Less than two weeks removed from the presentation of the 2011 Heisman, the first shots in the race for next year’s trophy have already been fired.
USC quarterback Matt Barkley’s decision to forgo entry into next spring’s draft and return to school for his senior season makes him the clear early front runner for the 2012 Heisman.
Why Barkley? Well, consider that most of the players who finished in the top 10 in this year’s Heisman race are probably headed to the NFL, leaving what looks like a weak field in place for next year.
When you also take into account the offensive weapons at Barkley’s disposal, including one of the best receiving duos in college football history in Robert Woods and Marqise Lee, you have to expect him to put up Heisman-worthy numbers as a senior.
Obviously a lot can and will happen between now and next season but, in short, Barkley has the best combination of all the things that Heisman voters generally look for in a candidate.
The pressure of being the front runner isn’t an easy thing to deal with, however. Stanford’s Andrew Luck was built up into a Promethean figure by the time his season started, which tended to magnify tenfold any mistakes he made during games. USC will have to manage the expectations game deftly with Barkley and make sure he doesn’t get oversaturated in the media.
Other factors could also change Barkley’s standing in the race. For instance, Robert Griffin III, Montee Ball and Trent Richardson might defy expectations and return for another season, which would set up another fantastic competition for the bronze statue.
But even if more Heisman finalists from this season return, Barkley’s status as front runner probably won’t be impinged. There are certain positions in college football that hold a certain mystique and power in the Heisman race and ‘USC Quarterback’ is one of them. With USC bowl eligible again and relevant at the national level, that advantage belongs to Barkley.
Now, it’s up to him to run with it.
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