It’s about to be a busy time here at HP.  Things to keep an eye out for in the next week or two:

–The annual HP All-American team.

–The annual top 10 most-talented teams list.

–The annual preseason top conferences list.

–The launch of the third annual HP Fantasy Challenge, the best college football fantasy game on the net.  Grand prize is two tickets to the BCS Championship game.

–Our preseason Top 10 teams.

–Our preseason Heisman Watch.

–Our preseason Heisman Straw Poll, co-sponsored by the Orlando Sentinel.

–Q&As with more Heisman candidates, including Chase Daniel and more!

–Continuing coverage of the race of the most prestigious award in sports, plus even more hard-hitting college football commentary.

Be sure to stop by!

USC junior tailback Stafon Johnson is a dark horse candidate for the Heisman and one of the top tailbacks in the country.  Despite being hobbled for much of last season, he still rushed for 673 yards and 5 touchdowns while averaging a stellar 6.9 yards per carry.  When playing at 100%, he was fairly unstoppable.  It’s those healthy performances–144 yards against Nebraska, 122 against Washington, 104 in the fourth quarter alone against Illinois–that lead me to project a big season for him if he can get enough carries in a crowded USC backfield.  And remember: a big season for a USC tailback=Heisman buzz (Important note: the last six Trojan tailbacks to top 1,400 yards in a season at some point in their careers either won or finished second in the Heisman voting).

We caught up with Johnson recently for a quick Q&A:

You were hit by some nagging foot injuries last season.  What exactly happened and how do things look health-wise now?

Basically, I pinched a nerve in my foot. It was really nagging. I finally got over it around the Rose Bowl. It’s feeling good right now, 100 percent.

USC is loaded with tailbacks.  What are the benefits–and drawbacks–of playing in such a crowded backfield?

Every day you have to work hard to keep your spot. The next person is just as good as you are. You have to work hard and push yourself to be as good as you can be and compete at a high level on a daily basis.

Why did you choose USC?

I came because it’s Tailback U. I wanted to be a part of the history and to uphold the legacy of Tailback U.

You were reportedly down to Georgia and USC when it came to recruiting.  What did you like about Georgia and what was it that caused you to pick USC?

At one time I wanted to go to school out of town. There were a lot of things going on in my mind and I considered Georgia. But there is no place like home or like USC or like the Trojan family. I couldn’t go away.

You were also an outstanding safety in high school.  Do you ever miss being on the other side of the ball?

Yeah, because when I was playing safety, I would get the opportunity to hit the dude who was always hitting me. You know, get him back. But now I try to use my safety instincts on offense and play aggressive football.

Where did you get the nickname “The Prince?”

One of the reporters from ESPN called me that. When I committed on ESPN and said I was going to stay in L.A., he said I was the Prince because I grew up in the inner city and was staying in the city.

Did you choose to wear the No. 13?  If so, why?

When I moved to varsity in high school, I was No. 3, but it was taken. So I moved to the next closest thing. It did me well in high school, so I took it here. I knew nobody else would get it.

What do you think about being mentioned as a Heisman candidate?

It’s good to hear because there are so many good running backs here and around the country. But all of the guys at USC could be mentioned for it.

What are your individual goals for this season?

As a team, I want to maximize all of our opportunities. If we do that, everything will pan out. I don’t have any individual goals beyond our team maximizing every opportunity.

What games are you looking forward to this year and why?

Just the Virginia game. It’s the first game. I’m looking forward to getting back in the swing of things. We want to let the world know we’re ready to do some things.

Here’s a photo of Central Michigan University quarterback Dan LeFevour in front of the CMU billboard at Comerica Park in downtown Detroit, Mich. The billboard is 60 feet high by 30 feet wide. LeFevour was in Detroit on Tuesday for the Mid-American Conference football media day at Ford Field.

Check out our Q&A with LeFevour here.

I’ve got a feeling…

Alabama

Colorado

Michigan State

Arizona

North Carolina

Thoughts?

In keeping with the recent trend of ranking programs, I thought I’d list the top 10 of all time.  I take into account national championships, Heismans, quality of players through the years, coaching, tradition, longevity of success and cultural impact.

1. Notre Dame–Treading water of late, but still the program everyone obsesses about.

2. USC–Could catch up to the Irish if the next decade of this century is as strong as the first.

3. Alabama–A lack of Heismans puts Bama at No. 3.

4. Oklahoma–Seven championships since 1950.

5. Michigan–Perennial winners since the dawn of the sport, seemingly.

6. Ohio State–Could overtake Michigan soon for Midwest supremacy.

7. Texas–Back in the saddle again after a dry spell in the 1980s and 1990s.

8. Nebraska–How did this school surrounded by cornfields become such a powerhouse?

9. Miami–The nouveau riche of the group.  No team has been better in the past 30 years.

10. Tennessee–Often overlooked outside the South because of Alabama, but still a fine tradition.

Thoughts?

Just had ourselves a nice earthquake here in Los Angeles.  Apparently was 5.8 on the Richter Scale.  Things seem to be okay.  No damage to HP headquarters.

We’ll be back a little later once the adrenaline settles down.

I recently made a list of the top programs in college football. Now, here’s my five programs that I think should be great, but aren’t.

Why do I think these schools should be great?  Well, they all have a good recruiting base, a modicum of past success and tradition, manageable academic admissions and, maybe most importantly, no major power standing in the way.

1. San Diego State–The Aztecs could be a powerhouse if they ever got their act together.  They are in a fertile recruiting area, the weather is wonderful, the academic standards are lax and there is at least a little bit of history and tradition there (think Marshall Faulk and Brian Sipe).  With the right emphasis and a visionary coach, SDSU could be the next Boise State.

2. Pittsburgh–The Panthers actually have a grand tradition, but it seems to have fallen along the wayside in the last 25 years or so.  Pitt has the potential to dominate the Big East with its Pennsylvania recruiting base, but hasn’t been able to put it all together.

3. Houston–Some recruiting experts consider the city of Houston to be as rich a recruiting area as there is in the country.  The Cougars have actually won a Heisman Trophy in the recent past (Andre Ware in 1989) and have a solid tradition on which to build a powerhouse.

4. North Carolina–The Tar Heels have flirted with success many times, but can’t seem to get away from its identity as a basketball school.  Why couldn’t UNC be the class of the ACC, especially now that FSU and Miami are down?  Maybe Butch Davis can get it done.

5.  Southern Methodist–Yeah, I know the death penalty was a horrible blow, but that was over 20 years ago.  The Mustangs have an incredible tradition and more than enough talent to draw from in the Dallas area.  I’m curious to see what June Jones can do here.