It’s the most prestigious individual award in all of sports, and this year, there’s no shortage of candidates. Rutgers running back Ray Rice is next up in Athlon's 2007 Heisman Watch, which will be released in no particular order.

Three years ago while a student at New Rochelle (N.Y.) High School, Rice committed to play football at Syracuse University. But the firing of coach Paul Pasqualoni changed the future of two Big East programs. Rice changed his mind, choosing Rutgers instead. Now, as Syracuse still struggles to rebuild its program, Rutgers has its sights on a BCS bowl.

Prior to Rice’s arrival in Piscataway in 2005, Rutgers had not had a winning season since 1992. That era also featured a 25-game Big East losing streak. Rice set a school freshman rushing record with 1,120 yards, leading the Scarlet Knights to a 7–5 record. He followed that up with a 1,794-yard effort as a sophomore. The Knights were 11–2, including a 37–10 trouncing of Kansas State in the Texas Bowl, the first bowl win in school history. Rice, of course, was named MVP of the game.

Athlon's 2007 Heisman Watch

Rice’s durability may be one his greatest assets. The junior set another school record with 335 carries last season. Rice is not slow, but he is a workmanlike, grind-it-out back. He gains strength later in games. Last season he averaged 5.4 yards per carry overall, but 5.9 in the fourth quarter and overtime.

One number on Rice’s mind for 2007 is 2,000. It’s not out of the question. In his 25 games at RU, Rice has topped the 100-yard mark 15 times, and owns four of the school’s 10 200-yard games.

Rutgers Team Preview

The focal point of the Rutgers offense, Rice will have opportunities to shine. The Knights’ ability to keep defenses from overplaying the run will be a key. One opposing coach says, “Rice is their strength…when it comes to crunch time, they’ll get in one-back and two-back sets and run Rice right at you.”

If that strategy carries the Knights to a Big East title, then Rice should begin making space in his trophy case.

Why he’ll be holding the hardware: Transforming Rutgers from a perennial loser into a program competing for conference championships and BCS bids will get the voters’ attention. A star in the East can earn lots of votes in November.

Why he’ll be left out: Rutgers could become too reliant on Rice, causing defenses to take him out of the offense. If Rutgers can’t keep defenses honest with a productive passing game, their star may find running room hard to come by.

Final analysis: Another 1,700-yard season and a Rutgers BCS bowl berth will be enough to get Rice to New York. Whether it’s enough to grab the trophy or not could depend on what he does against Big East powerhouses West Virginia and Louisville.

2006 Stat Line