The 2011-2012 college football season doesn’t begin for another two and a half months but bookmakers have already installed odds on those players likely to win the Heisman Trophy, with Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck at the top.
Luck was the runner-up last year to Auburn quarterback Cam Newton. When Luck decided to return to Stanford for his senior season, he became the automatic 2011 Heisman favorite. He passed for 3,338 yards, 32 touchdowns and eight interceptions in 2010. He combined for more than 3,700 total yards of offense and was named the Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year. He was named MVP of the 2011 Orange Bowl, where Stanford demolished Virginia Tech 40-12.
Second in the Heisman odds is Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson, who totaled 502 yards against Notre Dame in his second start last year. He struggled against the Big Ten and has to deal with a coaching transition of Rich Rodriguez to Brady Hoke.
Next is South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore, who was named Second Team All-America. The season ended poorly for Lattimore in the loss to Florida State in the 2010 Chick-fil-A Bowl. Lattimore rushed for minus-1 yards and was injured on a pass reception where he lost a fumble.
Oregon running back LaMichael James is real Heisman contender with 3,277 rushing yards and 35 touchdowns on his career. He scored two touchdowns in the 22-19 National Championship loss to Auburn.
Oklahoma’s Landry Jones could give Luck a run for his money at the quarterback position. The redshirt junior won the 2010 Sammy Baugh Trophy as the nation’s top college passer. He passed for 4,718 yards and 38 touchdowns in 2010 and Oklahoma crushed Connecticut 48-20 in the Fiesta Bowl.
2011 Heisman Trophy Winner Odds (provided by William Hill)
Andrew Luck: 5/2
Denard Robinson: 5/1
Marcus Lattimore: 11/2
LaMichael James: 6/1
Landry Jones: 7/1
Justin Blackmon: 12/1
Ryan Broyles: 14/1
Trent Richardson: 16/1
Knile Davis: 16/1
Robert Griffin III: 16/1
Chris Polk: 20/1
Brandon Weeden: 22/1
Case Keenum: 22/1
Michael Floyd: 25/1
Darron Thomas: 33/1
Nick Foles: 33/1
Kirk Cousins: 33/1
Matt Barkley: 33/1
Aaron Murray: 40/1
Greg Reid: 66/1
Danny O’Brien: 66/1