By Betsy Blaney
Associated Press
LUBBOCK, Texas ó Texas Tech quarterback Graham Harrell shrugged when the Heisman Trophy committee left him off its list of finalists. His coach fumed.
Harrell put up more yards passing than Oklahoma’s Sam Bradford, Colt McCoy of Texas and defending Heisman winner Tim Tebow of Florida. Harrell also led his team to the same 11-1 record.Yet Harrell won’t be sitting next to them Saturday night in New York.
“If Graham is not invited to the Heisman, they ought to quit giving out the award,” Texas Tech coach Mike Leach said in a statement. “It is a shameless example of politics ruling over performance. The other guys are deserving, but he has earned a place alongside them.”
The Heisman committee has chosen as many as six finalists in the past, but there’s no definitive method to determine how many are invited. Harrell said perennially strong programs hold the edge.
“Those things are going to get the benefit of the doubt when all things are equal,” Harrell said from Orlando, Fla., where he was attending The Home Depot/ESPNU College Football Awards. “Sometimes you’re going to get recognition, sometimes you’re not.”
Harrell, who won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award this week, passed for 4,747 yards. He needs two more TD throws to break the national career record of 131 set by Hawaii’s Colt Brennan.