Nick Foles is arguably the best quarterback to play at Arizona in a decade. He'll likely play in the pros, whether he's drafted or signed as an undrafted free agent. He's smart, savvy and outgoing.
But a Heisman Trophy candidate? Nah.
Props PR, an oddsmaking site, lists Foles as a 45-to-1 chance to win college football's most cherished award this fall. Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck (9-to-2) is the odds-on favorite, with Oklahoma QB Landry Jones (13-to-2) and South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore (7-to-1) running second and third. Foles is 20th on Bodog's list.
The lines:
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Odds to win the 2011 Heisman Trophy
Andrew Luck (QB Stanford) 9/2
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Landry Jones (QB Oklahoma) 13/2
Marcus Lattimore (RB South Carolina) 7/1
Denard Robinson (QB Michigan) 15/2
LaMichael James (RB Oregon) 15/2
Trent Richardson (RB Alabama) 12/1
Justin Blackmon (WR Oklahoma State) 15/1
Kellen Moore (QB Boise State) 15/1
Knile Davis (RB Arkansas) 15/1
Ryan Broyles (WR Oklahoma) 15/1
Robert Griffin III (QB Baylor) 20/1
Chris Polk (RB Washington) 25/1
Roy Finch (RB Oklahoma) 30/1
Brandon Weeden (QB Oklahoma State) 32/1
Case Keenum (QB Houston) 35/1
Darron Thomas (QB Oregon) 35/1
Kirk Cousins (QB Michigan State) 35/1
Michael Floyd (WR Notre Dame) 40/1
Matt Barkley (QB USC) 45/1
Nick Foles (QB Arizona) 45/1
Russell Shepard (WR LSU) 50/1
Aaron Murray (QB Georgia) 55/1
E.J. Manuel (QB Florida State) 60/1
John Brantley (QB Florida) 60/1
Ryan Tannenhill (QB Texas A&M) 60/1
Tyler Wilson (QB Arkansas) 70/1
Danny O'Brien (QB Maryland) 75/1
Dayne Crist (QB Notre Dame) 75/1
Taylor Martinez (QB Nebraska) 75/1
Alshon Jeffery (WR South Carolina) 80/1
James White (RB Wisconsin) 80/1
Montee Ball (RB Wisconsin) 80/1
Robert Woods (WR USC) 80/1
Michael Dyer (RB Auburn) 85/1
David Wilson (RB Virgina Tech) 90/1
Geno Smith (QB West Virginia) 90/1
Marcus Coker (RB Iowa) 90/1
Dan Persa (QB Northwestern) 95/1
A few thoughts on the Heisman Trophy. Most of the time, the award is given to the best player on the best team in the nation. Given that Arizona will likely be picked to finish in the middle of the Pac-12, and will be without a half-dozen contributors this fall because of injuries, it's hard to see the Wildcats finishing anywhere near the top-10 (or top-25) nationally. Foles received some premature — and misguided — Heisman buzz after the UA defeated Iowa last fall. An injury and some costly turnovers later, and Arizona was out of the national conversation.
The lesson here: It's going to take a once-in-a-generation performance and a once-in-a-generation UA team for any player, whether its Foles or wideout Juron Criner, to be even considered a Heisman Trophy candidate.
