Adams: Only bias can separate Tebow and Heisman

The ESPN guys in the booth were discussing the Heisman Trophy race during a lull in the Arizona-Oregon game Thursday night.

The synopsis of the conversation: There was no clear-cut Heisman favorite. In fact, the landscape was so bleak, maybe we should just skip the award this year and shoot for 2008.

Translation: There was no obvious Heisman candidate from the Big Ten for ABC/ESPN to promote.

Sorry, but that's the Southern Heisman conspiracy theorist in me talking. And it's not just because we're nearing the 10-year anniversary of Tennessee's Peyton Manning losing the Heisman to Michigan's Charles Woodson.

My theory goes way beyond that. In fact, I'm still ticked off that Peyton's daddy, Archie, didn't win the award.

In the 72-year history of the Heisman, seven SEC players have won the award. So have seven players apiece from Southern Cal and Ohio State.

Imagine that. Two programs have as many Heisman winners as all of the SEC. Doesn't that seem just a tad out of line?

But I won't dwell on history. I'm just wondering if the guys in the ESPN booth would have been so quick to characterize this season as a Heisman wasteland if running back Darren McFadden played for Michigan instead of Arkansas or if quarterback Tim Tebow played for Ohio State instead of Florida.

McFadden finished second in the Heisman voting last year and is on pace to rush for more yards this season. So how does he not qualify as a strong contender one year later?

This isn't all about regional bias. It's also about won-lost bias. Why do so many media-types feel compelled to award the Heisman to the best player on a team in the running for the national championship?

It's supposed to go to the best player, not the best player on the best team.

Sometimes, the best player is on the best team. I voted for Southern Cal's Reggie Bush twice. But last year, I voted for McFadden over Ohio State's Troy Smith. And it wasn't a close call.

It shouldn't be a close call this season, either. Tebow is clearly the best player in the country.

Never mind that his team has lost three games or that he's only a sophomore. He leads the toughest conference in the country in both total offense and pass efficiency. He is a precision passer who probably has broken more tackles per carry than anyone in the SEC since Georgia's Herschel Walker, who won the Heisman in 1982.

Florida doesn't have a quality tailback. Its best wide receiver, Percy Harvin, can't stay healthy. Yet it leads the SEC in scoring at 42.9 points per game.

Tebow doesn't lead Florida's offense. He is Florida's offense.

I've seen six of the SEC's seven Heisman winners, and Tebow can play with any of them. "Archie Manning on steroids," is how Memphis sportswriter Ron Higgins described Tebow.

Don't take that literally. Tebow's clean - too clean, maybe. Associated Press college sports columnist Ralph Russo recently wrote a column saying voters shouldn't hold Tebow's good-boy image against him. Why should he have to mention that?

Answer: Because of Peyton Manning.

A wholesome image wasn't Manning's only problem. His team couldn't win its biggest game (against Florida). Also, college football probably just got tired of him. He was so good for so long, the storyline became stale.

Tebow could face the same problem if he sticks around for four years. That's why this might be his best shot at the Heisman.

If you're holding his team's record against him, imagine the 8-3 Gators without him. They wouldn't have beaten Ole Miss or Kentucky. Nor would they have won last year's national championship if Tebow hadn't played so extraordinarily off the bench.

He has got a national championship on his resume . He has got the stats.

And he deserves the votes.

Sports editor John Adams may be reached at 865-342-6284 or adamsj@knews.com.

© 2007, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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