Why Dalton is a Heisman Candidate

I'm sure most of the people reading this are TCU fans, and are wondering "Why WOULDN'T Andy Dalton be a Heisman candidate?". Believe me, I'm of the same mind-set. But as obvious as it seems for us, a good solid chunk of the population at large is probably more in line with the title querie. The reason for that is because Heisman candidate quarterbacks fall into two categories: those who play for premiere programs, and those that put up ridiculous numbers. Dalton, unfortunately, is neither of those.

I hate to say it, but despite two straight Top 10 finishes, TCU is still not seen as a premiere program in the eyes of the nation. Sure, most knowledgeable college football fans recognize what they've done the past few years, but the Horned Frogs just do not have the millions of followers or the TV exposure that the big state schools do. Schools that have an army of T-shirt fans get the media attention, and the decline of journalism in this country has left most writers and reporters completely ignorant to what actually constitutes a quality football program.

Despite the sterling numbers Dalton has produced in his three years at the helm of the TCU offense (he's already the school's all-time leading passer and was eighth in the nation last year in pass efficiency), he's never going to put up the ridiculous yardage totals that system quarterbacks like the long line of Tech QBs under Mike Leach or Houston's Kevin Kolb/Case Keenum do. The purpose of the Fuente/Anderson offense is to maximize the unit's effectiveness against all defensive schemes through balance, which means Dalton is less likely to grab headlines with gawdy statistics. Unfortunately, being able to beat a team with your arm & legs, while limiting turnovers aren't qualities on which the media puts much value.

Wow, reading back over what I've written so far, I'm afraid I've given you the impression that Dalton doesn't stand a chance. But really, the road for Rooster to get himself to New York is pretty simple, if not much easier said than done: just be the best player on the best team...and have that "Heisman buzz" about you. As the unquestioned leader of a team that was about a foot from arguably playing for the national championship a year ago and returns a boatload of talent, I don't think the first part of that equation is too far from reality.

But that second part is where you, the Horned Frog fan, come in. We can't just sit around and wait for the media to anoint Dalton as a Heisman candidate. Just like we did in 2000 with LT, we've got to celebrate our best player to keep his name in front of Heisman voters all year. I know this site is planning on creating T-shirts and bumper stickers to promote him, but by all means get creative- make your own shirts, decorate your car/lawn, whatever you can think of. Don't think that if the talking heads on ESPN aren't quick enough to recognize Dalton as one of the finest players in the country, that it spells the doom of his Heisman chances- let's MAKE them realize.

Is it football season yet?