Bodog.com has released its first set of preseason Heisman odds. As one would expect, the big names from 2010 that return are all at the top of the list. Andrew Luck has the best odds at 9/2, followed by Landry Jones (13/2) and Marcus Lattimore (7/1). With the requirements for winning the Heisman increasingly being narrowed to 1. Posting huge rushing or passing stats 2. Being at least tangentially in the national championship picture, it's no surprise that the Heisman odds contains just one player from the Big East - West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith.
Smith is a smart bet, at 90-1, even a marginal best on a quarterback with weapons around him, in a Dana Holgorsen offense, with a legitimate shot to win anywhere from 10 to 12 games in 2011 will likely have a real chance at the Heisman Trophy. Considering what Holgorsen did for Case Keenum at Houston and Brandon Weeden at Oklahoma State, Smith could make someone very wealthy.
This raises a question for Big East football fans, is there anyone else in the league, someone on your team that you think could make a run at the Heisman? Could Tino Sunseri put up ridiculous numbers in Todd Graham's offense and sneak in with some marquee wins? Could BJ Daniels get off to a good start against Notre Dame and take the dual-threat rushing/passing angle? What about Cincinnati and Zach Collaros? If the Bearcats get back to the top of the Big East standings and Collaros puts up big numbers again, will people consider him? Perhaps a non-quarterback like Rutgers' Mohamed Sanu? Let us know who you think might be a candidate by year's end.