ASU QB May Sneak Into Heisman Votes

As America's short attention span grows shorter, Armanti Edwards' chances for Heisman Trophy votes improve.

Edwards, Appalachian State's junior quarterback, obviously will not win the Heisman this season. The vast publicity river flows through Midwestern fields right now, and it's nearly impossible to alter a river's path in one month.

Even so, competitive turmoil in the Big 12 Conference could smudge the leading contenders and open the ballot box for an Edwards vote here and there. Each ballot has three places. By 2009, if things work out just right, Edwards could emerge as the trendy candidate from left field - a strategy that has worked before in other venues.

Edwards achieved name recognition against Michigan last year. He appeals to Southerners, dreamers and people who will watch any college football game on any cable channel at any time.

You know these folks. They champion the Mid-American Conference and Mountain West. They adore Wednesday night football, and they nearly passed out from pinball glee while watching ASU ring up Wofford 70-24 on Halloween.

They believe that the NCAA's second-level tournament embodies everything right about the sport. They accept the premise that great players can play for teams outside the bowl division's top 10. History's quarterback roster confirms the suspicion, from Alcorn State's Steve McNair in the 1990s to Delaware's Joe Flacco, the impressive NFL rookie who lost the 2007 title game to the Mountaineers.

Quarterbacks favored.

Heisman voters tilt toward quarterbacks on the highest-ranked BCS teams, yet the warp speed of the short attention span might let Edwards sneak into the contest.

Before the season escaped summer's tropical storms, assorted Heisman watchers anointed Missouri's Chase Daniel the early leader heading into the first turn. Two weeks later, Daniel was declared a dead horse.

Ten days ago, Texas' Colt McCoy was close to a unanimous pick, but the Longhorns lost their shootout against Texas Tech and quarterback Graham Harrell, who now rides the tallest wave.

The nature of the Texas Tech offense generates larger numbers. Harrell has completed 70 percent of 413 passes for 3,621 yards and 30 touchdowns, which also helps the candidacy of receiver Michael Crabtree (70 catches, 921 yards, 15 touchdowns). McCoy has been phenomenal but less prolific, completing 79 percent of 276 passes for 2,579 yards and 23 touchdowns.

A consensus identifies the No. 3 candidate as Oklahoma's Sam Bradford (68 percent of 297 attempts for 3,086 yards and 34 touchdowns), followed by Crabtree. Defending champ Tim Tebow of Florida (14 touchdowns passing and eight rushing) has moved back into the viable pack, along with runner Javon Ringer of Michigan State (1,427 rushing yards, 18 touchdowns) and Big 12 quarterback Zac Robinson of Oklahoma State (69 percent of 187 passes for 2,002 yards and 20 touchdowns).

If Big 12 teams beat up each other through the league championship, the field will soften. Edwards could state his case for down-the-ballot votes quite loudly.

Today, the Mountaineers will play Chattanooga, which has the No. 114 defense among 118 playoff-division teams. Edwards has accounted for 14 touchdowns rushing and passing in his past three games, which exceeds Chattanooga's season total. With 2,017 yards of total offense, he is 17 short of the Mocs' production.

ASU will close the schedule against high-scoring Elon and Western Carolina. Edwards could go crazy, just as he did against Wofford (17 of 19 for a career-high 367 passing yards and five touchdowns, plus 73 yards rushing and another touchdown).

Edwards already holds the Southern Conference career record for total offense (9,397 yards). He is one of five players at either Division I level to gain 6,000 yards passing and 3,000 rushing - a group that includes Vince Young and Antwaan Randle El.

Lethal skills.

Edwards started slowly this season, trying to overcome substantial deficits at Louisiana State while relying heavily on one veteran receiver and dodging headhunters. He hit 13 of 31 for 155 yards and one touchdown without an interception that day, and he attempted only eight passes the next game against Jacksonville. James Madison then nailed ASU with its second loss as Edwards gained 251 total yards.

His second - and last - interception of the season came that day, 140 passes ago. As the offensive line matured a bit and new receivers flashed into vacant spaces, Edwards took off. He accounted for 36 points against The Citadel, 24 against Samford, 30 against Georgia Southern, 18 against Furman and 36 against Wofford. He has completed 120 of 193 passes (62 percent) for 1,823 yards and 20 touchdowns. He has rushed for 634 yards and nine touchdowns.

Hot numbers can look cold on the printed page, and numbers don't define the Heisman game. The ballot solicits votes for "the most outstanding college football player in the United States." Players are eligible if they are bona fide students at accredited colleges adhering to NCAA standards.

Edwards meets the minimums. He keeps getting better, especially as a precise passer. He freezes defenses with the mere threat that he might dart through a small hole and make a big dent.

These aren't Big 12 defenses, and these aren't conventional arguments, a one-two debating combo that hurts his chances terribly.

Some days, though, when you watch Edwards eviscerate a defensive plan in a flash, it's hard to envision three more lethal players on either side of the Mississippi.

Lenox Rawlings can be reached at lrawlings@wsjournal.com.

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