TEB0W GOING AGAINST HIS NUMBER

By Harry King/SPORTS COMMENTARY

LITTLE ROCK — Directed by Billy Crystal, the title of the HBO film was a number that gave away the plot. Released in 2001, “61,” was about Roger Maris breaking Babe Ruth’s single-season home run record.

Maris had some productive years on either side of his 1961 achievement, but he was always measured against that magic number and always came up short. In today’s college football, where winners often score 40 or more, the comparison is a bit of a stretch, but Florida quarterback Tim Tebow’s toe-to-toe with his number might prevent his repeat as the Heisman Trophy winner.

Like Maris, Tebow’s number came out of nowhere.

Maris’ 61 was sandwiched between 39 and 33 and those were the only times he hit more than 26.

As a freshman in 2006, Tebow was a run-first, throw-occasionally specialist who completed 22 of 33 for the entire season. In ’07, he was 234-of-350 for 32 touchdowns. He also ran for 22 and his total of 54 TDs is his burden for 2008.

Heisman voters were so enamored with Tebow’s TD production during the regular season that they were willing to forgive his team’s three losses in the Southeastern Conference and award him 462 first-place votes. Arkansas’ Darren McFadden received 291 first-place votes and finished No. 2 for the second straight year.

Not only will the voters expect Tebow to do more, they will expect the Gators to win more. He ended the season by barely completing 50 percent of his 33 passes in the Capital One Bowl loss to Michigan and, with a “What have you done for me lately” attitude, voters will be open to an alternative.

In ’06, McFadden received 45 first-place votes and Tebow nary a one. After rushing for 1,647 yards as a sophomore and leading Arkansas to the SEC championship game, McFadden needed about 2,000 yards and at least a return to Atlanta to win the statue.

In the election that matters most, there are only two viable candidates, both U.S. senators. Between Aug. 30 and Nov. 29, Heisman candidates will come and go.

Just last year, Matt Ryan of Boston College, Dennis Dixon of Oregon, Chase Daniel of Missouri, and others were in position to beat Tebow and couldn’t close the deal.

Daniel, who finished fourth in the voting, is back for another try. Both Daniel and Texas Tech’s Graham Harrell face the same obstacle; they must get by Oklahoma or Texas and win the Big 12 championship. Harrell, who has thrown for more than 10,000 yards in the past two years, is also saddled with the stigma that he is a product of the system. Colt Brennan of Hawaii fought that last year when he finished third in the voting.

Sixth last year, Patrick White of West Virginia also is a contender. He did well under Rich Rodriguez and stumped for his successor, Bill Stewart, on the field after running for 150 yards and throwing for 176 in the Mountaineers’ 20-point victory over Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl.

Florida’s Percy Harvin, a big-play specialist who was a freshman when he caught five passes for 62 yards and ran six times for 102 yards in the SEC championship game against the Razorbacks, will get plenty of opportunities to impress voters, including Oct. 4 in Fayetteville.

A month later, the Heisman hype could saturate Florida-Georgia and Tebow vs. Knowshon Moreno, the Bulldogs’ running back who made 1,334 yards as a freshman. McFadden made 1,113 his first year.

Harry King is sports columnist for Stephens Media’s Arkansas News Bureau. His e-mail address is hking@arkansasnews.com.