Booty at top of Heisman list
Analyzing odds for upcoming games and events.
College football's kickoff is only about a month away, so let the Heisman hype begin.
The campaigns will soon start in earnest, trying to promote the top candidates for the Heisman Trophy, to be presented in December.
The chances of some front-runners for the prestigious honor will crash and burn before September is over. The culprits could be a team defeat, an injury or poor individual performance.
A player who will receive a lot of attention is the quarterback of the team many perceive as the best in the country.
John David Booty, who is beginning his second full season as the starter at USC, has history on his side.
Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart, his two predecessors at the position, each won the award.
The website VegasInsider.com has John David Booty as one of two favorites to win the award.
He is +500, meaning a bettor who wagers $100 would win $500 if John David Booty is named winner of the award.
The other favorite at +500 is West Virginia running back Steve Slaton?.
On a team that is much more prone to run than pass, Slaton, a junior, could put up big numbers. As a sophomore, he ran for 1,744 yards and scored 19 touchdowns, including two receiving.
Arkansas tailback Darren McFadden was second to Troy Smith in the Heisman voting a season ago. McFadden, who ran for 1,647 yards and accounted for 18 touchdowns — running for 14, throwing for three and catching another — is +600.
Two other players listed by VegasInsider are quarterbacks Brian Brohm, who has struggled with injuries during his career at Louisville, and
Colt Brennan of Hawaii.
Brian Brohm is +650 and Brennan, who threw an NCAA-record 58 touchdown passes last season, is +800.
See more at www.latimes.com
