[Tuck4Bama]

Now that Arkansas' chances of returning to the SEC Championship Game are slimmer than its playbook, one has to wonder if Darren McFadden can win the Heisman Trophy.

The first part of the debate, whether he's the most outstanding college football player, has been settled.

"Forget the Heisman Trophy, [it ] is Darren McFadden of Arkansas," ESPN's Kirk Herbstreit said after watching the junior tailback / quarterback / superhero eviscerate Alabama.

Herbstreit isn't alone. In trying to help McFadden win the Heisman race, Arkansas' sports information staff circulated two pages of quotes about the Herculean Hog before Saturday's game against Kentucky.

Here's a sampling: "McFadden is definitely the best running back in college football." - LaDainian Tomlinson, San Diego Chargers running back and reigning NFL MVP. "He's the No. 1 player in the country, whether he's in with the juniors or seniors." - ESPN NFL Draft guru Mel Kiper. "I would say he's a combination of O. J. [Simpson ] and Earl Campbell." - Kentucky Coach Rich Brooks, who's been around long enough to have seen both of those previous Heisman winners.


The real issue, then, becomes whether the more than 900 people who have a Heisman vote will cast it for a player who's not part of a championship-type team. History, at least since 1980, says no. Consider this: The past four Heisman winners - Troy Smith, Reggie Bush, Matt Leinart and Jason White - each played in the BCS National Championship Game. Since that 1980 season, eight other Heisman winners - Chris Weinke, Charles Woodson, Danny Wuerffel, Charlie Ward, Gino Torretta, Vinny Testaverde, Mike Rozier and Herschel Walker - played in what essentially were national championship games.

McFadden may get stiff-arm from voters