Fresno State is planning to launch a webpage to promote running back Ryan Mathews for the Doak Walker Award, Heisman Trophy and All-American status, according to team spokesman Steve Weakland.
Mathews is the nation's leading rusher in total yards and yards per game headed into this weekend's games, with 974 yards and 162 yards per game. He also has seven touchdowns. He was named an SI midseason second-team All-American by Sports Illustrated this week.
The webpage, which is expected to launch Sunday or Monday, will be linked to the gobulldogs.com homepage and contain biographical information, statistical info, a photo gallery, and perhaps most importantly, video highlights.
This isn't the first time the school has launched a Heisman campaign. Weakland said they promoted former quarterback David Carr for the Heisman and other postseason awards in 2001.
In addition to creating a webpage for Carr, the school tried to increase his television exposure by bundling highlights from games that weren't aired on television and made them available via satelite for ESPN and other such entities to access. The school also sent postcards to voters advocating Carr's candidacy.
This year, voters will be getting emails pushing Mathews and the webpage.
"Hopefully they'll bookmark it, and save it and keep track of it," Weakland said.
Mathews is a dark horse candidate for postseason awards because of the conference he plays in -- the Western Athletic Conference. The WAC is widely considered to be a weaker conference than those which automatically qualify for the BCS and many even consider it to fall under other non-AQ conferences like the Mountain West Conference, which stars No. 16 BYU, No. 10 TCU and No. 19 Utah. ESPN Gameday is at BYU today for its matchup against TCU.
Mathews' biggest competition for the Doak Walker Award (given to the nation's top running back) appears to be Alabama's Mark Ingram. Ingram was fourth in the nation in rushing yards per game (129 ypg) heading into this weekend's game against Tennessee. Ingram, who had 905 yards and eight touchdowns entering today is also beginning to be highlighted as a top Heisman contender. He ran for 99 yards on 18 carries today as No. 1 'Bama beat Tennessee in a close one.
Not only is Ingram the top back on the nation's top-ranked team, but he has the advantage of playing in the SEC -- a conference with some of the best competition and great exposure. The SEC has four teams in the top 25. The WAC has just one -- No. 6 Boise State.
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