ESPN College Football

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

Dan from Madison, Wis., writes: Can you explain the media coverage that continues to suggest Penn State has a shot at the BCS while neglecting Wisconsin? Assume both go 10-2, they have the same record with the same losses. Penn State's were objectively worse, both coming at home. Wisconsin had a slightly harder out of conference schedule (Fresno State is a minor bump). They both travel well; remember the 1994 Rose Bowl? 70% Wisconsin fans in Pasadena. Is the only difference Paterno and the ever ambiguous "national reputation" that guides BCS at large bids? If so, time for Senator Herb Kohl to join others in Congress and open an anti-trust investigation.

Adam Rittenberg: Dan, I agree with many of your points, and Wisconsin seems to have a slightly better profile than Penn State. And yes, Badgers fans travel very well. The only difference is the ambiguous national reputation, but bowls see that as a major factor. Same with Joe Paterno. And Penn State has some recent history at the Orange Bowl (2006) and has been a regular at the Fiesta Bowl over the years. Bowl committees want guarantees, and Penn State brings the national name and the legendary coach. Neither of these teams truly deserves a BCS at-large berth, but I would have to give an edge to Penn State at this point. Not saying it's fair, but it's reality.

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Jordan from Iowa City, Iowa, writes: Hey Adam, quick question for you concerning the Heisman race. I just noticed that Alabama running back Mark Ingram is in first place. My question for you: why didn't Shonn Greene get this kind of attention last year when he had much better stats than Ingram, including more yards and more touchdowns through the same amount games , plus he ran for over 100 yds in every game last season. I guess it just doesn't make any sense to me. Let me know what you think, thanks.

Adam Rittenberg: Greene didn't get the attention for a couple of reasons. The Heisman Trophy race is essentially a quarterback derby, and last year you had three great ones (Sam Bradford, Tim Tebow and Colt McCoy). This year's race has only opened up to other positions because the marquee quarterbacks haven't backed up their preseason hype (or been injured, in Bradford's case). The other factor is Mark Ingram plays for a national championship contender, while Iowa didn't really enter the national spotlight until the end of last season. Shonn Greene deserved more consideration and he would have gotten it this year with an Iowa team that started 9-0.

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Derek from Glen Gardner, N.J., writes: I think you had a major oversight with your rooting interests.You said that Penn State fans should root against Notre Dame. I understand that this slightly improves the Nittany Lions' chances at reaching a BCS bowl game, but that would also mean they are rooting for, *gulp*, Pitt.Sorry Adam, but I will never root for Pitt. Ever.I'll let it slide this time, but don't make this mistake again.

Adam Rittenberg: Touche, Derek. Good call there. Asking Penn State fans to root for Pitt is like asking Michigan fans to root for Notre Dame. That's a game where the rooting interest isn't that significant for the Big Ten either way. The bigger thing is for Cincinnati to keep winning and prevent the Big East from getting two teams into BCS bowls (Pitt and Cincinnati). So go ahead and root for Notre Dame, though I can't imagine that will be too much fun, either.

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Matthew from Boise, Idaho, writes: How can the Big Ten as a whole improve their image as a whole? I feel that most of the Big Ten teams have improved this year at the same time there has been some disappointments in some teams. All have at least one loss in conference, shouldn't we accept the fact that this means they are playing well and no one team is in total domination.

Adam Rittenberg: It's been a strange year in the Big Ten, and most would call it disappointing because the bottom half of the league has struggled. Then again, there aren't many truly bad teams in the Big Ten, which is different from last year. The only way to improve the overall reputation is by winning bowl games, particularly against teams with high-powered offenses and lots of speed (i.e., Oregon). These are the types of teams no one thinks the Big Ten can beat any longer, so changing the trend in January will be critical for the league.

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Jeff from Cincinnati writes: Adam, as an Illinois grad currently living in Cinci, I started out the season really excited for the matchup between the Illini and Bearcats. As you can imagine, I have since tempered my excitement. But the past couple weeks have me seeing a tiny glimmer of hope - sure they've played 2 good quarters all year, but they've got to be building a little confidence. Am I loony to think the Illini might somehow manage to pull this off? The game is sandwiched between WVU and Pitt, two huge conference games for the Bearcats, and the Illini still have some playmakers. Is there any possible hope or should I just get a head start on hiding my orange and blue in the back of the closet for that weekend?

Adam Rittenberg: A lot depends on this weekend, Jeff. If Illinois beats Northwestern, its bowl hopes remain alive with two weeks to prepare for Cincinnati. If the Illini lose, they're eliminated from bowl contention and can only play the spoiler role on Nov. 27. The timing of the game probably favors Illinois at this point since Cincinnati has much more at stake. But I just don't think Illinois can score with the Bearcats, even though the Illini offense has shown life in recent weeks. Cincinnati just seems to have its way with opposing defenses, and Illinois hasn't consistently stopped people this fall. But it should be an interesting matchup, especially if Illinois wins Saturday.

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

Tate Forcier's brother Jason caused a bit of a stir when he told The Michigan Daily that the Wolverines quarterback is dealing with a fairly significant injury to his right (throwing) shoulder.

Forcier injured his shoulder Sept. 26 against Indiana but started the last two games, both of which Michigan lost. He has completed 25 of 51 passes with two touchdowns and two interceptions in those contests.

"His shoulder is more injured than I think the public realizes," Jason Forcier told The Michigan Daily. "It's the same thing [Oklahoma quarterback] Sam Bradford did. Maybe not as severe, but an AC joint is an AC joint. Once you injure it, it's hurt for the rest of the year."

Michigan head coach Rich Rodriguez didn't sound too worried about Forcier's shoulder when asked about it Tuesday. Rodriguez is more concerned about a concussion Forcier sustained Saturday against Iowa that might have caused a bit of whiplash.

Forcier didn't practice Monday and likely needs to work out by Wednesday to play this week against Delaware State.

"I don't think it's very limiting at all," Rodriguez said. "It wasn't an issue at all in the [Iowa game]. He didn't practice [Monday] because of the concussion, but he wasn't complaining at all about the shoulder and it's not been much of an issue with the trainers. It's been a few weeks now, so hopefully that'll get a little bit better.

"The biggest issue now with him is simply that concussion."

Rodriguez met with Forcier on Monday and doesn't see any drop in confidence from the freshman.

"As a freshman, it's really neat some of the things you're doing as a true freshman," Rodriguez told Forcier. "But our goal is to try to keep getting better, and he's very, very conscientious. Normally, guys like him that are so competitive, they'll be hard on themselves, but then they'll turn around and do what they can to get better. I'm sure he's going to do that."

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

Seems like this little rant struck quite the chord.

Jack from Midwest City, Okla., writes: Adam what have you been drinking. USC got beat by an 0-12 team! OSU could've beaten SC if they had a QB. OU is playing with a backup QB. This will all be disspelled after the Miami-OU game. If the backup QB (Landry Jones) goes into Miami and wins, then watch out! I think you media guys are the ones that set the tone! Just like the FSU-BYU game Saturday it reminds me of the OU-TTU game last year I think the best teams won but it is certainly not indicative of the difference in the two teams. Sometimes teams get on a roll and that's called college football!

Adam Rittenberg: Well, we can agree on that last sentence, Jack, but let's explore your logic. USC didn't get beat by an 0-12 team. USC got beat by a 1-1 team that gave LSU a game and has its standout quarterback (Jake Locker) back on the field. The Trojans also played with their backup quarterback (Aaron Corp). Now I agree if Jones goes into Miami and beats the surging Canes, Oklahoma should definitely get the nod over Ohio State. But to this point in the season, before conference play begins, Ohio State has a better resume than the Sooners. The BYU loss looks worse than the USC loss because of what BYU did against Florida State.

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Donovan Clark from Tulsa, Okla., writes: Adam, i know you are a Big 10 homer - but seriously, were there tears in your eyes when you wrote this awful story about how OSU doesnt get ragged on like OU? Listen, OU plays in a very good conference - the same can NOT be said about OSU. Yes, yes, yes i know about the BCS bowl losses, but hey, who wouldnt want to get to 4 (count em 4!) national championship games in 10 years? And OU won one of them!! Every team would love that to be at that level. Stop crying. OU lost their QB and the best tight end in the country, and lost to a good team on a neutral site - by 1 freaking point. Dude, are you blind?? Do you not realize that OSU barely beat Navy at home at full strength?? Come on man, you are so biased, it's shameful. Your momma ought to slap you. Anyway, i have left my real name and real email address in the fields to the left. So please reply anytime. Big 10 = weak; Big IX = strong

Adam Rittenberg: Don't be talkin' bout my momma. You know the funny thing, Donovan? Your comment about national championship games and "every team would love to be at that level" sounds awfully familiar. I hear it all the time from Ohio State fans because they can make the same case as Oklahoma fans. Yet their team regularly gets trashed while Oklahoma gets a pass. Ohio State's win against Navy certainly wasn't impressive, but BYU lost a ton of credibility by performing like it did against Florida State. And what's the Big IX? Is that a new conference?

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(Read full post)

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

The Ohio State Buckeyes are victims of a double standard, and they deserve better.

	Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
	Ohio State coach Jim Tressel and his Buckeyes are victims of a double standard.

Ohio State has seen its national approval rating steadily decline since the 2007 BCS national title game, the first of six consecutive losses against top 5 opponents. Much of the heat directed toward Columbus is warranted. Ohio State has disappointed the national media on the game's biggest stage several times, and despite a series of strong recruiting classes, the team has underachieved in several areas, namely along the offensive line.

But another national powerhouse deserves the same treatment. Another big-name has been just as disappointing in big games, if not worse. And yet that team continues to escape the hate. Meet the Oklahoma Sooners. They're apparently made out of Teflon.

Let's review some of the similarities between Ohio State and Oklahoma:

• Ohio State has a three-game losing streak in BCS bowls; Oklahoma has dropped five consecutive BCS bowls, including games in each of the last three seasons.
• Ohio State suffered two blowout losses in the national title game; Oklahoma fell to USC 55-19 in the 2005 Orange Bowl, which gave the Trojans the national championship. The Sooners also suffered a 20-point loss to a West Virginia team that had just lost its head coach in the 2008 Fiesta Bowl. And they lost to non-BCS Boise State.
• Both teams have had Heisman Trophy-winning quarterbacks (Troy Smith and Sam Bradford) stumble in the national title game.
• Both teams have taken care of business in their leagues. Ohio State has won or shared the last four Big Ten titles. Oklahoma has won the last three Big 12 championships.

Despite the parallels, Ohio State continues to be the nation's piñata, while Big Game Bob Stoops and the Sooners get a pass. The latest example arrived Sunday, as Ohio State moved down two spots to No. 13 in the AP Poll, while Oklahoma moved up two spots to No. 10.

What happened Saturday? Ohio State pounded Toledo 38-0 in Cleveland, the same Rockets team that had embarrassed Big 12 member Colorado the previous week. Oklahoma crushed Tulsa 45-0, a very solid win without Bradford at the helm.

Still, I don't see much of a difference here. So why the shuffle in the polls?

Perhaps it's because USC, which beat Ohio State in Columbus on Sept. 12, lost to unranked Washington in Seattle. Meanwhile, a BYU team that beat Oklahoma in Dallas on Sept. 5 got utterly embarrassed on its home field by Florida State.

Explain to me how USC's loss, which came on the road with the backup quarterback (Aaron Corp) at the helm, should punish Ohio State, while BYU's loss, which came with the Cougars at full strength and on their home field, rewards Oklahoma.

It's ridiculous. And it needs to stop.

I don't vote in the AP Poll. For what it's worth, I have USC at No. 11, Ohio State at No. 12 and Oklahoma at No. 13 in my most recent ESPN.com power rankings.

People can pick on Ohio State until the Buckeyes win a big nonconference game. But Oklahoma deserves the exact same treatment.

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

We all know Indiana head coach Bill Lynch has a ton of confidence in his starting quarterback, junior Ben Chappell.

But as Oklahoma's Bob Stoops found out the hard way last week, you've always got to be prepared for the backup quarterback to enter the field. For Indiana, it presents an interesting dilemma.

True freshman Edward Wright-Baker continues to be listed as Chappell's backup on the Hoosiers' depth chart (page 10). No other quarterbacks are listed on the two-deep, and Wright-Baker really impressed the coaching staff during preseason camp.

Still, Lynch seems a bit hesitant about the prospect of playing Wright-Baker and preventing a chance for him to redshirt.

"As I sit here right now, Edward Wright-Baker would be the next quarterback [to play]," Lynch said. "We would have to look at it in terms of what happened to Sam Bradford at Oklahoma, from a coaching standpoint. If it is a chinstrap late in the game, we would have to talk about that. We have to look at the big picture and if something happens to Ben, who is going to be the next person in there.

"Or if the game is one of those where the outcome is already decided one way or the other, who would be the next one to go."

My take: Let the kid play. The best teams usually play multiple quarterbacks in games, particularly early in the season.

If Wright-Baker has proven he's the second-best option behind Chappell, he should get a chance to see what he can do in the spotlight. Playing freshman quarterbacks is hardly unprecedented. Just look at Michigan and USC.

Indiana obviously would benefit from Chappell staying healthy all season, but given the way injuries hit this team last season, it's a major gamble. The Hoosiers can't afford a major drop-off at quarterback, and Lynch, who is on the hot seat this year, can't afford to look unprepared should an injury occur.

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

In 1997, Michigan cornerback Charles Woodson made history as the first primarily defensive player to win the Heisman Trophy. No defender has come close to striking a pose since Woodson edged Tennessee's Peyton Manning for the award, and seeing how the Heisman now serves as a glorified quarterback contest, it's unlikely any defender will follow Woodson.

Two defenders who should gain consideration for college football's top honor this fall are the subjects of an interesting discussion between blog colleagues Chris Low (SEC) and Ted Miller (Pac-10). Low and Miller debate the merits of two standout safeties: Tennessee's Eric Berry and USC's Taylor Mays.

Any college football fan worth his or her salt knows about Berry and Mays, two of the nation's most accomplished defenders and the leading candidates for the Jim Thorpe Award. Both safeties are widely projected as top-10 picks in the 2010 NFL draft. I, for one, can't wait to watch Mays live when USC visits Ohio State on Sept. 12.

Could Mays or Berry follow Woodson's path to Manhattan in December?

It seems like a long shot with quarterbacks Tim Tebow, Sam Bradford and Colt McCoy all returning, but both of these safeties should be on the radar. Tennessee is touting Berry for the Heisman (turn on your mute button before visiting the Web site), while Mays knows his Heisman campaign needs a statistical boost.

Let's look back at how Woodson won the award in 1997 and where Berry's and Mays' best seasons stack up:

By the Numbers Woodson (1997) Berry (2008) Mays (2008) INT 8 7 0 INT returns for TD 0 2 0 PBU 9 6 9 Tackles 47 72 53 Tackles for loss 5 8.5 2 Sacks 1 3 0 Return yards 301 32 n/a Return TDs 1 0 n/a Receptions 12 1 n/a Receiving yards 238 3 n/a Receiving touchdowns 2 0 n/a

Mays clearly needs
a major boost this fall to match Woodson, but Berry isn't far off in terms of production on defense. The difference is Woodson's versatility as a punt returner and as an offensive threat. For all the great plays Woodson made on defense in 1997, arguably his most memorable play was the 78-yard punt return for a touchdown against Ohio State.

Berry's non-defense production is limited to seven rushes for 32 yards, one reception for three yards and two kickoff returns for 32 yards.

I wish defensive players had a better shot at the Heisman, but as Woodson showed 12 years ago, you need to do more.

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

The preseason hype machine stirred again Monday with the release of the Davey O'Brien Award watch list, which includes 33 signal-callers and four from the Big Ten.

All of the usual suspects are on the list -- Tim Tebow, Sam Bradford, Colt McCoy, Zac Robinson -- and here are your Big Ten nominees.

• Daryll Clark, Sr., Penn State
• Terrelle Pryor, So., Ohio State
• Adam Weber, Jr., Minnesota
• Juice Williams, Sr., Illinois

No major surprises, as both Clark and Williams put up impressive numbers last season and Pryor earned Big Ten preseason Offensive Player of the Year honors. It's nice to see Weber get some love as well as he has performed through a transitional period at Minnesota.

Looking over some of the names on the list -- Jarrett Brown, Aaron Corp, former Michigan quarterback Ryan Mallett -- I half expected to see Iowa's Ricky Stanzi appear. Despite some good moments last season, the Hawkeyes quarterback still has a few things to prove.

Semifinalists for the O'Brien Award will be announced Oct. 26 and finalists named Nov. 23. The winner will be revealed Dec. 10 during the college football awards show.

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

Terrelle Pryor's development will be a popular topic from now until Sept. 5, when Ohio State opens the season against Navy a week before hosting USC in the premier matchup of the nonconference season.

If the immensely gifted Pryor can improve in several areas, particularly his consistency on short and intermediate throws, there's no reason why Ohio State can't overcome personnel losses elsewhere on offense and make another BCS bowl push. Few college quarterbacks can make plays in space like Pryor, who easily could have had 50 more rushing yards in the Fiesta Bowl, but he has to make defenses respect his arm.

The Columbus Dispatch recently chronicled Pryor's rigorous offseason workout regimen and his desire to take greater ownership of the team in 2009. Several things stood out from Tim May's story, including Pryor's size, which according to Roy Hall, is up to 238 pounds. That's pretty scary.

The Fiesta Bowl loss to Texas also lingered with Pryor.

"I got so upset by it; I'll put everything on my shoulders, and I don't want that to happen this year," Pryor said. "I don't want myself thinking I should have or could have done this or that. Hey, go do it.

"That's the way I am thinking right now, why not work out and be the best you can be? You do that last rep on the bench so you can take your team down for that last touchdown, to be the strongest guy, and all that stuff. That's the way I approach things."

For a kid who came to Columbus with some serious concerns about his maturity level, Pryor seems to grasp his responsibility to the team and what it takes to be one of the sport's top players.

Here's another quote sure to bring smiles to Buckeyes fans.

"I just want to be the best," he said. "I want to be better than [2007 Heisman Trophy winner] Tim Tebow; I want to better than [2008 Heisman winner] Sam Bradford; I want to be better than Colt McCoy.

"On that last drive Colt McCoy had to beat us in the Fiesta Bowl, I want to go down there and do that every time I have the chance, not just in one particular game. I don't want to be beaten, and I don't want to let my team down -- we don't want to be beaten."

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

After examining what makes each Big Ten team turn green with envy, our St. Patrick's Day celebration turns to the entire league.

Competition between conferences has escalated in recent years, particularly among fans, and each league has something the other leagues covet.

Once the envy of all other conferences, the Big Ten finds itself on the other side after several subpar seasons. Despite boasting tradition-rich programs and an always-relevant brand name, the Big Ten has dropped six consecutive BCS bowls and five consecutive Rose Bowl matchups.

The prolonged struggles have made Big Ten Nation turn red with anger, and green with envy. Here are three reasons why.

The Big Ten envies the Big 12's quarterbacks: Arguably no factor has driven the Big Ten's downturn more than quarterback play, and the Big 12 boasts a surplus of talented signal-callers. Five of the nation's top 10 passers from last season came from the Big 12, including Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford of Oklahoma and Heisman finalist Colt McCoy of Texas. The Big 12 easily could have had another Heisman finalist in Texas Tech's Graham Harrell, and Missouri's Chase Daniel entered the season as a Heisman candidate. Seven Big 12 quarterbacks finished ahead of the Big Ten's top-rated passer, Penn State's Daryll Clark.

The Big Ten envies the SEC's recruiting base: Speed trumps size in today's college football, and there's much more of it to be found in the South and Southeast. Big Ten coaches are racking up more frequent-flier miles these days, but they're competing against SEC schools located much closer to the talent source. The speed argument at the skill positions is overblown, but it's hard not to notice the differences in line play between the Big Ten and the SEC. Speed and cold-weather football can mix, but it's a tougher sell for the Big Ten, especially given the two league's recent BCS bowl results.

The Big Ten envies the Pac-10's premier program and Rose Bowl proximity: If it wasn't for USC and the Rose Bowl, the Big Ten's national reputation would be a lot better these days. USC's rise has signaled bad news for the Big Ten, which has dropped eight consecutive games to the Trojans, including four Rose Bowls and an Orange Bowl. Many Big Ten fans now regard the Rose Bowl as a virtual road game and wonder how their teams can adjust their playing style after competing in poor weather in October and November. USC's success and proximity to the Rose Bowl feeds the argument that the Big Ten will always be at a major disadvantage in the postseason.

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

Several years ago, the prospect of Keith Nichol and Kirk Cousins competing for a starting job on the same team seemed slim at best.

You could make a case the two quarterbacks were intentionally trying to avoid each other.

Matthew Emmons/US PRESSWIRE
Kirk Cousins could have the advantage in the QB duel after serving as Brian Hoyer's backup last fall.

Nichol committed to Michigan State in the summer of 2005, pegged as the successor to Drew Stanton. At the time, Cousins was a relatively unknown player entering his junior year at a high school that had only started competing in football two years earlier.

But shortly after Michigan State fired head coach John L. Smith in 2006, Nichol decommitted and switched his pledge to Oklahoma. Cousins, meanwhile, had followed several strong performances at junior camps with an excellent senior season.

Scholarship offers started to trickle in. After Nichol bolted, Michigan State assistant Dan Enos came calling and Cousins committed in January 2007.

"If I had to pick from any of the other schools that had offered, I'm not sure where I would have gone," said Cousins, who also received an offer from Colorado. "I'm glad that Michigan State came through."

Their paths seemed set. Two quarterbacks who grew up 50 miles apart in western Michigan would be separated by a time zone in college.

But after Nichol found himself behind future Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford and Joey Halzle on Oklahoma's depth chart, he decided to transfer and ended up where he nearly started, Michigan State.

As the Spartans' quarterback competition kicks off this spring, Cousins and Nichol find themselves together on center stage.

"It's funny how things work out," Nichol said. "I don't think he really knew where he was going to go, and then I go to Oklahoma, he decides to come here and now I'm back.

"Competing with him has made me a better football player, it's made me grow physically and mentally. It's been a blessing, actually."

(Read full post)

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

Keith Nichol has no regrets about leaving Oklahoma for Michigan State, where he'll compete for the starting quarterback job alongside Kirk Cousins when spring practice starts next month.

"It wasn't the right place for me," Nichol said. "My heart wasn't there. I had to find the right spot for me, and that's here at Michigan State."

	J.P. Wilson/Icon SMI
	Keith Nichol, who transferred from Oklahoma, feels at home with the Spartans.

Nichol has settled in nicely at Michigan State, the school where he originally committed before head coach John L. Smith was fired in 2006. But he still maintains a connection to Oklahoma through his best friend, Sooners sophomore running back DeMarco Murray.

The two players talk three or four times a week. Murray, who missed the BCS national championship after injuring his knee on the opening kickoff of the Big 12 title game, has updated Nichol on his rehab progress.

"When he first had the injury, man, he was down, he was hurting mentally," said Nichol, who also exchanges text messages with Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford. "He just wanted to get to the national championship game so bad, and then he busts the ligament in the back of his knee.

"But he's great now. His rehab's all down. He's walking, running. I think he's going to come back even bigger and stronger and try to be the No. 1 running back in the country next year."

Nichol is focused on becoming the No. 1 quarterback at Michigan State, which comes off a 9-4 season but loses its starting backfield of Brian Hoyer and Javon Ringer. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound sophomore sat out last season and ran the scout team in practice, but he thinks the time out of the spotlight helped his growth as a player.

He's also looking forward to playing closer to home. He grew up about an hour west of East Lansing in Lowell, Mich.

"When you're getting recruited, you don't realize how much you want your family to be at the games, how much you miss friends when you can't see them," Nichol said. "There's just so many things you can't see there. [At Oklahoma] my mind wasn't always in the right place. Before a game, I'd be like, 'Is my family going to be in the stands? Did they make it?' It's just nice to know that they're only an hour down the road.

"Everything about this place is home for me."

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

Heisman Trophy voters shouldn't expect to receive some goofy green ring with Javon Ringer's face carved into it any time soon.

Michigan State isn't conducting a formal Heisman Trophy campaign for Ringer, the senior running back who leads the nation in both scoring (14.4 ppg), carries (187) and all-purpose yards (1,178) and ranks second in rushing average (179.4 ypg). The Spartans are taking more of an old-school approach with their star. They make him accessible to the media, don't make him into something he's not and let him market himself when it matters -- on Saturdays.

"I don't read the papers much right now," coach Mark Dantonio said earlier today. "All I can tell you is he's being mentioned. The more success we have as a football team, the more exposure he'll get. The better he does on football field, the more wins we get. The two sort of feed off each other."

The plan suits the credit-deflecting Ringer, the all-business Dantonio and associate athletic director for communications John Lewandowski, who has seen the Heisman campaign landscape change during his career.

Lewandowski, who is one of the best in the business, remembers working on Bo Jackson's Heisman campaign and sending out VHS tapes to voters every week. The increase of television exposure no longer requires such methods. Great players will be seen, and this season, few FBS players have been better than Ringer.

"I'm more old school with these things," Lewandowski said. "We live in an era where gimmicks are not going to win awards. It's more important to make sure he's accessible, manage the media opportunities and be mindful of what else he has going on. But the bottom line is the team has to be successful."

Michigan State has been so far, starting the year 4-1. Ringer, who wasn't on the Heisman radar before the season, ranks third on ESPN.com's Heisman Watch and occupies a similar spot on other lists.

His candidacy could be hurt by the popularity of the SEC and the Big 12, where the other top contenders -- Chase Daniel, Sam Bradford, Tim Tebow, Colt McCoy, Knowshon Moreno -- play. The Big Ten has a bit of a relevancy problem right now after its projected best team (Ohio State) imploded in a showcase game and its projected best player (Chris "Beanie" Wells) got hurt in the opener.

But Ringer should continue to get noticed if he maintains an incredible workload and Michigan State keeps winning. I'm not anti-gimmick -- I kept my Michael "The Burner" Turner hot sauce for years and currently enjoy my Chase Daniel viewfinder -- but it's nice to see a program letting the player state his case between the lines.

"He's probably in the four, five guys you talk about," Dantonio said. "But for him to get up to the top, we have to have a super year as football team."