State's Smith wins Heisman Trophy




For Ohio State and Troy Smith, it's been that kind of year.

Bowled over
The 2006-07 bowl season


The BCS bowls


BCS title game: Florida-Ohio St.
Sugar: Notre Dame-LSU
Orange: Wake Forest-Louisville
Rose: USC-Michigan
Fiesta: Boise St.-Oklahoma
The rest


Poinsettia: N. Illinois-TCU
Las Vegas: BYU-Oregon
New Orleans: Rice-Troy St.
Papa John's.com: S. Fla.-E. Carolina
New Mexico: San Jose St.-N. Mexico
Armed Forces: Tulsa-Utah
Hawaii: Arizona St.-Hawaii
Motor City: Middle Tenn.-C. Mich.
Emerald: Florida St.-UCLA
Independence: Okla. St.-Alabama
Holiday: Texas A&M-California
Texas: Rutgers-Kansas St.
Music City: Clemson-Kentucky
Sun: Oregon St.-Missouri
Liberty: Houston-S. Carolina
Insight: Texas Tech-Minnesota
Champs Sports: Purdue-Maryland
Meineke: Navy-Boston College
Alamo: Texas-Iowa
Chick-fil-A: Georgia-Virginia Tech
MPC Computers: Miami-Nevada
Outback: Tennessee-Penn St.
Cotton: Auburn-Nebraska
Gator: Georgia Tech-W. Virginia
Capital One: Arkansas-Wisconsin




The Buckeyes were No. 1 from start to finish and their star quarterback had no real challenger in winning the Heisman Trophy.

Smith was a runaway winner Saturday night as the best player in college football, just two years after nearly derailing his career by taking money from a booster.

The senior quarterback moved to the front of the Heisman race in September with a flawless performance against Texas and finished off a perfect regular season by throwing four touchdown passes against Michigan.

Now, there's only one thing left for Smith to do: Beat Florida for the national championship on Jan. 8.

"Normally, I'm pretty cool in pressure situations, but my heart is pounding really fast now," said Smith, who had big hugs for his mother, sister and coach Jim Tressel before taking the podium for his speech.

"I'm at a loss for words. I just can't believe this is happening. ... It means everything. Just to be here in this situation. I love everybody back home in Columbus."

Like so many of the victories Smith has led the Buckeyes to this season, the Heisman win was a rout.

He received 801 first-place votes, the second most ever, and 1,662 points more than second-place finisher Darren McFadden of Arkansas, making it the second-most lopsided Heisman vote. Only O.J. Simpson's 1,750-point victory in 1968 was more onesided.

Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn was third and West Virginia running back Steve Slaton was fourth.

Smith also received 86.7 percent of the first-place votes, a record, and his point total of 2,540 places third in Heisman history behind Simpson (2,853) and fellow Southern California tailback Reggie Bush, who had 2,541 last season

The 22-year-old Smith is the sixth player from Ohio State to win the Heisman and first since tailback Eddie George in 1995. And it's the school's seventh Heisman - Archie Griffin won two in 1974-75 - tying Notre Dame and Southern California for the most.

USC had been on a Heisman run, winning two straight and three of the last four, before Smith stepped in. Just like USC's Bush and Matt Leinart, and Oklahoma's Jason White in '03, Smith will play for the national title as a Heisman winner.

It's been quite a journey.

Smith came to Ohio State as part of a heralded recruiting class in 2002, but his signing was little more than a footnote. His claim to fame was being Ted Ginn Jr.'s quarterback at Glenville High School.

Smith was labeled an "athlete" coming out of high school, the type of player who might ultimately find a home at wide receiver or defensive back.

Even Tressel wasn't sure he'd play quarterback, but he saw potential.

But Smith, a foster child as a teen with a quick temper, also had a penchant for finding trouble. After getting kicked off the basketball team at a private high school for elbowing an opponent, he transferred out of the suburbs of Cleveland to inner-city Glenville High. Smith, who is black, said the white opposing player used a racial slur against him.

At Ohio State, Smith was involved in a fight outside a dorm in the fall of 2003 and found guilty of disorderly conduct.

On the field, Smith couldn't beat out Justin Zwick, the highly touted blue-chipper from the '02 class, at the start of the 2004 season. But when the Buckeyes lost three straight and Zwick got hurt, Smith got his chance and righted the Buckeyes with his running and passing.

Then he tripped himself up again.

An NCAA investigation determined he took $500 from an Ohio State booster in the spring of 2004. He could have been gone from the Buckeyes for good. Ultimately, he had to repay the money and sit out a bowl game and the first game of 2005.

Back from suspension, he finally became a star.

Smith finished the '05 season with consecutive 300-yard passing games in victories over Michigan and Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl, essentially kicking off his '06 Heisman campaign.

Once known more his speed and elusiveness, Smith's become the consummate pocket-passer. Accurate and unflappable, he's fourth in the nation in passer rating (167.9) with 2,507 yards passing and 30 TD passes.

He heads into the BCS championship game 25-2 as a starter, and - Gators beware - Smith has been at his best when the Buckeyes have needed him most.

The first Ohio State quarterback in 70 years to lead the Buckeyes to three straight victories over Michigan, Smith had 1,051 total yards with three touchdown passes and another TD run against the Wolverines.

He's 11-1 as a starter against ranked opponents, with a chance to improve on that mark in the biggest game of his career in Arizona against Florida.

http://msn.foxsports.com

COngrats to u troy well deserved




I know that's such bull isnt it?

Congrats Troy.

Almost makes me want to dig out my pics of him with Glenville... see if I've got anything cool.... nah.

Good job, Troy.

What a shocker! <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/rofl.gif" alt="" />

I'm totally shocked <img src="/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

Sometimes in life,reality bites!

<img src="/images/graemlins/rofl.gif" alt="" />

Do it I'd like to see those. Who knew when we were watching him play high school ball. That team had a lot of good players. Ted Ginn Sr has done a fantastic job. From what I hear he teashes them a lot more than just football.

Anyone catch Herbie preaching to the Browns brass? He said don't make the same mistake Houston made with Vince Young, if Troy SMith is there you better take him.

Updated: Dec. 10, 2006, 1:27 AM ET
Rise of Troy: Buckeyes QB wins Heisman TrophyAssociated Press


NEW YORK -- Winning the Heisman Trophy was easy. The hard part for Troy Smith was staying composed.

Largest Margins of Victory,
Heisman History
Year Winner Runner-up Margin
1968 O.J. Simpson Leroy Keyes 1,750
2006 Troy Smith Darren McFadden 1,662
1993 Charlie Ward Heath Shuler 1,622
1991 Desmond Howard Casey Weldon 1,574
1998 Ricky Williams Michael Bishop 1,563
1986 Vinny Testaverde Paul Palmer 1,541


To the surprise of no one, the Ohio State quarterback was a runaway winner Saturday night of the award that honors college football's best player.


Seconds after his name was called, he hugged everyone important in his life -- coaches and family -- let out a deep, deep sigh and headed for the podium.


"Normally, I'm pretty cool in pressure situations, but my heart is pounding so fast now," he said.


"I'm at a loss for words. I just can't believe this is happening. ... It means everything. Just to be here in this situation. I love everybody back home in Columbus."


Just two years after nearly derailing his career by taking money from a booster, Smith received 801 first-place votes and won the Heisman by 1,662 points -- both the second-best marks in the 71-year history of the award.

Arkansas running back Darren McFadden (878) finished second, Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn (782) was third and West Virginia running back Steve Slaton (214) was fourth.

Careful What You Wish For?


Troy Smith on Saturday won the Heisman Trophy by the second-largest margin in the history of the award. But if you think that hardware guarantees future NFL success, you've got another thing coming. Listed below are the last nine quarterbacks to take home the Heisman. Carson Palmer notwithstanding (and time will tell for Matt Leinart), the group hasn't lived up to its hype at the next level.

Year Player NFL W-L NFL TD-INT
2006 Troy Smith ??? ???
2004 Matt Leinart 2-6** 8-9**
2003 Jason White* -- --
2002 Carson Palmer 24-17** 72-38**
2001 Eric Crouch -- --
2000 Chris Weinke 1-15** 12-22**
1997 Danny Wuerffel 4-6 12-22
1993 Charlie Ward* -- --
1992 Gino Torretta 0-0 1-1
* -- Never played in the NFL
** -- Entering Sunday's games

Only O.J. Simpson's 1,750-point victory in 1968 was more onesided than Smith's.

"I haven't spent that much time dreaming about it," Smith said of winning the Heisman. "But I'll be dreaming about it tonight. It's pretty cool."


The senior moved to the front of the Heisman race in September with a flawless performance against Texas and finished off a perfect regular season by throwing four touchdown passes against Michigan.


Now, there's only one thing left for Smith to do: beat Florida for the national championship on Jan. 8.


A huge smile lit up Smith's face when the winner was announced. After getting a hug and handshake from Quinn, Smith headed to the row of chairs directly behind him, where his mother, Tracy, and sister, Brittany, were sitting.


They each took turns giving Smith a big squeeze. But Smith wasn't done with the hugs -- one for Ohio State coach Jim Tressel and another for his high school coach, Ted Ginn Sr.

Heisman Voting
Player 1st 2nd 3rd Total
Troy Smith, OSU 801 62 13 2,540
Darren McFadden, Ark. 45 298 147 878
Brady Quinn, ND 13 276 191 782
Steve Slaton, WVU 6 51 94 214
Mike Hart, Mich. 5 58 79 210


Mom wiped away a tear and his sister shouted "Yeah, Troy!" as Smith ascended the stairs to give his speech and collect his big bronze statue.

"The Smith family is loud. Very emotional all the time," Smith said. "I wouldn't have it any other way."


The 22-year-old Smith is the sixth player from Ohio State to win the Heisman and first since tailback Eddie George in 1995. And it's the school's seventh Heisman -- Archie Griffin won two in 1974-75 -- tying Notre Dame and Southern California for the most.

"Now I'm part of that elite group," Smith said.

Smith also received 86.7 percent of the first-place votes, a record, and his point total of 2,540 places third in Heisman history behind Simpson (2,853) and fellow Southern California tailback Reggie Bush, who had 2,541 last season.


USC had been on a Heisman run, winning two straight and three of the last four, before Smith stepped in. Just like USC's Bush and Matt Leinart, and Oklahoma's Jason White in '03, Smith will play for the national title as a Heisman winner.

"I'm still in awe over this situation," he said, sporting a dark three-piece suit with red pinstripes and a Buckeyes' scarlet and gray tie.


"I represent these colors to the fullest," he said.


It's been quite a journey.

Most Heisman Trophies, by school
School Heismans
Notre Dame 7
Ohio State 7*
USC 7
Oklahoma 4
Army 3
Michigan 3
Nebraska 3
* -- Ohio State owns seven Heisman Trophies spread among six winners. Archie Griffin won the award twice, in 1974 and 1975.

"I'm proud of him and everything he's accomplished," Quinn, a fellow Ohioan, said of Smith. "Knowing his background, knowing where he comes from, I think it's an important thing to understand why he's so driven and so deserving of such an award."


Smith came to Ohio State as part of a heralded recruiting class in 2002, but his signing was little more than a footnote. His claim to fame was being Ted Ginn Jr.'s quarterback at Glenville High School.


Smith was labeled an "athlete" coming out of high school, the type of player who might ultimately find a home at wide receiver or defensive back.


Even Tressel wasn't sure he'd play quarterback, but he saw potential.


But Smith, a foster child as a teen with a quick temper, also had a penchant for finding trouble. After getting kicked off the basketball team at a private high school for elbowing an opponent, he transferred out of the suburbs of Cleveland to inner-city Glenville High. Smith, who is black, said the white opposing player used a racial slur against him.

HEISMAN TRIBUTE
ESPN Classic will air Michigan at Ohio State on Sunday at 9 a.m. ET as a tribute to Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith.



At Ohio State, Smith was involved in a fight outside a dorm in the fall of 2003 and found guilty of disorderly conduct.


On the field, Smith couldn't beat out Justin Zwick, the highly touted blue-chipper from the '02 class, at the start of the 2004 season. But when the Buckeyes lost three straight and Zwick got hurt, Smith got his chance and righted the Buckeyes with his running and passing.


Then he tripped himself up again.


An NCAA investigation determined he took $500 from an Ohio State booster in the spring of 2004. He could have been gone from the Buckeyes for good. Ultimately, he had to repay the money and sit out a bowl game and the first game of 2005.


Back from suspension, he finally became a star.


Smith finished the '05 season with consecutive 300-yard passing games in victories over Michigan and Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl, essentially kicking off his '06 Heisman campaign.


Once known more for his speed and elusiveness, Smith has become the consummate pocket-passer. Accurate and poised, he's fourth in the nation in passer rating (167.9) with 2,507 yards passing and 30 TD passes.


He heads into the BCS championship game 25-2 as a starter, and -- Gators beware -- Smith has been at his best when the Buckeyes have needed him most.


The first Ohio State quarterback in 70 years to lead the Buckeyes to three straight victories over Michigan, Smith had 1,051 total yards with three touchdown passes and another TD run against the Wolverines.


He's 11-1 as a starter against ranked opponents, with a chance to improve on that mark in the biggest game of his career in Arizona against Florida.

"Finally, now that's out of the way," Smith said. "Now let's move on to preparation for the University of Florida and the national championship."

Congrats Troy.... <img src="/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif" alt="" />

KirK Herbstreit is saying that the Browns should take Troy Smith, I don't think Kirk really watches the Browns because if he did he'd know that QB is not what we need most.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=2692486

WOOOHOOOOOOOO <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

U all know *LOL* who reAlly desaserVed to win 'dis heron Twophy, and IT WaS NOT no AFrican_AmericIcan U all cherish from Dee OHio State Univeristy who aktooalley got a degree BTW, in spit of BRAdY QuINNN who is the GREATest HUMan being thEt ever palyed footabalLL anywhere at aNAY SChool, INcluding Navy oooHrah(and I still respect you even though you don't know much about football)*LOL*

Gotta have a sense of humor,....

Was there really any doubt? WOOOO HOOOOOO! Congrats, Troy! <img src="/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif" alt="" />

That's why he's on TV instead of the sidelines.
<img src="/images/graemlins/saywhat.gif" alt="" />

Tell you what though, Smith would fit into the Browns theory of bringing in local guys. If we did draft him I wouldn't hate it, unless it's in the first round <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> The guys got a cannon.

ehh...i want us to draft quinn instead.....













Boy i can't even say that with a straight face lol...obviousy i'm kidding <img src="/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

i said a few weeks ago exactly what herbie said last night...

we have to take him...

i'm not worried about the height...

if he has a great game against florida, like he did against michigan, we'll have to use our first pick...

winning the heisman, and blasting two great defenses in your last games, including the championship game, and another game that got a ton of hype, you definitely are top ten, top five material...

my theory is that the browns should draft him, and then draft one of his lineman at some point...

and you can call me an ohio state homer, but guess what? ohio state produces pretty damn good players, and that line protecting troy smith is damn good, very underrated

alex boone, kirk barton (if he comes out, i don't think he will), doug datish... any of those guys would be sufficient... and you build around those two...

and i'm ok with drafting troy smith with our first pick as long as we address our ol with our other picks... you don't need a top rated guy like joe thomas to address your ol, you can get great lineman in the following rounds... although joe thomas is damn good, and i'd love to have him...

i just think that if troy smith goes on to do great things somewhere else (and you know baltimore wants him) and the memory of not drafting him will haunt us for a long time, especially if he does go to baltimore where we have to deal with him twice a year...

if troy smith turns out to be nothing, then it's just another bad pick in a line of bad picks from this organization...

but i think drafting a bust is better than not drafting a superstar that goes in your division and kills you every year

just my opinion..

Unless your just making a statement about the Browns not drafting Ben and he slipped to Pittsburgh I dont think our division rivals will be drafting a QB.

Butch Davis probabley felt that he didnt have time to draft and develop a QB. He just got rid of Tim Couch and signed Garcia and wanted to win now. The team lacked playmakers and Winslow was available. I didnt agree with trading a second pick to get him though because I would have taken Deangelo Hall if Detroit took Winslow.

OMG..and it begins. Maybe someone can confirm this, but I heard that on NFL Today that Troy Smith was on and Boomer Esiason handed him a Cleveland Browns helmet? Please NOOOO!!

It happened.... Boomer thinks the Browns will pick a QB with their first pick in the NFL draft. Earlier this year he commented that the Browns would be there for the first pick in the Brady Quinn derby....now that it is evident we won't get the 1st overall pick...He's annointed Troy as the Browns # 1 pick...

BTW...Troy looked like a midget compared to Marino and Boomer... The size difference had nothing to do with chair height... Troy is small, height and shoulder width compared to Marino and Esaison....

If we convert him to the A-R-E role, maybe as a replacement for Dennis--while he concentrates on just returning punts--then OK maybe,....but not as a pure QB WHEN WE DON'T EVEN HAVE A LINE THAT CAN PROTECT THE ONE(S) WE HAVE,....

Draft LINEMEN,,,....

I hate to say it, but if Frye and/or Anderson aren't the solution, then it's something we have to consider..... but I really don't want to be burning a high pick on a QB this soon. I would much, much prefer that we fix the other things on this team first. The flip side is that if we have to take one, take one now so that he's ready for '08 after sitting for a season.

PPL, hopefully the Browns can find that out in 4 games and the players realize that they are auditioning for next year.

I will be watching to see if any players are giving up.

nah, ben wasn't in mind then...

i don't think ben is as good as people make him out to be, i mean, he's good, but he's not a superstar, he doesn't do things that really impress me, he just manages a great game, and has the benefit of a great defense and running game...

i think troy smith can and will be better, better accuracy, arm strength, poise, and the big game presence...

the only knock on troy is his height...

nobody questions anything else...

and you guys don't think troy smith can make an offensive line look better?

do you guys see the way he commands his 10 other teammates on the field, in the huddle? i don't see frye doing that...

do you guys see the way he commands his 10 other teammates on the field, in the huddle? i don't see frye doing that...

Somebody is bound to come in here and say "Leadership is different at the college level,..."

But I don't buy that crap. Leadership flourishes amongst men who want to be men. We don't have a lot of that on the Cleveland Browns right now.

nobody said vince young would do what he's doing

you cannot teach being clutch, there are so few guys that have it, you can probably count them on one hand in the nfl...

troy smith is as clutch as it gets in college football, quinn may have the upside, but he's not on the same planet when it comes to playing in big games, and making plays when you need to... and while ohio state's receivers are good, they don't ever have to make these amazing catches, troy puts it right on the money every time

and as i said, troy can command an offensive line, he can also command his receivers, and with all the drops we've seen this year, we need a guy who can get on his teammates, and do it the right way

that dude is a general in every aspect of the game...

that dude is a general in every aspect of the game...


Look who his Commander-in-Chief was,... <img src="/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif" alt="" />

maybe it'll rub off on romeo once troy arrives <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

He he he he......


If Troy has a nice game against Florida and Quinn gets hammered against LSU there is chance that HE will be the first QB taken. I would ask what the average height difference there is between the college & NFL lineman. I mean the height argument is a bad reason to not take him when he has all of the other qualities.

I thought our QB situation was good with Frye & DA. Maybe some folks are starting to wake up.

browns:

shaffer 6'5"
andruzzi 6'3"
coleman 6'4"
fraley 6'2"
butler and dorsey are both 6'7", the two tallest guys on the team...

ohio state:

datish 6'5"
downing 6'4"
barton 6'6"
boone 6'8"
rehring 6'8"

interesting, huh?

i don't think throwing over tall lineman has ever been a problem for troy, nor will it be...

web page

NFL beckons for Smith and Quinn

By RALPH D. RUSSO, AP Sports Writer
1 hour, 2 minutes ago

NEW YORK - Heisman Trophy night belonged to Troy Smith. Brady Quinn's big day will come in April at the NFL draft.

Seniors Smith and Quinn have one more game left in their stellar college careers.

Smith leads No. 1 Ohio State into the national championship game on Jan. 8 against Florida, where he'll try to wrap up his career with the ultimate prize. Quinn and Notre Dame are off to the Sugar Bowl to face LSU on Jan. 3.

Then it's time to start thinking about getting paid. At the next level, that Heisman Trophy on Smith's resume doesn't mean much ? Eric Crouch, Danny Wuerffel and Gino Torretta can attest to that.

Smith was the overwhelming choice of Heisman voters ? a record 86.7 percent of them put him first on their ballots. Arkansas running back Darren McFadden was the distant runner-up and Quinn came in third, one spot up from his 2005 Heisman showing.

Quinn, however, appears to be most wanted by the NFL. He's among the early favorites to be the first player drafted.

Size and system are Quinn's advantages. He's 6-foot-4 and under coach Charlie Weis, Quinn has been running essentially the same offense Tom Brady and the New England Patriots used to win three Super Bowls.

In two seasons under Weis, Quinn has thrown for 7,197 yards and 67 touchdowns with seven interceptions and a completion rate of 64 percent. Plus, there's no question about his character and ability to handle the spotlight ? no small thing for an NFL quarterback

"Anybody that's able to start at Notre Dame and handle that pressure is very impressive," said Gil Brandt, an analyst for NFL.com, who was Dallas' vice president of player personnel from 1960-89.

Smith is listed at 6-1, which is less than ideal for the pros, and perhaps that's even a bit generous. The most important part of Smith's pro workouts might be when he faces the tape measure.

"He's about the same height as Drew Brees and Michael Vick, and Brees is playing about the best of any quarterback in the NFL right now," Brandt said.

Another thing that could work against Smith is that he's done much of his best work out of the shotgun.

But Smith no longer can be labeled a running quarterback. Sure, he's still elusive and fast, but he only tucks and runs when all else fails these days.

Smith ran 136 times for 611 yards in 2005. This season, he's run 62 times for 233 yards. He's comfortable in the pocket and accurate with his throws, completing 67 percent in '06 for 2,507 yards with 30 TD passes and only five interceptions.

"The guy has a tremendously strong arm," Brandt said. "He's also very mature. The guy's 22 going on 25."

As Smith and Quinn head to the NFL, McFadden will return to college as the 2007 Heisman front-runner.

"It was really just a great opportunity for me to be here with two seniors," said McFadden, the super sophomore who ran for 1,558 yards. He also had a 70-yard touchdown reception, a 92-yard kick return for a score and was 6-for-8 passing with three TD throws.

Smith became the sixth quarterback in the last seven seasons to win the Heisman. USC tailback Reggie Bush broke up the quarterback run last season, and '07 is sizing up to be a big year for running backs.

West Virginia's Steve Slaton (fourth in the Heisman voting), Rutgers' Ray Rice (seventh) and Boise State's Ian Johnson (eighth) all are sophomores like McFadden.

Michigan tailback Michael Hart, a junior, finished fifth and also could be back next season.

Of course, McFadden's strong showing as a sophomore is no guarantee of a Heisman in his future.

Oklahoma tailback Adrian Peterson was the Heisman runner-up as a freshman to USC quarterback Matt Leinart in 2004. Return trips to New York City seemed to be a given for Peterson, but injuries cut into his sophomore year and he broke his collarbone six games into this season.

Unless Peterson puts off the NFL and returns for his senior season, his first crack at the Heisman will have been his best.

Well....... <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> Not to toot my own horn (O.K., maybe a little) but I defended Vince pretty adamently against the majority of this board.I even talked about trading up for him if he slid out of the top 5.


One thing I will say in Brady's defense is that he was playing with half the talent Troy had around him. The big deficiency was the offensive line. Quinn was running for his life more often then not against the good teams they played. Their offensive line was terrible. His receivers wern't much better either......if you put Brady on OSU's team, I don't see there being a drop off. When he gets time, he can pick a team apart......the problem all year has been the getting time part.

I think Troy is a great player, don't get me wrong, I just think Quin gets the raw end of the deal in many discussions just because he played with inferior talent around him (see his last 3 games against elite programs - their defense and offensive line just got abused).

I don't think we need a QB (which has been pretty obvious the last 7 years).......what we do need is an OL/DL. The majority of our trench players wouldn't start on any NFL team (well, except the ones that suck as bad as we do). <img src="/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" /> If we're going to take him, we better not do it in the top 10 in my opinion. Trade down, get an extra pick or two and then take him if he slides to you in the middle of the round. Otherwise, get a big hog upfront (on either side of the ball). I wouldn't mind Smith because I do think he has a ton of talent but I don't know where he fits in the grand scheme of things. I know I wouldn't want to put him behind our current offensive line (or any other young QB that I wanted to keep around for more then 2-3 years). JMHO.

I know I wouldn't want to put him behind our current offensive line (or any other young QB that I wanted to keep around for more then 2-3 years). JMHO.

An opinion shared by many, including me. Well put my friend.

Hey, I've got McFadden and Mikey on my upfront list for next year,...are there any others you can think of that we should be looking out for,...? Pete, if he comes back,...Pittman, since Ohio State will be snapping in a new QB and probably will be relying heavily on the run,....I guess I would have to homer in Laurinitis, but he plays D, so probably not,....maybe Mario too,...?

Hold your opinions in high regard,...need to place a bet if I can find some good odds. Thanks,...WildMan OooRJ

Yesterday at the Award Ceremony, Brady Quinn, Darren McFadden, and Troy Smith were all standing together right after they announced their names and there is no way Troy Smith is 6'1. I'd Say he is more like 5-10 or 5-11.

Been saying that all along,...he's a "shorty." No dis on his ability,...and I guess this is why, for the most part, I see him as A-R-E.

Well, if you're looking to play the odds, bet on a QB. The award has been dominated by signal callers. Find the Heisman results and see which returning QB got the most votes, more then likely, he'll be the odds on favorite. I know McFadden finished second this year but historically, it's just too hard to overcome a QB that has a great season.

I love McFadden but he's going to lose some carries to Felix Jones, who's a great back in his own right. He'll also have defenses stacking the box against him if their only real down field threat (Marcus Monk) bolts for the NFL. Also, I hate to say it but at 6'2'' 205 LBS he's due for an injury......I don't want to jinx the guy but if he gets too many carries he could break down.

As for who I like in the 2007 Heisman race......If I had to name 5.

1.) QB Colt Brennan (finsihed 6th this year). He needs another monster year but given Hawaii's schedule, he'll probably put up similar numbers.

2a.) RB Darren McFadden (for obvious reasons).

2b.) QB Chad Henne. Had a pretty quiet season with 2,200 yards and 20 TD's but he also played a 1/4th of the season without his go to guy (Manningham). He returns all his targets (save Breaston) and should have Hart again in the backfield. Will most likely be the signal caller of the pre-season #1 team (which is a big advantage IMO).

3.) Steve Slaton.

4.) Mike Hart. Normally I would have him higher but I really think Michigan is going to air the ball about much more then expected next season. With Manningham and Arrington emerging, I see Hart losing carries. He'll still have a good year but I see Henne and Manningham as better bets for the Heisman just based on the amount of explosive plays they'll combine for.

My darkhorse and someone you could get great odds on:

QB Chase Daniel Missouri.

Had over 3,000 yards and 26 TD's and nearly 400 rushing yards and 4 TD's in his soph. campaign (his 1st as a starter). Missou returns a lot of talent on offense as well. Their RB and top 4 pass catchers are all returning in '07 on a young team that went (8-4).

Also, Ginn will be in the mix as well if he returns.......especially considering Smith is gone. OSU would most likely line him up all over the place (including QB) and voters seem to love that kind of stuff (see Mcfadden).

we'll find the truth of his height at the combine...

i'm guessing he comes in at 6 feet exactly...

yeah, i've got mcfadden coming out next year, and going soon, hart isn't far behind...

and peterson, if he decides to stay...

Thanks Dawgs,...