5 Sleepers to Watch in the 2011 Heisman Race

Last week, I wrote my inaugural Heisman Watch for the 2011 season, highlighting 10 of the favorites to take home the award and making my pick to take home the Heisman Trophy.

Now, I’m moving on and trying to highlight five possible sleepers that could make a run at the 2011 Heisman. The last two seasons, players have come out of nowhere to win the award in Alabama’s Mark Ingram in 2009, and then Auburn’s Cam Newton in 2010.

Those two players were on absolutely nobody’s radar to start the regular season, but they had spectacular runs en route to winning the most prestigious individual award in all of college football. So, who will it be this season? Which player is going to seemingly come out of nowhere and take the college football world by storm?

I’m going to do the impossible. I’m going to highlight five sleepers in the Heisman race that nobody is talking about, that could make a push and be one of the players invited to the Downtown Athletic Club in December.

EJ Manuel (QB/Florida State)

The loss of starting QB Christian Ponder has not dampened the excitement in Tallahassee for the 2011 season, as the Seminoles seem to have their best team in years. The ‘Noles enter the season with lofty expectations, and a lot is expected of EJ Manuel in his first full season as the Florida State starting QB.

Manuel came to Tallahassee as a part of the 2008 recruiting class. He was a four star duel-threat quarterback out of Virginia, the 2nd ranked in the nation according to Rivals. He was personally recruited by Jimbo Fisher when Fisher was just the offensive coordinator.

Manuel has seen meaningful playing time before with the Seminoles, starting games the last two seasons in place of an injured Christian Ponder. He’s made six starts the last two seasons, going 4-2 and being named MVP of the 2010 Gator Bowl, leading Florida State to a 33-20 win over West Virginia in Bobby Bowden’s final game as a head coach.

Manuel has thrown for 1678 yards the last two seasons, with six touchdowns, and ten interceptions. That’s not at all an impressive stat line, but Manuel has only made spot starts in place of Ponder. Now, the job is Manuel’s for better or for worse, as he tries to lead the ‘Noles back to the promised land.

With Florida State pegged as a National contender, if they do make a run at the BCS, then it will be because EJ Manuel led them there. If he does have a big season in his first year as the starter, it’s conceivable that Florida State could make push for the National Championship, or in the least a BCS bowl berth.

Manuel will be helped by one of the most talented group of skill-position players the Seminoles have seen in quite some time. Florida State returns all of their top players at running back and receiver from a year ago.

Logan Thomas (QB/Virginia Tech)

Surely, with Virginia Tech’s all-time passing yards leader, Tyrod Taylor graduated the expectations would be lowered in Blacksburg, right? Wrong. The Hokies are still favored in the ACC Coastal division, and new quarterback Logan Thomas is a big reason why as he takes over at QB.

Logan Thomas, who was recruited as a tight end or H-Back in the 2009 recruiting class, has settled in as a QB for the Hokies and without having started a single game has drawn comparisons to last season’s Heisman winner, Cam Newton.

Thomas has the size and physical attributes to make the comparisons look legit, but we have yet to see him start a game. Thomas is an imposing 6’6 and 245 pounds with a big arm, and the ability to make plays in the running game. Virginia Tech’s quarterback’s coach Mike O’Cain has raved and raved about Thomas’ ability, and if he lives up to the hype, then he could be the next out of nowhere player to win the Heisman Trophy.

Thomas has a bright future in Blacksburg, but it’s going to be interesting to see how he does in live game action. He hasn’t taken a meaningful snap for the Hokies yet, but he’s going to get that right away this season.

O’Cain is the man who convinced head coach Frank Beamer to move Logan Thomas to QB, and Beamer is ready to reap the benefits for the next few years. Obviously, it’s expected that Thomas is going to have a transition period as a starting QB for the first time, but if he turns out to be as good as advertised, Thomas is going to be competing for multiple awards right away, and one of them could be the Heisman Trophy in 2011.

Chris Polk (RB/Washington)

Is this a long shot? Of course, but you have to admire the way Chris Polk ran the ball for the Huskies in 2010. A lot of credit was given to former Washington QB Jake Locker for leading the team to a bowl game last season, but Chris Polk might have had just as much if not more to do with it
than Locker.

Polk, a highly recruited back in 2008 out of Redlands, California, was a workhorse for Steve Sarkisian’s bunch last year, rushing the ball 260 times for 1415 yards, an average of 5.4 yards per carry, and 9 touchdowns. Polk might be one of the top running backs in the nation that you’ve heard little about. He’s put together consecutive 1000+ yard seasons for Washington, and a third straight should be on the way in Seattle.

If the Huskies make some sort of run for the Pac-12 Title, and Chris Polk has a big season, then you have to think he’s going to get some love from the Heisman voters. I know it’s unlikely that Washington makes a run, but stranger things have happened.

Unfortunately, Chris Polk recently underwent an arthroscopic procedure on his knee to clean up a meniscus injury, and will miss the next couple weeks of practice, and possibly the start of the regular season. Polk should still have a strong campaign in 2011, but if he misses any time due to
the knee injury, then you have to believe that will seriously dampen his already long shot hopes of capturing the Heisman Trophy.

Tyler Wilson (QB/Arkansas)

The loss of Ryan Mallett hasn’t tampered expectations in Fayetteville for the 2011 season, with Tyler Wilson ready to take his turn in Bobby Petrino’s offense. The excitement around Wilson came from him stepping in for an injured Ryan Mallett against Auburn last season, and the Razorback offense not missing a beat.

Wilson was thrown into a situation that could have been better, going up against eventual Heisman winner Cam Newton in a shootout. Wilson picked apart the Auburn secondary, completing 25 of his 34 passes for 332 yards, with 4 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Keep in mind, he put up those numbers after coming off the bench cold.

Wilson doesn’t have as big of an arm as Mallett, but he’s an accurate passer that has proved already that he can handle the pressure of big games. Wilson will greatly benefit from all the talented receivers that the Hogs boast.

The likes of Greg Childs, Joe Adams, Jarius Wright, Cobi Hamilton, and Julian Horton all return from last season, giving Arkansas possibly the strongest group of receivers the school has ever seen. If it wasn’t for the likely season-ending injury to running back Knile Davis, the optimistic
viewpoint would be even higher.

Still, if Arkansas’ offense is as dynamic as it has the chance to be, then you have to think the Razorbacks will be a serious threat in the SEC, with the possibility of getting into the BCS. If that happens, Wilson should be on the short list of contenders for the Heisman.

Robert Griffin (QB/Baylor)

This is one of my favorite players in college football. Griffin burst onto the scene as a freshman in 2008 for Baylor, throwing for over 2091 yards with 15 touchdowns and just 3 interceptions to along with 846 rushing yards and 13 more touchdowns. Griffin’s fantastic play led to very high expectations coming into the 2009, but a torn ACL ended his and the team’s season early.

He came back last season, throwing for 3501 yards, 22 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions. He also ran for 635 yards and 8 touchdowns to lead the Bears to a 7-6 season and a berth in the Texas Bowl.

His school record in passing yards last season led the Bears to their first bowl berth in 16 years, and the team has their sights set higher in his junior season on the gridiron. It won’t be easy with a season opener against TCU, but they should once again be good enough to get to their second straight bowl game.

It’ll take more than a .500 season for Griffin to earn serious Heisman consideration though. But, with a lot of talent returning, it’s not impossible to think that the Bears could win 8-9 games and Griffin could seriously make a push for the stiff-arm trophy.

Look for Griffin to continue his legend in Waco as the top QB in school history, leading Baylor to another bowl berth, but he’ll likely come up short in the Heisman race. In any case, Griffin should be a fun player to watch in 2011.