This is a transcribed segment of the Brady Ackerman Show, talking about Tim Tebow and the Heisman Trophy.
BRADY ACKERMAN: Now, if I’m looking at next year’s Heisman trophy, obviously you have a guy like Tim Tebow coming back, who’s just a junior, on a team that should be better, and I think he’s going to get a lot of mention, but I think Florida’s going to make a concerted effort to push a guy like Percy Harvin statistically. What I think they got to do with Harvin, though, if they want him to win the Heisman, they got to give him the ball more in the red zone and let him get some touchdowns. You got to have touchdowns. I mean, he’s got great plays, and big plays. He went 100 yards rushing, he gets one touchdown, 100 yards receiving. I mean, the one thing I know about the Heisman, you better get some touchdowns. You better score some points. Because that’s the first thing people that don’t see you look at when you look at the Heisman. Because I think the 51 touchdowns that Tebow accounted for really overwhelmed some of those folks that would’ve not voted for him. I think they look at that and they say, 51 touchdowns against the nation’s 10th, you know, 5th best schedule, in the nation’s best conference is pretty impressive. I don’t care how you get them. And so, in looking at it I think that when you look at some of the favorites for next year, I think Kevin Smith will come out. I don’t think Tebow will win it. I would say, if I’m looking around the country at potential guys, I mean, obviously you’ve got to look at Chase Daniel. He’ll have some notoriety at Missouri, but he doesn’t run quite as much as Tebow. So there’s going to be guys who emerge. There’s going to be guys emerge. Oklahoma’s quarterback who was a freshman this year, Sam Bradford. Colt McCoy, if Texas can have a big year, is a terrific talent at Texas. I think he would be in the mix. Percy Harvin, I think, would be in the mix, you know? And you’ll see some guys emerge that you didn’t expect. Knowshon Moreno from Georgia, I think, has to be a top 5 guy. That guy is sensational! He is a dog-gone sensational … but it looks to me that the Heisman is a quarterback/running back driven award. So you have to look at those positions when you think about it. But it’s a pretty prestigious award, in a season where Florida gets no conference title and no BSC bowl game for their fans after winning the national title last year, they get a Heisman trophy winner and a whole lot of excitement going into 2008 for Tim Tebow and the Florida football program, and we’ll talk a little bit more about that.
Let’s take some calls. 888-300-ESPN. Tim Tebow’s your Heisman trophy winner. Jim, here in Orlando. Jim, how are you, sir?
JIM: Very good.
BRADY ACKERMAN: Jim, welcome to Sports Radio 1080/1060, are you there?
JIM: Yes, hello?
BRADY ACKERMAN: Hey, go ahead, Jim. How are you?
JIM: Very good. I was wondering were freshmen eligible to play varsity when Archie Griffin was a freshman?
BRADY ACKERMAN: Uh, 74 and 75. That’s real close. I want to say freshmen started playing in the early 70s. I…
JIM: Because if they did…
BRADY ACKERMAN: ….I can look it up for sure.
JIM: ….then the…Archie Griffin was only in his second year of play.
BRADY ACKERMAN: Right.
JIM: Was a junior when he won the Heisman the first time.
BRADY ACKERMAN: That…I’m not sure. I’ll look it up for you, but I know that it was…it’s the early 70s is when it started to change. I don’t know exactly the time frame. But I think a lot of people are pretty convinced, with the fluid nature of college football, with some much change and hype and the way things went down, I think most people would say there’s not going to be a repeat. I mean, Leinart’s second year was every bit as good as his first year and they gave it to Reggie Bush. So I don’t think Tim Tebow can win back to back Heismans, unless he just has an undefeated 30/30 year. I mean, I can’t see it happening. I think it, you know…and then, like I said at the beginning, Jim, if you’re a Gator fan, a lot of things went Tim Tebow’s way this year, with Mike Hart and Michigan not really working out. I mean, you could say, well Michigan wasn’t good, and, you know, who knows how, if Oregon would’ve won out, if Dixon didn’t get hurt? Well you can’t say that. I mean, those were guys who were on the Heisman radar above Tebow before injuries took those guys out of the mix. Thanks for the call, Jim. We’ll get that information for you. David, good afternoon. How are you? Welcome to Sports Radio 1080/1060.
DAVID: Doing great. Thanks for having me in. Yeah, I just wanted to make a couple of comments. I think it was your show I listened to last week. Um, you reported that guys, I think it was Tim Brown. If I remember it well. Tim Brown and Eddie George, and I’ve always had a lot of respect for Tim Brown, both as a college and professional player. You reported they left Tebow off their ballot altogether, and I was concerned that he wasn’t going to win simply because I felt like that was discriminatory. You know, if you didn’t want to vote for him, that’s one thing, but to leave him off your ballot I think was a change. And not only am I happy that he won, I think it’s his to lose next year. He’s…his character, he’s the kind of kid that’s going to work harder and harder and get better if that’s possible. And my last comment is, I’ve been watching the football season all year long, and the ESPN has this top 25 college football players of all time. I’d say as a sophomore he’s already ahead of Vince Young was as a junior. I think he not only does he deserve to go in the Gator Ring of Honor, I think he’s, right now, I would say he’s one of the top 25 college football players of all time. That’s just my opinion. I’ll hang up and get your thoughts.
BRADY ACKERMAN: David…
DAVID: Thank you.
BRADY ACKERMAN: David, thanks for your opinion. Well, if he continues to play his next 2 years and he can win a national title as the starting quarterback then I think he’ll be in that mix. It’ll be interesting to see. I mean, Wuerffel won a national title, Charlie Ward won a national title. I don’t believe either one of those guys were on that list. I’ll tell you right now. Charlie Ward’s one of the best college football players I ever saw in person when I was a graduate assistant at The University of Florida. So, that’s a tough list to crack, but, you know, a lot of love for Vince Young because of the match up and who he went against, and this, that and the other. But, you know, I think a lot of it depends on next year. A lot of it depends on, you know, how Florida handles that, and as far as the Ring of Honor goes, he’s already qualified. If you win the Heisman you get in it. It’s just whether they’re going to put him in it while he’s a player. I mean, you can’t put him in, well I don’t think. We’ll ask Pat Dooley that. But I mean, of course he’s the front runner, and if he plays next year and scores 15 touchdowns and throws 30 touchdowns, will people use that against him because he had 51 as a sophomore? Will they have to go undefeated? Will he have to make signature plays? You know, a lot of it will play out. I mean, a lot of people thought last year the way Booty finished the season against Michigan that he was going to win it, that Michael Hart at Michigan would be a no brainer. That guy’s a terrific back, but he couldn’t stay healthy. So there’s a lot of things that go … I mean, if anybody could do it, it’s probably him. But I would think that from a promotional standpoint, they’re going to push really hard to try to get a fourth one from a different player, and if they do, they’d better hope that Percy Harvin stays healthy. I want to say one thing about Tebow, and you hear a lot of people say, well Darren McFadden’s going to be a better pro. Well how do you know? How do you know that Darren McFadden’s going to be a better pro? His size, his strength, his speed equates to being a great NFL back. I mean, just look at Adrian Peterson. You go to the right place, the right situation, you’ll get the opportunities, and in doing so you’ll immediately look like you’re the better pro. But let’s wait and see, okay? Let me say this about Tim Tebow. He’s 6-2, so he’s not short. He’s 225 pounds, so he’s not small. He can throw the ball 65 or 75 yards in the air. He can run, he can move around the pocket, and he can every bit as…I don’t want to put it in this comparison, but why can’t he be Steve Young? Did you know Steve Young was going to be great when he came out of college? He played with the L.A. Express. He was a great. Steve Young’s a Hall of Famer. I’m not saying he’s going to be a Hall of Famer, I’m just saying who knew Steve Young was going to be great? And I’m looking at left-handed guys. Jared Lorenzen from the University of Kentucky is about 325 pounds. Threw, ran a west-coast type offense for Hal Mumme at Kentucky. And he’s been in the league, in the NFL as a back up with the Giants for 3 or 4 years. A lot people didn’t think he could, I mean he can’t even run. So it’s not that Tim Tebow’s a runner, and so he’s going to do that in the NFL. That’s what Mike Vick is. Mike Vick is a runner. Donovan McNabb was a runner that developed into a great passer. Steve McNair had to play at a lower level, but as he got into the NFL became a better NFL player, became a better passer. Remember when Steve McNair was drafted? They didn’t think he could throw. Well Tim Tebow can throw. And he won’t have to run in the NFL. So I challenge you right now, you know…everybody talks about all these great quarterbacks. Who? I bet there’s 10 teams he could start for in the NFL. You’re telling me he’s not as good as Luke McCown? So this thing that he…well, he won’t be a good NFL quarterback. Well the problem is, once you win the Heisman trophy then you’re supposed to be a great player like a Peyton Manning or a Tom Brady. And that just doesn’t happen. Tom Brady and Peyton Manning didn’t win the Heisman Trophy. Those guys are Hall of Famers. I told you last week there’s only been 8 guys, 4 guys in the Hall of Fame, was it, the number? Four guys in the Hall of Fame have won the Heisman. So his chances of being in the Hall of Fame are not going to happen. But he could be a very good quarterback. It’s just that people will expect more from him depending on where he’s drafted. Now if he’s drafted in the third round that may benefit him. Certainly a second day may benefit him. But Tim Tebow can play in the NFL. He’s fast, strong, athletic, tough, moves the chains, smart, understands defenses, good arm, 6-3, he’s not short. You saw him stand next to Chase Daniel. I don’t know why people are knocking him on that. That to me is just amazing. I think he can play at the next level. Alright, up next, our weekly installment of major indoor soccer league talk with Sharks coach Jake Dancy. He’ll join us for a couple of minutes and we’ll open the phone lines back to you. If you want to talk about the Heisman, we didn’t mean…can Tebow repeat? Who’s your favorite for next year? Should Kevin Smith come back? Also, we’ve got some discussion on the show about Florida State and their press conference today. I did not see it but I certainly have the numbers from it, and obviously some moving stuff over in Tallahassee as Bobby Bowden, his exit strategy is announced officially over at Tallahassee for Florida State University.