There will be a Heisman candidate that enters Saturday’s game between Boise State and Georgia and there will be one once the game ends. The question is: will it be the same guy? Boise State quarterback Kellen Moore has been targeted by multiple publications as a Heisman candidate, even a Heisman front-runner. He led the Broncos to a BCS bowl a few years back and is sure to become the all-time winningest quarterback in NCAA history by the end of the year.
But Moore has lost his top receivers from a year ago to the NFL and while the Broncos recruiting efforts have gotten better, Boise State doesn’t quite have the depth yet to simply plug two more sure-fire NFL draftees into the starting lineup.
Could Aaron Murray of Georgia be the Heisman candidate after the game? Murray had an outstanding freshman year and was many folks’ pick as the preseason All-SEC quarterback. Mark Richt (with Mike Bobo’s help) has built an offense to take advantage of Murray’s ability, which you started to see towards the end of 2010.
True Murray lost his top target in AJ Green, but Murray also played four games without him one year ago and Georgia is in a better position to replace Green’s numbers due to the Georgia recruiting base and depth chart. Boise State wishes it had the wide receiver options that some Georgia fans are bemoaning as not being able to replace Green.
And for anyone smirking at the possibility of Murray winning a Heisman with the mindset of “He’s a sophomore!” I respond that Tim Tebow was a sophomore when he won. Herschel Walker probably should have won the Heisman as a freshman and easily could have won as a sophomore. If Murray goes out there Saturday and outplays Moore in a big Bulldogs’ victory, it would not surprise me one bit for all of the networks to descend upon Murray with the Heisman hype, especially if he can follow it up with a win over South Carolina. A special season is there for the taking for Georgia. And a Heisman snatch-and-grab could come right along if Murray takes advantage.
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