Crashing The Heisman Party: Can An FCSer Get to NYC?

Players from the five non-BCS conferences have a difficult enough time earning invites to the Heisman Trophy presentation in New York. LaDainian Tomlinson, Alex Smith, Colt Brennan and Kellen Moore are the only such honorees of the BCS era, and that foursome totals double the Division I-AA/FCS players to accomplish it ever. The late, great Steve McNair was the last in 1994, and Gordie Lockbaum the first in 1987.

The likelihood of another FCS representative spending a December, Manhattan weekend in the company of college football’s most famous little metallic man is slim. Very slim. But it’s not impossible.

It’s All About The Numbers

Non-Big Six players are at a disadvantage challenging for the Heisman and must compensate with especially extraordinary play. That margin for error isn’t so much razor thin as it is microscopic for an FCS Heisman hopeful.

Lockbaum’s physical numbers weren’t impressive: 5-foot-11, about 200 pounds. He couldn’t take on double duty as a defensive back with too much bulk on his frame, and he didn’t need it. Lockbaum did everything, playing on both sides, carrying the ball for over 1000 yards and receiving for another thousand-plus. In both ’86 and ’87 he scored 22 touchdowns and 132 points; records that still stand at Holy Cross.

Now, McNair wasn’t necessarily perfect in ’94 — in fact, he threw 17 interceptions and failed to break the 60 percent completion threshold. Both were offset courtesy of 44 touchdowns and over 4800 yards. Go ahead and read that again and let it sink in. Some quarterbacks would struggle to score 44 touchdowns on an empty field.

Generate Buzz

Politicking is vital to any Heisman campaign. Coaches will tout their candidates on television. Students will chant for them a la the Stanford faithful after Toby Gerhart’s one-man dismantling of Notre Dame in 2009. FCS athletic budgets don’t have the means to purchase giant displays in Times Square as Nike did for Oregon’s Joey Harrington in 2001, so speaking with actions requires means that much more.

McNair burst onto public consciousness when Sports Illustrated featured him on a September cover. He remained in the public eye via these things called “highlights” Sportscenter used to show back in the ’90s. For our young readers, think YouTube clips with anchors presenting the action.

It goes without saying given all McNair accomplished in the NFL, but in college he was absolutely jaw-dropping. The phrase “rocket arm” gets used often, but McNair really looked like at any given moment he could get the ball out of the stadium. You might even say he could throw a football over them mountains.

His awe-inspiring feats made him an attraction and perpetuated media interest in him. The ability to not just perform, but perform spectacularly is necessary for the FCS candidate; being more Joe Montana than Johnny Unitas. More Magic Johnson than John Stockton.

Armanti Edwards was the last FCS’er to generate even a blip on the Heisman radar, and he did so through spectacular feats. First was the Week 1 defeat of second ranked Michigan. Beating a ranked FBS opponent certainly doesn’t hurt the attention drawing. Edwards also played an eye-popping brand of football with his multifaceted skill set.

Lockbaum’s style wasn’t necessarily the showtime variety McNair or Edwards played, but he drew enough attention for his tri-threat abilities to finish fifth in the Heisman voting in ’86. With his name existing in the national consciousness, he replicated the previous season’s output in ’87.

Hope for a Lackluster Candidate Pool

In each season a Div. I-AA representative got the call to NYC, the grouping was about as weak as the 2012 GOP Presidential campaign. To wit: in 1987, Notre Dame’s Tim Brown took home the bronze statue. Wide receivers are at an immediate disadvantage by getting fewer touches than quarterbacks or tailbacks, which in itself is a testament to the weak field. Syracuse quarterback Don McPherson had a 2:1 touchdown-interception ratio with 22 and 11 and completed only 56 percent of his passes. Michigan State running back Lorenzo White rushed for a healthy 1459 yards, but also carried the ball a ridiculous 322 yards.

1994 winner Rashaan Salaam had a no-doubt-about-it kind of season with 2055 rushing yards and 24 touchdowns and runner-up Ki-Jana Carter of Penn State was right behind, rushing for 500 yards fewer but averaging nearly eight per carry and scoring 23 touchdowns.

The other finalists? Kerry Collins threw for a rather pedestrian (for a Heisman candidate) 2679 yards and a 3:1 touchdown-interception ratio. Jay Barker failed to reach 2000 yards passing and had just 14 touchdowns. Certainly not earth shattering numbers, particularly considering McNair’s 44 touchdowns passes bested Collins’ and Barker’s combined outputs with nine to spare.

Three of last season’s finalists return: LaMichael James, Kellen Moore and Andrew Luck. That would suggest a loaded field and put this year’s FCS stars at an even greater disadvantage. Perhaps defenses keying in

This whole discussion becomes moot without FCS players capable of putting together monster seasons and earning some Heisman buzz.

• Mike Brown, Liberty QB
  Mike Brown has the kind of explosiveness an FCS player needs to gain national attention. He’s the Flames best passer obviously (2956 yards/23 touchdowns), and is also their top rushing option (854 yards/9 touchdowns). If that wasn’t enough, two seasons ago he was Liberty’s No. 1 receiver. It’s almost a shame he has to play just position given how many talents he possesses.

Brown gets an opportunity to make a name for himself in Week 1 against NC State.

Utah is MSU’s Week 1 opponent. The Bobcats nearly knocked off a Pac-10 opponent last season, albeit a much weaker Washington State. Regardless, if McGhee can put up big numbers against a Ute defense that struggled late season he’ll have his needed foundation.