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Dayne's Heisman to lose
Posted: Friday December 10, 1999 06:34 PM
Sports Illustrated senior writer Ivan Maisel chatted with CNNSI anchor Johnny Phelps about Saturday’s Heisman ceremony -- and handicaps the 2000 Heisman race. Johnny Phelps: Ivan, is there any possible way Ron Dayne won’t win the Heisman on Saturday? Ivan Maisel: I don't think so, Johnny. Every indication has been, really since early November, that it's his trophy. It's a good choice; I'm not crazy about it, but I couldn't think of anyone else who should win it. JP: For a while in midseason, Joe Hamilton seemed to be the frontrunner. But then Tech lost to Virginia and Wake Forest down the stretch. How much did those losses hurt Hamilton, and how much did those losses hurt Hamilton, and how much did Virginia Tech going 11-0 help Michael Vick? IM: I think you hit it in both cases. And the odd thing is that Georgia Tech's losses really had nothing to do with Joe Hamilton. Coach George O'Leary told me last week that he felt awful, that if they had had any sort of defense at all, Joe would have won the Heisman and he's probably right. And Michael Vick, same thing. Yes, he led the nation in passing, but it's because he led the Hokies to an 11-0 record that he made it to New York. JP: Peter Warrick was a favorite at the start of the season. If you project his nine-game numbers for 11 games, he’d have almost 90 receptions for nearly 1,150 yards. He caught passes for touchdowns, he ran for touchdowns, he threw a pass for a touchdown, and returned a punt for a touchdown. If he doesn’t run afoul of the law, does he win? IM: I think he does. A lot of people held all that against him. I didn't. What I held against him was: missing two games, and coming back and being a little rusty for two games. He was really only the great Peter Warrick for about seven games and, to me, that wasn't enough. But there's no question he was the most talented guy this year. JP: Who will be the favorites for the Heisman next year? IM: The guys I'm thinking about are good ballplayers on teams that will win a lot of games, because that's the other prerequisite. I’d look at Anthony Thomas of Michigan. Freddie Milons of Alabama is a guy we want to watch. Drew Brees of Purdue is coming back, they've got to step it up a notch in terms of how maybe games they win. And I'm also very curious about Antwaan Randle El of Indiana, but they've got to come up a couple of notches. JP : And we shouldn’t forget Virginia Tech’s Michael Vick -- invited to the ceremony this year as a freshman -- and super sophomore Quincy Carter, right? IM: Absolutely, those are two very good quarterbacks. But Michael Vick is going to have to carry the team next year; the Hokies defense will be losing a lot of players this year, and a lot of good ones. And Quincy Carter, same thing. If Georgia gets some defense and they step it up a little bit, he will be right in the middle of it.
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