Chase Daniel named Heisman Trophy finalist

By Mike Bushnell

Published Dec. 7, 2007

The winner of the Heisman Trophy will be announced Saturday.

Junior quarterback Chase Daniel needs to get the extra-special hair gel out for this weekend. On Wednesday, he was named as one of the four finalists for the Heisman Trophy, which will be awarded Saturday in New York.

The other nominees are Florida's sophomore quarterback Tim Tebow, junior running back Darren McFadden of Arkansas and senior quarterback Colt Brennan of Hawaii. McFadden finished in second place in the Heisman voting last season, when Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith took home the award.

Daniel is expected to at least tie the highest finish in the voting for a Missouri player ever. Running back Paul Christman finished third in 1939 and, before Daniel this year, no Tiger has finished in the top 10 of voting since Danny LaRose in 1960.

1960 was also the last season that the Tigers won an outright conference championship, when they were in the Big Eight.

Daniel has thrown for 4,170 yards and 33 touchdowns this season. He has completed nearly 70 percent of his passes and has also rushed for four touchdowns. In his final five games, he has thrown 16 touchdowns to just two interceptions.

The Heisman, undisputedly the most prestigious award in college football, has been awarded 70 times. And 70 times, the winner has been either a junior or a senior. But Florida's Tebow could change that.

Tebow has thrown for 3,132 yards and 29 touchdowns, and has rushed for 22 more. He has thrown and rushed for a touchdown in every game this season as his Gators have gone 9-3 in the brutally tough Southeastern Conference.

Brennan has thrown for 4,174 yards and 38 touchdowns in Hawaii's pass-happy offense. He did this despite missing games against Charleston Southern and Nevada with injuries. The Warriors were the only team in the country to finish the regular season 12-0.

If McFadden wins, he would become the fifth player in Heisman history to win the award the year after finishing second.