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Everyone knows, or should know, that Utah State quarterback Chuckie Keeton is a special football player, and his style of play has caught the attention, and hearts, of many national college football fans. If you have been living under a rock, Keeton is cleared to play after tearing his ACL and MCL back on Oct. 4 against BYU.
Last year, Keeton was pegged as a Heisman darkhorse candidate which prompted Utah State to create a website dedicated to the cause. School officials better dust off that website as Keeton is getting some publicity for being one of 25 players listed as a Heisman candidate, according to Chris Huston of the Heisman Pundit.
Huston lists 25 names, in no particular order, and has Keeton on the list. Keeton is just one of three players not from a power conference; the others are quarterbacks in BYU's Taysom Hill and Marshall's Rakeem Cato.
Keeton coming from a non-power program has a huge uphill battle as the last player from a school of Utah State's ilk won the award was BYU quarterback Ty Detmer all the way back in 1990.
What Keeton has going for him is supreme name recognition, a fun style of play and on a team that has a shot to win the Mountain West title game. Name recognition is huge and Keeton being a four-starter helps him as most voters know him and he should not be regarded as a one-hit wonder.
As for actually winning the Heisman, Keeton is probably not going to win the award. He has a real chance to earn an invite to New York City as a finalist such as Northern Illinois quarterback Jordan Lynch did last year. To have a chance to win Keeton will need to put up out of this world numbers and go 13-0. The schedule plays out nice with some name opponents, and an opening weekend win on the road against Tennessee will be key. The Aggies also host Wake Forest, travel to Boise State and BYU, plus whoever they play in a potential Mountain West title game will give a boost as well.
Remember again that this is Heisman publicity in early May and a lot will happen, so just remember that. However, that will not stop Utah State fans to get excited about a Keeton run for Heisman.