Heisman expert adamantly says Ingram won't repeat

[AUChizad]

http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2010/08/heisman_expert_says_tides_ingr.html

Heisman expert adamantly says Tide's Ingram won't repeat
Published: Monday, August 23, 2010, 7:42 AM
Don Kausler Jr., Birmingham News

Repeat: Alabama run­ning back Mark Ingram will not win the 2010 Heisman Trophy.

So says the publisher of HeismanPundit.com.

So sure is Chris Huston of Los Angeles that he has published a list of 10 play­ers who might win the award this season, and In­gram isn't one of them.

He also lists six more players who have a shot. Ingram isn't one of them, either.

"I'm not saying he can't finish second," Huston said of the player who became Alabama's first Heisman winner last season. "I'm just saying he won't win."

Most other respected college football experts list Ingram at or near the top of 2010 Heisman favorites. ESPN.com senior writer Ivan Maisel likes Ingram. Sports Illustrated says Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor is the favorite, but In­gram is in the running.

"I don't have him on my personal list, but he will ap­pear on my poll," said Hus­ton, who created the Heis­manpundit. com website seven years ago and started a Heisman poll five years ago. His panel correctly picked the top four Heisman vote-getters at the end of last year and picked five of the top six finishers in 2008.

Huston is a student of college football, and he bases his opinion on history. In the 75-year history of the Heisman Trophy, only one player has won the prestigious award twice: Ohio State running back Archie Griffin (1974-75).

Since then, 11 juniors and three sophomores have won the award. Only four juniors -- Oklahoma running back Billy Sims (1978), Brigham Young quarterback Ty Detmer (1990), Oklahoma quarterback Jason White (2003) and Southern California quarterback Matt Leinart (2004) -- returned for a senior season.

Sophomores have won the past three Heismans: Florida quarterback Tim Tebow (2007), Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford (2008) and Ingram. Tebow finished third and fifth, respectively, in 2008 and 2009. Bradford was injured last season and then turned pro.

"Tebow was such a huge name that if he wasn't throwing 10 touchdown passes in a game, voters were underwhelmed," Huston said.

Ingram will fall victim to the same expectations, he said.

"Voters are finicky," he said. "They know there's only been one two-time winner. They will make that threshold very high."

Huston acknowledges that it is possible for a second player to win a second Heisman.

"But the odds are the same as an asteroid hitting the Earth," he said. "We know it can happen, but is it likely? No."

Griffin ran for 1,695 yards as a junior and 1,450 as a senior.

"By the time he was a senior, he had established himself as a college football legend," Huston said. "He became the all-time NCAA rushing leader. He led his team to four-straight Rose Bowls. His team was undefeated his senior year (though it lost in the Rose Bowl). And 1975 was a weak year for the Heisman."

California senior running back Chuck Muncie finished a distant second to Griffin, followed by three junior running backs: USC's Ricky Bell, Pittsburgh's Tony Dorsett and Oklahoma's Joe Washington.
Richardson_scores_vs_Texas_Starling.jpgTrent Richardson (3) scores a touchdown in Alabama's 37-21 victory over Texas in the BCS National Championship Game on Jan. 7, 2010 in the Rose Bowl at Pasadena, Calif. (Press-Register / Bill Starling)
Huston cites a common reason why Ingram might have difficulty repeating as a Heisman winner. That is, he will share carries in the backfield with talented backup Trent Richardson. But the two shared carries last season, and that didn't stop Ingram from running 271 times for a school-record 1,658 yards and 20 touchdowns. Richardson ran 145 times for 751 yards and eight touchdowns as a freshman.


"He would have to have clearly a better year than he did last year," Huston said of Ingram.

How much better?

"Maybe 1,800, 1,900 yards rushing and more than 20 touchdowns," Huston said. "He would have to be clearly better than anybody else, and Alabama would have to go undefeated again."

If Ingram gets enough carries to start compiling such numbers, "he's going to take a lot of hits," Huston said. "Can he stay healthy?"

Huston's personal preseason Heisman favorite is Pryor.

"If Pryor has an incredible year, and Ingram has an incredible year, Pryor will win," Huston said.

"One reason Ingram won last year was because he's from Michigan, so he did well in Midwest voting. Pryor would get the Midwest vote this time."

Huston, by the way, listed Colt McCoy as his preseason favorite last year and cast his Heisman vote four months later for the Texas quarterback, who finished third in balloting.

TWO VIEWS OF 2010 HEISMAN RACE

Chris Huston, HeismanPundit.com:
1. Terrelle Pryor, QB, Ohio State
2. Jacory Harris, QB, Miami
3. Christian Ponder, QB, Florida State
4. Ryan Williams, RB, Virginia Tech
5. John Clay, RB, Wisconsin
6. Ryan Mallett, QB, Arkansas
7. John Brantley, QB, Florida
8. Jacquizz Rodgers, RB, Oregon State
9. Case Keenum, QB, Houston
10. Noel Devine, RB, West Virginia

Ivan Maisel, ESPN.com senior writer:
1. Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama
2. Jake Locker, QB, Washington
3. Terrelle Pryor, QB, Ohio State
4. Christian Ponder, QB, Florida State
5. Jacquizz Rodgers, RB, Oregon State
6. Evan Royster, RB, Penn State
7. Ryan Mallett, QB, Arkansas
8. Kellen Moorem QB, Boise State
9. Ricky Dobbs, QB, Navy
10. Jerrod Johnson, QB, Texas A&M

[djsimp]

Brantley #7?! Wow, the kid hasn't even started yet and he is getting much love.

[GH2001]

Brantley #7?! Wow, the kid hasn't even started yet and he is getting much love.

Yeah...and so the slobbyknobby fest with Fla QB's continues.....

[djsimp]

Yeah...and so the slobbyknobby fest with Fla QB's continues.....

No freaking kidding. Personally I would have put Mallet in the top 5, at least before any of the unproven QB's (Ponder and Harris) and in front of the Big Ten RB(Clay). Brantley shouldn't even be in the top 20 until proven otherwise.

[AUChizad]

Brantley #7?! Wow, the kid hasn't even started yet and he is getting much love.

What gets me is that Newton = Brantley as far as experience goes. In fact, I'd give Newton the edge for the following reasons.
1) Two years ago when they were on the same team, Newton was ahead of Brantley in the depth chart.
2) Newton has actually taken snaps against SEC defenses while Tebow was there, unlike Brantley.
3) Newton has actually lead a team as starting QB for two years. True, it may only be JuCo, but he won the national championship. That's proving something more than riding the pine.

I'm not saying Newton belongs in a top ten Heisman watch list, but the media putting Brantley on a pedestal, and in the same breath saying that Newton is unproven, if even mentioning him at all, is ridiculous in my opinion.

[djsimp]

I'm not saying Newton belongs in a top ten Heisman watch list, but the media putting Brantley on a pedestal, and in the same breath saying that Newton is unproven, if even mentioning him at all, is ridiculous in my opinion.

Seriously, I was thinking along the same lines. I mean Newton should have a little more Heisman pub then Brantley and I really wasn't considering Newton for the what you said, he is unproven. I'm curious to what stats and highlights this guy is looking at. Like GH said, the media does some serious slobbin' on the knob'n with these Gator QB's.

[GH2001]

What gets me is that Newton = Brantley as far as experience goes. In fact, I'd give Newton the edge for the following reasons.
1) Two years ago when they were on the same team, Newton was ahead of Brantley in the depth chart.
2) Newton has actually taken snaps against SEC defenses while Tebow was there, unlike Brantley.
3) Newton has actually lead a team as starting QB for two years. True, it may only be JuCo, but he won the national championship. That's proving something more than riding the pine.

I'm not saying Newton belongs in a top ten Heisman watch list, but the media putting Brantley on a pedestal, and in the same breath saying that Newton is unproven, if even mentioning him at all, is ridiculous in my opinion.

You just said what I have been thinking all summer long.

[Snaggletiger]

I think Ponder getting that kind of consideration is legit.  He was having an absolutely sic year before he got hurt.  If he stays healthy this year, look for him to be in the mix.

[JR4AU]

Brantley #7?! Wow, the kid hasn't even started yet and he is getting much love.

Not saying he'll be Heisman worthy, but I believe he's going to be very good very early. 

[djsimp]

Not saying he'll be Heisman worthy, but I believe he's going to be very good very early.

I'm not doubting that at all, I mean HC Meyer knows what to look for. I just don't see how putting the kid on the Heisman watch list is legit.

[GH2001]

I'm not doubting that at all, I mean HC Meyer knows what to look for. I just don't see how putting the kid on the Heisman watch list is legit.

Exactly.....saying the kid is #7 out of all the players in the country to win the Heisman although he's never been a starter or played a real meaningful snap (SEC play).