Dantzler Emerges as CU's Heisman Trophy Candidate |
CLEMSON -- There's talk of a Heisman campaign starting at Clemson.
The interesting thing is that quarterback Woody Dantzler isn't the first Clemson player to be mentioned for a Heisman campaign this year. There were some that said linebacker Keith Adams' name was being tossed around in the football office for a possible run at the Heisman. Adams was supposed to line up in the backfield a few times ala William Perry to get some publicity generated. That talk died down, but there's a Heisman campaign about to start up anyway. It'll take some luck and some old fashioned politicking, but Woody Dantzler now has a chance to sit on the front row of the Downtown Athletic Club auditorium on Dec.9. It's hard enough for a quarterback to win the Heisman Trophy - only one quarterback has won it in the past seven years - and Dantzler is going to have to come from behind the pre-season favorites to win the trophy. But if he keeps producing eye-catching performances like he had Saturday against Virginia (220 yards rushing, 154 yards passing), he has as good a chance as any quarterback in college football of winning the trophy. "I know Michael Vick is getting a push and rightly so," said Clemson coach Tommy Bowden. "But if you look at the stats, then Woody has been more productive. If you look at production, then shoot he ought to be considered. If that's what it's based on. If it's based on last year's performance, the I can see why the other guy is a candidate." Nationally, Dantzler is No. 13 in rushing at 123.75 yards a game and he's ranked No. 3 in passing efficiency. Through three games, Vick is averaging 73 yards a game rushing and isn't ranked in the passing statistics because he has not attempted the minimum of 15 passes per game. More than anything, both on and off the field, a Dantzler for Heisman campaign would help keep the pressure off his teammates. On the field, if Dantzler is drawing more attention, it's likely someone like wide receiver Rod Gardner will be one-on-one against a poor defensive back. Off the field, Dantzler appears ready to shoulder the media attention. Just two years ago he looked as lost as the head cheerleader would have been under center. But he kept his composure through the rough times and through a season as Brandon Streeter's backup. He never campaigned for more playing time, even though there were times when he moved the ball as well as Streeter. He was content with working hard to improve and with the knowledge that his time would come. His time has certainly arrived and he's not handling it any differently than he did the rough times that preceded it. After Saturday's game he sidestepped any Heisman questions. He focused instead on the lone interception he threw late in the game. "I don't know what qualifies to be a Heisman Trophy candidate," he said. "I'm just a guy on the team." Even if Dantzler doesn't try to stick out as a Heisman candidate, it'll be hard for him to keep the talk quiet. About as hard as it has been to bring Dantzler down.
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