The best Heisman candidate you’ll never hear about.

Posted on December 1st, 2007 by Taylor Summers in Boise State, Hawaii, Oklahoma State, Tulsa, UCF, Wisconsin

bbb932b0-2268-4558-8f12-a3d5132519d1.jpgOkay, Tim Tebow is good. McFadden has it going on. Chase Daniel, Pat White, and Colt Brennen even have what it takes to win the Heisman. However, when I compare these guys to UCF’s Kevin Smith, they don’t even measure up.

Smith is one of the top running backs in the country, putting up amazing numbers this year as he has ran through Conference USA for the Golden Knights this season. His numbers before his team faced Tulsa for the conference championship were staggering. 2164 yards on 376 carries. That’s 5.8 yards per carry! And to top it off, 25 touchdowns!

His game versus Tulsa for the conference crown was one of the best EVER. 39 carries for 284 yards. That’s 7.3 yards per carry. And to put the icing on the cake, 4 touchdowns. He tore through Tulsa! They couldn’t even bring him down when they grabbed on to his facemask to try and tackle him.

He is legit contender for ANY award for a running back. Yet, he isn’t even a finalist for the Doak Walker Award; the award given to the top running back in the country. And when you hear the Heisman talk, he isn’t mentioned.

This is not to say the other Heisman contenders are not exceptional players, but I am saying he blows most of them out of the water. This guy is putting up bigger numbers than McFadden. He has almost ran for 1,000 yards more than McFadden! Why aren’t we hearing about this guy?

I don’t think it is completely because of the non-BCS conference thing. Think about it… Hawaii didn’t play anyone who was legit until Boise State last week, and yet Brennen’s name is continuously heard in Heisman talk.

Honestly, I have no idea why we don’t here about Kevin Smith. But there is hope. It’s his junior year, and if he doesn’t go pro, we’ll hear his name for sure. Another season like this, and he will break the career rushing record for an NCAA running back set by Ron Dayne of Wisconsin back between 1996-1999. Dayne set the mark at 6397 and Smith is at 4560 right now with a bowl game left to go this year. And, he is one more big game away from breaking the single-season rushing record set by the legendary Barry Sanders when he played for Oklahoma State.

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  1. 50th state said on December 2nd, 2007 at 1:26 pm

    The reason is because Colt Brennan OWNS the NCAA record not projected, not close, but it is being put into black and white as we speak. It was also done in 3 years not 4.

    Reply
  2. Taylor Summers said on December 2nd, 2007 at 4:38 pm

    And I would respect him for it more if he played a team that’s legit. The only team Hawaii has had that is considered good by any standard is Boise State. Oh, and they didn’t even play a BCS team outside of the Huskies. There isn’t a QB who couldn’t have torn through the WAC with the exception of Utah State and Idaho.

    Reply
  3. Taylor Summers said on December 2nd, 2007 at 5:10 pm

    While Brennen is amazing, if Smith was on the ticket, I’d take him. I think Brennen should get the Heisman simply just because the other candidates aren’t up to his level.

    My whole purpose for the post is to state that Smith receiving no recognition is a travesty. He should receive at the least a Heisman nomination for his performence. He has had a year for a running back that is very comparable to a year for a QB that Brennen has had.

    Reply

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