 "Photo: J.D. Swiger")
Flying under the radar. It's the current theme of Texas A&M's 3-0 start to the 2009 football season. Look in any national publication, and let me know if you see anything on the maroon and white.
A team that possesses the No. 1 offense in the country, the leader in sacks and an unblemished record is getting little recognition. Jerrod Johnson is putting up comparable numbers to the best in the game, and you'd be hard pressed to find his name in a press clipping outside of College Station.
Now this, of course, is the result of beating the likes of New Mexico, Utah State and UAB; not exactly national powerhouses. However, when you delve deeper into the statistics, there is a legitimate argument that the junior gunslinger from Humble should be at least mentioned in the, cough, Heisman, cough, race.
Preposterous, you say? I mean, there is no possible way that the quarterback who finished 2008 by throwing six interceptions in three blowout losses will be in New York City come December, right?
In a 2009 season that has seen seven of the preseason Top 10 teams lose in the first four weeks, it's been smart money to expect the unexpected. And a 2009 Heisman race that was supposed to be a three horse race between Colt McCoy, Tim Tebow and Sam Bradford has seen injuries and iffy plays turn it into a wide-open competition. So, why not Johnson?
Despite Cal running back Jahvid Best's best efforts, the bronze statue has recently been awarded to the best quarterback. Eight of the last nine winners have been signal callers.
With that fact, there have been four quarterbacks in this young season to establish themselves as contenders: Texas' McCoy, Florida's Tebow, Houston's Case Keenum and Notre Dame's Jimmy Clausen. Besides Keenum, Johnson has the best numbers.
In only three games, Johnson is completing nearly 70 percent of his passes. He has 13 total touchdowns with no turnovers. With 385 yards per game, he is third in the country in total offense.
In contrast, Tebow has only 11 touchdowns, in four games. At 228 total yards per game, he isn't even in the Top 50 in total offense.
McCoy's stats also pale in comparison, with 10 touchdowns, far less yards per games and five interceptions, nearly as many as he had in all of 2008.
Clausen has put up some gaudy passing numbers, but his immobility will play a negative role when comparing him to multi-threat quarterbacks.
Finally, there is Keenum who, through three games, should be the favorite. He's second in the country in total offense with 401 yards per game and is leading Houston, yes, Houston, to success unseen in those parts since the late '80s.
Now, realize that it has only been three games. Take into account that McCoy and Tebow have already won a big conference game and Keenum has beaten two Big 12 South powers while Jerrod has, as previously stated, beaten three powder puffs.
However, if the Aggies continue to surprise people, and Johnson continues to put up these otherworldly statistics, which he should given the Big 12's newfound propensity of playing next to no defense, then he will, at least, be in the Heisman discussion by year's end.
David Harris is a junior economics major.
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