In 2003, Oklahoma quarterback Jason White wowed the college football world by throwing 40 touchdown passes on his way to winning the Heisman Trophy.
The pure craziness of that number -- 40 touchdown passes! -- along with his 3,744 passing yards impressed Heisman voters so much that White was able to overcome the campaign of an extraordinary sophomore receiver named Larry Fitzgerald, not to mention the ignominy of Oklahoma's 35-7 loss to Kansas State in the Big 12 title game.
"(The 40 touchdowns), combined with his completion percentage and record, makes White not only the most deserving player this season, but possibly the most impressive Heisman quarterback in the past 10 years," declared Sports Illustrated a few days before White picked up his trophy.
Flash forward almost a decade. In 2012, 40 touchdown passes by a quarterback barely raises an eyebrow.
We have entered the era of the "Super Quarterback." Simply put, the old pocket-oriented passing systems that enabled average talents like White to pile up big numbers are almost extinct. Looking back, their production appears almost quaint compared to the statistics we see today. Cutting-edge variations on the spread offense featuring physical phenoms with unique tools who can squeeze every possible advantage out of these schemes are now dominating college football. The proof is in the numbers, the wins and the championships.
But it's especially true with regard to the Heisman Trophy.
The most elite of these elite athletes are winning the Heisman of late by producing numbers previously not seen in college football. They are winning despite having the kind of disadvantages that have historically squelched Heisman campaigns. And they are doing it sooner in their careers than most ever thought imaginable.
It didn't start with Johnny Football...
