CFN's True Heisman Contenders - O4

[UK Peregrine]

Since I relayed CFN's ranking for PJ, I guess I'll relay Omar's too.

Pete Fiu's list of the top Heisman hopefuls

10. QB Omar Jacobs, Bowling Green
It’s amazing how all it takes is a 41 touchdown, four interception, 4,002-yard season to get into the Heisman race. There are even whispers that he’s growing into a better pro prospect than Matt Leinart. Games at Wisconsin and Boise State will make or break his campaign within the first three weeks.
http://www.collegefootballnews.com/2005 ... 20_Fiu.htm

Richard Cirminiello's list of Heisman hopefuls

15. QB Omar Jacobs, Bowling Green – If 41 touchdowns to just four interceptions couldn’t get Jacobs on the radar, you kind of assume he’s fighting an uphill battle for national awards. At least this season, he won’t have to introduce himself to the major media before the start of the season.
http://www.collegefootballnews.com/2005 ... _20_RC.htm

[kslates]

Richard Cirminiello's list of Heisman hopefuls

15. QB Omar Jacobs, Bowling Green – If 41 touchdowns to just four interceptions couldn’t get Jacobs on the radar, you kind of assume he’s fighting an uphill battle for national awards. At least this season, he won’t have to introduce himself to the major media before the start of the season.
http://www.collegefootballnews.com/2005 ... _20_RC.htm[/i]

He's right. It's a shame that the best QB in college football last year is 15th on preseason Heisman polls

[transfer2BGSU]

Memphis starts Heisman bidding with RB Williams
By Woody Baird, The Associated Press

MEMPHIS — The University of Memphis launched the first Heisman Trophy campaign in school history Thursday, promoting running back DeAngelo Williams for the award.

Williams, a third-team All American and two-time Conference USA offensive player of the year, led Memphis to back-to-back bowl games over the past two seasons, another first for the Tigers.

The university plans to spend $30,000 on the campaign called "Race For The Heisman" and featuring a 7½-inch die-cast model of a NASCAR racer in Tiger gray and blue. The model sports Williams' number (20) and portrait.

It's common for schools to hype their Heisman hopefuls with posters, T-shirts, postcards to sports reporters and other such gimmicks, and Memphis hopes the model racer stands out from the rest.

"We're both built to run," Williams said as the university announced the campaign.

Williams gave much of the credit for his success to the offensive line and said he hopes others players are included in the promotion as members of his pit crew.

"It would be nice for them to be like standing in the back with wrenches and things like that," he said.

Athletic Director R.C. Johnson said about 1,000 of the models will be sent to Heisman voters and national media outlets with the rest offered for sale to Tiger boosters.

The university also is creating a Web site for the campaign with news, photos and football statistics for Williams updated weekly.

Williams, a 5-foot, 10-inch, 217-pound native of Wynne, Ark., is the Tigers' career rushing leader with 4,062 yards. He rushed for 1,948 yards last season and led the nation with 22 rushing touchdowns.

Despite projections he could have been a late first-round pick in the NFL draft, Williams decided to return to Memphis for his senior season.

Coach Tommy West said Williams' shot at the Heisman "is pretty much equal with anybody in the country right now."

"I don't really see any front runner out there," West said.

The most infamous Heisman campaign may have been in 2001, when Oregon boosters spent $250,000 to put a 10-story tall poster of Joey Harrington on the side of a building in New York. Oregon State responded that year by spending $100,000 promoting tailback Ken Simonton with a CD-ROM, and he had his own Web site.

Washington State marketed quarterback Jason Gesser with a tongue-in-cheek campaign that featured a 25-foot by 15-foot banner that hung from a grain elevator 40 miles from campus. The school spent at least $10,000 on its campaign in 2002.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/ ... sman_x.htm

[Falconboy]

Okay so has anyone gotten anything together for Omar yet?? :-\ We seriously need billboards this fall with Omar all along rte 25 and I-75 near BG. Anyone getting a website going for Omar for this season? Man, all of these other teams boosters are really going all out for their man. We are kinda behind arent' we?

[TG1996]

I think we need to spend more time and money on promoting him as a Heisman candidate for our OWN good rather than the general media. Like you said, billboards on 75 and 25, as well as other promotional dealings around NW Ohio. At this point, for our program, having the people of NW Ohio realize that we have a Heisman hopeful playing at the Doyt is a billion times more important than sending some newspaper hack in New York City a toy car with Omar's face on it.

[Bleeding Orange]

Can we run with the Predator theme now? I recall some discussion of this before, but everytime I look at Omar with his dreds hanging out the back of his helmet that is all I can think of. Or is it Alien? Aw hell, I don't know, but whatever it is it sure would fit and would make a great promotional campaign theme.

[Falconboy]

If the Sentinal doesn't do at least one story on Omar during this summer leading up to early fall practices about him being a Heisman candidate than I'll puke.

[TG1996]

If the Sentinal doesn't do at least one story on Omar during this summer leading up to early fall practices about him being a Heisman candidate than I'll puke.

I thought that too. Even if it's reach is somewhat limited, it covers the exact places they need to reach. In fact, if Krebs or the new marketing guy or Brandon himself isn't inviting Jack Carle into their living rooms to cover this team at least once a week, they should really consider it. Even with the downtime, certainly there are some angles they could use to fill out stories for another what, 8 weeks until workouts start up again? Omar, Sharon/Sanders, Pope, Lichtensteiger (damn, just when I learned to spell Mruczkowski!!), the "new kids" like Partridge and Alexander... the general state of the program, the Sebo Center, find some inside features. Some history (20th anniversary of an undefeated regular season!), stuff like that to get people interested in BG athletics.

Even if not everyone gets the Sentinel, its reach certainly covers all or most of Wood County and that's enough for neighbors to tell neighbors... and so on.

[Falconboy]

I don't know why the Sentinal hasn't done something on Omar already, but hopefully they'll get a little more incentive as the summer goes on. But seriously , we need billlboards not just featuring Omar but Pope ,Sharon or whomever along 25 and 75 like we did in '03 for J5. Stuff like this will keep reminding people around here that their in Falcon Country. The BG sports marketing dept. better get with it and not rest on the laurels.

[hammb]

Can we run with the Predator theme now? I recall some discussion of this before, but everytime I look at Omar with his dreds hanging out the back of his helmet that is all I can think of. Or is it Alien? Aw hell, I don't know, but whatever it is it sure would fit and would make a great promotional campaign theme.

Man, only one word can describe that movie: ANTICLIMACTIC.

We watched it and we were like, "that's it?" It was decent for what it is, but they could've done so much more.

[kdog27]

Can we run with the Predator theme now? I recall some discussion of this before, but everytime I look at Omar with his dreds hanging out the back of his helmet that is all I can think of. Or is it Alien? Aw hell, I don't know, but whatever it is it sure would fit and would make a great promotional campaign theme.

Man, only one word can describe that movie: ANTICLIMACTIC.

We watched it and we were like, "that's it?" It was decent for what it is, but they could've done so much more.

The movie has Arrnold in it. What do you expect? And I agree he totally looks like the predator.

[Jacobs4Heisman]

I still have to stick with patton for the pred moniker. Maybe I'll call omar AVP -- predator look with freakish alien QB abilities.

[michhiker28]

If the Sentinal doesn't do at least one story on Omar during this summer leading up to early fall practices about him being a Heisman candidate than I'll puke.

Drink lots of beer and start practicing, cause I ain't holding my breath.

---MH

[hammb]

Can we run with the Predator theme now? I recall some discussion of this before, but everytime I look at Omar with his dreds hanging out the back of his helmet that is all I can think of. Or is it Alien? Aw hell, I don't know, but whatever it is it sure would fit and would make a great promotional campaign theme.

Man, only one word can describe that movie: ANTICLIMACTIC.

We watched it and we were like, "that's it?" It was decent for what it is, but they could've done so much more.

The movie has Arrnold in it. What do you expect? And I agree he totally looks like the predator.

I was talking about the new one, Alien-vs-Predator...no Arnold.

I thought the original Predator was pretty sweet, but its been a long time since I've seen him.

[SaxyIrishTenor]

Well, somebody needs to get the lead out and start this soon. We can't wait until the last possible moment like we did with the Hobey-Baker. We need to push it right away - from day one.

Big screens in the ballroom for the Wisky and Boise games, pizza, pop, the whole thing. Like the big cities do when their teams have away games during the playoffs. Meet and greets throughout the area; raffle off the players in a date auction (this is something my sorority tried to do last year but didn't work out for timings sake. I'm going to push it again.). BIG MEDIA EVENTS. Get his name everywhere.

If the nation won't notice him at first for his game, we'll get his name out there to start and then let the country catch on. Otherwise he's got no chance.