How Clausen Can Win The Heisman

My look at how Notre Dame’s Jimmy Clausen can win the Heisman…

Stats so far: 172 of 257 (66.9 percent), 2,318 yards, 18 touchdowns, 2 intereptions, 164.24 rating, 1 rushing touchdown.

Games to go: Navy, at Pittsburgh, Connecticut, at Stanford

Best Route to the Heisman:

1. Win out convincingly. 

2. Lead the nation in passing efficiency.

3. Average 250 passing yards and three touchdown passes the rest of the way.  That would put Clausen at 3,300 passing yards and 30 touchdown passes by the time of the vote, giving him a clear statistical edge compared to the other major BCS candidates.

 4. Ingram gets bottled up in loss to LSU and his production tapers off considerably the rest of the year;  McCoy finishes in lackluster fashion, throwing more interceptions;  Tebow’s numbers don’t really improve much and then the Gators are defeated in the SEC title game by Alabama.

Possible Pitfalls

1. The Irish lose another game.

2. Ingram, McCoy or Tebow finish strong.

Clausen has an outside chance at the Heisman but he needs all of the other major candidates to slip up.  He has a strong base of support as the main contender from the Midwest, but he’ll need to really shine the rest of the way against non-marquee competition in order to grab the spotlight away from the others.   Also, it wouldn’t hurt if Notre Dame started campaigning on his behalf.