Here’s our annual list of the fastest players in college football. Now, some of you are going to disagree with parts of this, probably by quoting a hand-timed 40-yard dash that you read about somewhere on some fan site.

But I am basing this list upon hard data, meaning verifiable and relatively recent track times.  I have taken this data and combined it with my knowledge of track and field (I am an afficionado of the sport) as well as my own observations of how these players move on the gridiron, plus other factors such as injuries and weight gain.  This list recognizes that most of the 40-yard dash times reported out there are bogus, due not only to innaccurate and scurrilous timing methods (a strength coach’s thumb being the main arbiter most of the time), but also because they are run under widely disparate and unreported conditions that render them unreliable. 

The list is not about anecdotal evidence, but quantifiable data that we can verify.  Track marks are generated under mostly uniform conditions (across a narrow range of parameters) with reliable timing instruments.  While it is true that some players without a track time might indeed be very fast on the football field, it is difficult to accurately measure their speed compared to players who do have such times. So those are the players we stick with on this list.

Also, some of you will question the relevance of these marks when it comes to football, as in “Why does it matter if a football player can run a fast 200 meters when a football field is 100 yards?”  The answer is that each track event provides us clues as to the overall speed potential of an athlete.  A certain 100-meter time relates to a certain 40-yard dash mark.  There’s basically no need to time a 10.6 or better sprinter in the 40–you already know he’s fast!  A good 200-meter time indicates an athlete’s ability to maintain his speed (and hence, go ‘downtown’ on the football field).  When someone long jumps a certain distance, it is often because he possesses excellent footspeed.  And so on.  Track marks help give us a more accurate measurement of true speed. Oh, and most of these guys are pretty darn good football players, too.  Think track and football don’t mix?  Well, four of the top 11 collegiate 100m runners this year also compete on the gridiron.

So, without further ado (and please, any additions are welcome if we overlook them), here is the list:

1. Jeff Demps, So., Florida

1A. Trindon Holliday, Sr., LSU

This was truly the toughest pick, but the speedster from Florida gets the nod for the second year in a row (barely) over LSU’s Holliday due to his superior 200m time.  But this title could have gone either way and that’s why I call them No. 1 and 1A.  Demps and Holliday both have a best of 10.01 in the 100m, making them the two fastest college football players of all time based on the short sprint, but I give the title to Demps for a couple reasons.  First, he has topped out at 21.04 in the 200m (to 21.33 for Holliday, who is basically a 100m specialist), indicating to me that he has more ability to maintain his speed down the field (no doubt due to his 3-inch height advantage over the 5-5 Tiger).  Also, Demps probably has a little less wear and tear on the tires, given that this is his first year in college.  The fresher the legs, the faster the player.  While Holliday ran his 10.01 just two weeks ago, Demps was only able to put up a 10.30 this track season before being taken down by a sore hamstring.  However, I think that when both are healthy, it is Demps who has the most fire in his legs and who, if he took the shot, would have the best chance of running a sub-9.9 one day.  So this is a judgement call on my part.  You might say that Holliday is a touch quicker (he also has a 6.54 60m dash to his credit), but Demps is a bit faster.  Again, it’s almost like splitting hairs.  On top of it all, though, Demps is the better football player, too.  But one last note: Holliday has a chance to better his 10.01 at the upcoming NCAA Track and Field Championships, so he may yet get this title. Check out the videos to compare:

3.  Jacoby Ford, Jr., Clemson–Ford, a wide receiver, has a best of 10.04 in the 100m, 20.88 in the 200m and 6.51 in the 60m indoor dash.  He is quick, he’s fast, he can fly.  He’s a legitimate football player with 55 catches for 710 yards last season.  If he keeps it up, he’ll be a high draft pick pretty soon.

4.  C. J. Spiller, Sr., Clemson–Spiller might be the best football/track combo athlete in the country.  He has bests of 10.22 in the 100m, 20.91 in the 200m and 6.65 in the 60m dash.  Combine that with over 1,700 all-purpose yards and 11 TDs last year and you have quite an amazing athlete.  Now that James Davis is off to the NFL, he might have a breakout season in 2009.  Whatever the case, there are no faster teammates in the country than Ford and Spiller of Clemson.

5.  Randall Carroll, Fr., UCLA–Carroll recently ran the fastest high school 100m time in California in 17 years, going 10.30 to lead all prep runners nationally.  He’s the fastest recruit in the 2009 class and also has a 21.06 in the 200m.  He’s a 5-star wide receiver recruit for the Bruins, giving them some much-needed speed. 

6. Jahvid Best, Jr., Cal–We all know about Best’s exploits on the football field.  Mostly, he can thank his incredible speed for his success.  The only legit Heisman candidate on this list, he has bests of 10.36 in the 100m and 20.65 in the 200m.   Oh, he also rushed for over 1,500 yards and averaged over 8 yards per carry last year.

7.  Derrick Hopkins, Fr., South Florida–An overlooked lightning-quick RB/WR from the Sunshine State, years from now people will wonder why he wasn’t recruited by the big boys.  Has bests of 10.43 in the 100m (10.35 wind-aided) and 20.97 in the 200m.  Video here.

8.  T. J. Graham, So., NC State–The sophomore receiver has a wind-aided best of 10.21 in the 100 meters (10.44 legal) and a wind-legal 20.82 in the 200 meters.  He had 16 catches for 251 yards as a true frosh and also had over 1,000 yards on kick returns.

 9.  Jeshua Anderson, So., Washington State–Anderson won the NCAA 400m hurdles championship as a true freshman last season and is the favorite to repeat in 2009.  His best time is 48.68.  Now, to be able to run that fast in the hurdles, you have to have a certain level of footspeed along with an incredible level of athleticism and coordination.  His time probably equates to a sub-46-second 400m dash, which means he probably runs in the 10.4 range in the 100m and in the 20.8 range at 200m.   As a freshman receiver last year, he had 12 receptions for 372 yards (a 31 ypc avg!). 

10.  Robert Griffin, So., Baylor–It’s not often you see a quarterback on this kind of list.  Actually, you’ve probably never seen a quarterback like Griffin, who finished third (behind Jeshua Anderson) in last year’s NCAA 400m hurdles final.  His best mark in the event is 49.22 which, again, would equate to about a 10.5 100m.  If he concentrated on the event, I have no doubt he would run in the 48 second range, which means that he has a lot of untapped speed in those legs.  In football, he was even better, throwing for over 2,000 yards and rushing for over 800 as just a true frosh while accounting for 28 touchdowns.  Quite possible the greatest athlete ever to play the quarterback position (or can you name some other quarterback who can run track’s hardest race in 49 seconds?).

Honorable Mention:  Obviously, there are a ton of fast players who didn’t quite make this list.  It doesn’t mean they aren’t fast, just that others might be a tad faster.  Again, my apologies if I miss anyone.

Andre DeBose, WR, Florida

D.J. Monroe, CB, Texas

Luther Ambrose, RB, Louisiana-Monroe

Deonte Thompson, WR, Florida

Travon Patterson, WR, USC

Jamere Holland, WR, Oregon

Terrance Tolliver, WR, LSU

Lindsey Lamar, RB, South Florida

Hunter Furr, DB, North Carolina

Lamar Miller, RB, Miami

Sam McGuffie, RB, Rice

Noel Devine, RB, West Virginia

Brandon Saine, RB, Ohio State

David Gettis, WR, Baylor

Joe McKnight, RB, USC

Julio Jones, WR, Alabama

Derrick Hall, RB, Texas A&M

Aargh. I guess I’m being swept into it…so to follow me there, go to http://twitter.com/heismanpundit

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(Note: This list does NOT mean these coaches all suck…for the most part)

1.  Steve Spurrier, South Carolina–Clearly, Spurrier is past his prime.  His offense hasn’t worked well in almost a decade and the South Carolina program is stuck in neutral.  Still that doesn’t prevent the media from fawning over him every year.  If I hear the term ‘ol’ ball coach’ one more time…

2. Jim Tressel, Ohio State–Is any coach more stubborn about his system and way of doing things?  Sure, he is successful to a point, but he gets a ton of talent every year and lately has found a way to get pummeled in the big games.  It’s almost as if he is satisfied to lose, as long as it is his way.

3.  Les Miles, LSU–He recruits well and his roster is always stocked with future NFL players, but he generally makes some baffling decisions as a game coach and with regards to personnel.  His teams seem to be woefully unprepared at times.

4.  Joe Paterno, Penn State–He wouldn’t be here except for the fact that HE’S NOT REALLY COACHING THE TEAM ANYMORE.  Great career, great program builder, but Tom Bradley basically runs this team now.

5. Lane Kiffin, Tennessee–Okay, he hasn’t coached game yet.  But the fact that he got hired is confounding and clearly the result of some unfounded hype proferred on his behalf.

6. Mark Richt, Georgia–Nice man.  Program is very good.  But will he ever win big when he’s supposed to (like 2008)? 

7. Jeff Tedford, Cal–Looked like a genius early in his career at Cal.  But he hasn’t gotten his program over the hump, which leads one to point out that early in his career he inherited Kyle Boller and then stumbled upon Aaron Rodgers.   The great QB developer hasn’t developed a good one since and has even bungled his QB situation at times. 

8. Bobby Bowden, FSU–Yeah, the cat’s been out of the bag for some time on this one.  But he still garners accolades here and there based almost entirely on what he did 15 years ago.  What other coach gives interviews during BCS title games?

9. Dennis Erickson, ASU–Was a time when he was one of the best around, if not THE best.  But he’s another coach working past his prime, though he still is considered an elite head man by some.  I think the magic is gone and he won’t be long for Tempe.

10.  Mike Stoops, Arizona–This is the coach who is always predicted to have a breakout season and then it never happens.  Last year’s Arizona team had about as good a set-up as possible for Stoops and he still went 8-5!

My top candidates for the Heisman are on the left (click on the eye!), but what about the other awards in college football? 

Here are my top candidates for some of the other honors:

Outland–Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma.  This should be a no-brainer.  He’ll probably be the first player taken in the next draft, too.

Lombardi–Sergio Kindle, DE/LB, Texas.  A burgeoning star who should have a monster season for the Longhorns.

Biletnikoff–Arrelious Benn, WR, Illinois.  Super-talent whose numbers will get even better this year due to his quarterback’s overall improvement as a passer.

Doak Walker–LeGarrette Blount, RB, Oregon.  Had 1,002 yards and 17 touchdowns while sharing time last year.  What will he do with most of the carries this year?

Mackey Award–Jermaine Gresham, TE, Oklahoma.  The fact that he did not win this award last year is almost criminal.  Easily the nation’s best tight end.

Butkus Award–Brandon Spikes, LB, Florida.  The leader of one of the top defenses around, he will win this award with a good season.

Hendrick Award–Carlos Dunlap, DE, Florida.  A real freak of an athlete who could be a top five draft pick next season.

Thorpe Award–Taylor Mays, S, USC.  Will become the most decorated player in USC history–and that’s saying a LOT–if all goes well as a senior.

Now that Gus Malzahn has found his way down to the Plains, I wonder what will become of the Auburn quarterback position?

The Tigers aren’t known for having great signal callers, though there have been a few decent ones over the years, including recent first-round pick Jason Campbell (and let’s not forget the great Reggie Slack).

But if anyone has shown that he can create an instant star at quarterback, it’s Malzahn.

In his first year as offensive coordinator at Arkansas, he had touted freshman Mitch Mustain and not-so-touted Casey Dick to work with.  The problem was that Malzahn didn’t get to run the type of quarterback-centered offense he prefers, instead shaping the attack around the talents of Darren McFadden.  Still, Mustain went 8-0 as a true frosh starter before Dick took over and helped lead the Hogs to the SEC West title. 

Malzahn left for Tulsa the next season and finally got a chance to run his offense.  He had one year with Paul Smith and promptly turned him into a 5,000-yard, 47-touchdown passer in 2007.  Last year, he had another senior to work with, David Johnson, who produced 4,000 yards and 46 touchdowns. 

At Auburn, Malzahn will have a bit more talent at his disposal.  Heading into the fall, both Neil Caudle and Kodi Burns have a shot to be the quarterback.  If history is any guide, one of these guys will probably lead the SEC in passing in 2009. 

My point: If Gene Chizik can keep Malzahn in place for a while–and assuming Malzahn has full control of the offense–I think the Auburn quarterback could become one of the marquee positions in college football.

One might even win a Heisman Trophy.

Never too early to take a glimpse ahead.  Here are a few who could seriously challenge for the Heisman in 2010 (in no particular order and assuming no early entries):

Jahvid Best, Cal

Evan Royster, Penn State

Noel Devine, West Virginia

Aaron Corp, USC

Jimmy Clausen, Notre Dame

Jeremiah Masoli, Oregon

Terrelle Pryor, Ohio State

There is a dearth of viable running back candidates out there, but Cal’s Jahvid Best might have the best shot of all at them at winning the Heisman.

His biggest drawback:  He plays for Cal, which is not a traditional Heisman power and doesn’t always get a lot of respect nationally.

His biggest asset:  He’s a phenom, a highlight-reel player who can change a game in the blink of an eye.  He had 1,580 yards last season despite missing one whole game and parts of others with injuries (like a Ferrari, he is often in the shop).  Oh, he also averaged 8 yards per carry.  And he was just a true sophomore.

What does he have to do to have a serious chance to win?

My line of thinking goes like this:

Assuming Cal has a minimum 9-win season, and assuming he improves on his 1,580-yard sophomore showing, the main thing Best has to do is have a huge game in a win over USC.  It is possible he can have a huge game against USC in a tough loss and still win the Heisman, providing it is part of an incredible season where he goes well over 2,000 yards and, hence, is seen as a kind of one-man gang who can’t be held to blame for his team’s shortcomings.  But if he is in the 1,800 to 2,000-yard range by season’s end, it will all be considered a bit bogus if he doesn’t show it against the Trojans.  Getting over the USC hurdle is the ultimate test out West.

If Cal wins the Pac-10–which assumes a win over USC–Best will have a good shot at the Heisman if he has over 1,800 yards and 15 touchdowns by the time of the Heisman vote.  There can be no doubt that much of his yardage will come by long, highlight-reel runs and his yards-per-carry average will probably be outstanding.  Most likely, he will be considered head and shoulders above any other running back, which could mean that he provides some clarity in a race sure to be dominated by quarterbacks named McCoy, Bradford and Tebow.

I think he’s a bit of a long shot–especially considering his injury history and the names coming back–but he’s got a shot.  And just remember, the last running back to win the Heisman also had a four-letter name beginning with ‘B.’