A year ago, lacking any creative Halloween ideas, I went out as Heisman Trophy Candidate Carson Palmer. "Candidate" was a longshot. Within a month, nobody was laughing anymore.
The USC Sports Information department better be brushing off the playbook from their 2002 campaign because it looks like there may be yet another dark horse coming out of Troy this year.
I was no fan of his at the beginning of the Season...making several "Booty" calls myself. I've changed my mind...at least until Saturday. For the second week in a row, Matt Leinart has 351 yards and 4 touchdows--outpacing last year's Heisman winner with a younger corps of receivers and backs.
CBS Sports has moved him into the top 10 in the Heisman race, up from unranked last week, saying this about the Sophomore: "Could the Trojans have consecutive Heisman winners? Why not. USC has positioned itself for a run at a national championship, and that is in no small part due to the job Leinart has done replacing Carson Palmer. People forget that after a great freshman year, Palmer struggled terribly before putting it all together as a senior. Leinart, just a sophomore, has thrown 11 TD passes (with no interceptions) over his last three games."
Fox Sports has him as one of the week's "Hot" players... and he was named Pac 10 Offensive Player of the Week.
The big test comes this Saturday, as the #3 Trojans host #6 Wazzu. There will be no Shillelagh, but this game is about as important as the 2002 Notre Dame game. If Leinart can put up 350+ yards and three touchdowns, USC will solidify itself as the top team to play for the National Championship if Miami or Oklahoma falters AND Leinart can start looking for cool spots to hang out in Chelsea come December (or whatever part of NYC floats his boat)...
Leinart in '03! Bush in '04!
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Comments (1)
Leinhart is a good player, ... (Below threshold)1. Posted by Josh | October 31, 2003 6:28 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Leinhart is a good player, I'd say he's got a better shot in a year or two. Heisman votes are amazingly bias against non-upperclassman.
Look at the year Dayne won it. Vick had a monster season that year. You'd be hard pressed to say there was a greater impact player than him, but he was a Freshman, thus, no shot.
1. Posted by Josh | October 31, 2003 6:28 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on October 31, 2003 18:28