College Football: Kevin Smith UCF's Dark Horse Heisman Candidate

Yes I have a biased view when it comes to UCF running back Kevin Smith, after all I am an alumnus of the school. Still, let's give credit where credit is obviously due, this kid can flat out play. The only problem with Smith is that he plays for a school that gets very little press. When he does get live network coverage, like he did in UCF's home opener against Texas, it's usually on ESPN 2 or worse.

Lack of national press coverage aside, the fact remains though that Smith is quietly having a fantastic season. This 6-1, 211 lbs halfback kicked off the 2007 season with a 217 yard rushing day against North Carolina State. The kid turned the first play from the scrimmage into an 80 yard touchdown run, and led the Knights to an upset victory over N.C. State.

A fluke you say? Hardly. Kevin came right back and gained 149 yards on the ground and two more touchdowns against #6 ranked Texas this past weekend. After two games against fairly good competition, Smith is averaging 183 yards rushing per a game, making him a dark horse in the run for the Heisman Trophy.

Though we could dispute all day long what the odds are of this long shot taking home the award , rest assure that NFL scouts are beginning to take notice of the junior from UCF. Though it's not like he hasn't been around for a few good seasons already. Keivn had a fantastic freshman year for the Knights picking up 1178 yards on 249 carries in 2005. The total set a freshman record for a UCF runner. He followed that impressive start with another 934 yards rushing (in only 9 games) in 2006.

Though he may be a dark horse for the Heisman this year, it should be noted that his name has already been added to the list for the 2007 Doak Walker Award. The Doak Walker award is given to the top college runner each year, and Smith is in select company, since the list carries all of 51 names. Whether he is able to capitalize on his amazing start and be a contender for the Heisman remains to be seen, though I am sure that by season's end most college football fans will have heard of the promising runner from UCF.