Deja vu: Ricky Williams for Heisman
June 21, 1999 | Football
April 30, 1999
By Steve Wieberg
from USA Today
Lest there be any confusion, Texas Tech mailed out postcards this month to assure Heisman Trophy voters: Ricky Williams is back.
The Red Raiders' Ricky, that is.
That other Ricky, the one in dreadlocks and Texas' burnt orange who led the nation in rushing and won the Heisman at the end of last season, has moved on to the NFL.
Perhaps name association gives a slight head start in the 1999 Heisman race. More likely it doesn't. Without one of last December's top 10 vote-getters returning, nobody from Williams to Wisconsin's Ron Dayne to Tennessee's Tee Martin merits the tag "favorite."
In fairness, Tech's Ricky enters with credentials of his own, coming off a sophomore season in which he ran for 1,582 yards. Dayne, who was held out of spring contact drills as an injury precaution, has averaged nearly that much in three seasons and could become college football's all-time career leader with a 1,717-yard finish as a senior -- breaking the record of 6,279 set by Texas' Ricky.
Martin was among the centerpieces of the Volunteers' national championship team, stepping into Peyton Manning's shoes at quarterback and throwing 19 touchdown passes and six interceptions.
Others who've laid a foundation for a Heisman campaign (with 1998 highlights in parentheses):
The QBs: Purdue's Drew Brees (65% completion rate, 312.8 yards a game, 36 TDs); Louisville's Chris Redman (65%, 404.2 yards a game, 29 TDs); Georgia Tech's Joe Hamilton (56%, 17 TDs, only eight interceptions); Georgia's Quincy Carter (61%, combined 251.6 yards a game, 16 TDs passing and rushing).
Running back: Alabama's Shaun Alexander (1,178 yards and 13 TDs).
The all-purpose guys: Florida State's Peter Warrick (61 receptions, 20.2-yard average, 12 TDs and 13.9 yards a punt return); Arizona State's J.R. Redmond (883 yards and 11 TDs rushing, 22 receptions, 13.7 yards a punt return and one TD, 23.5 yards a kick return).
The defensive jewel: Penn State linebacker LaVar Arrington (seven sacks, 17 tackles for losses, two interceptions and two forced fumbles).