For most of the history of the Heisman Trophy, candidates for the honor were typically very high-profile players in the season(s) prior to their Heisman campaigns.
Cam Newton turned that requirement on its ear last year. He came out of nowhere to lead the Auburn Tigers to a national championship in his first season with the team, winning the Heisman in the process.
Newton wasn't the only surprise candidate to emerge, as Michigan Wolverines quarterback Denard Robinson and Nebraska Cornhuskers QB Taylor Martinez earned some buzz early on before fading down the stretch.
All of this leads us to the question: Which off-the-radar players have a chance to contend for the Heisman this season? Here are eight guys who could fit the bill:
1. Tyler Wilson, QB, Arkansas Razorbacks
Assuming he can win the Razorbacks' starting job, Wilson will take over a situation that looks ready-made for a Heisman Trophy run. In 2010, the Razorbacks had the only offense in the NCAA to boast a 3,000-yard passer (Ryan Mallett), a 1,000-yard rusher (Knile Davis) and five 600-yard pass-catchers (Joe Adams, Greg Childs, Cobi Hamilton, D.J. Williams and Jarius Wright). Davis and all but one of the receivers will be returning, so Wilson will be in great shape as far as a supporting cast.
It's also not as if Wilson is a complete unknown. He took over for an injured Mallett against Auburn last year and used that national television venue to showcase his ability to pilot the offense. He completed 17 of his first 19 passes for 290 yards and four touchdowns and also added a two-point conversion completion. A performance of that nature in a game of that magnitude shows the potential for Wilson to have a shot at being the best quarterback in the toughest conference in college football -- for a team that is a legitimate national title contender.
2. John Brantley, QB, Florida Gators
Brantley's 2010 numbers were not indicative of how well he played at times. In the three games against the Gators' toughest pass defense opponents (at the Tennessee Volunteers, at home against the LSU Tigers and at the Alabama Crimson Tide, all teams that placed in the top 31 in the FBS in passer rating allowed last season), Brantley had 18 completions (plus one defensive pass interference penalty) in 24 medium-depth (passes thrown 11-19 yards downfield)attempts for 347 yards, one touchdown and zero interceptions.
That equates to a 214.4 passer rating on some of the toughest types of pass attempts against three top-level pass defenses. New offensive coordinator Charlie Weis will know how to utilize these skills quite effectively.
3. Jeff Fuller, WR, Texas A&M Aggies
LSU's Patrick Peterson was widely ranked as the best cornerback in college football last season and topped Mel Kiper's final Big Board before the 2011 NFL draft.
Having even a solid game against a player of that caliber would be a feather in the proverbial cap, but Fuller did even better than that when he beat Peterson for seven catches on eight targets for 83 yards in the Cotton Bowl.
If Aggies quarterback Ryan Tannehill continues to progress as he did after taking over in the middle of last season, Fuller could end up vaulting over Oklahoma wideout Ryan Broyles as the best pass-catcher in college football.
4. Roy Finch, RB, Oklahoma Sooners
Finch had a higher rushing yards per attempt (YPA) average last season than DeMarco Murray and, unlike Murray, all of his numbers were posted against Big 12 competition (Murray posted 218 yards against Utah State).
That bodes well for a quality statistical showing for Finch, and the schedule should also work quite favorably for him. The Sooners are slated to face the weak run defenses of Kansas State (119th in rush yards per game allowed last year), Kansas (107th), Ball State (87th) and Iowa State (93rd). Those will be four potential showcase games from a numbers standpoint. Add in at least two potential showcase games exposure-wise (FSU and Texas) and it means there will be ample opportunities for Finch to win over voters in an offense that figures to put up plenty of points and yards in 2011.
5. Bruce Irvin, DE, West Virginia Mountaineers
It's no easy feat to win the Heisman as a defensive lineman, but Irvin has the potential to post the type of numbers that will make him a part of the conversation. Irvin racked up 14 total sacks last season (second in FBS), had at least one sack in eight games and had two or more sacks in five games.
The amazing part is that, according to the West Virginia website bio on him, Irvin did this despite typically being on the field for only 15-25 plays per game.
The play totals should increase with a move to a full-time starter's role this year, but that won't be the only reason Irvin could see a significant increase in sacks. West Virginia has matchups against Rutgers, Bowling Green, Cincinnati, Syracuse and South Florida. The first four on that list ranked 90th or worse last year in sacks allowed, and South Florida ranked 77th.
6. James Franklin, QB, Missouri Tigers
This might seem like a complete long shot on its face, but consider this: Over the past five seasons, Missouri's two starting quarterbacks (Chase Daniel and Blaine Gabbert) averaged the following Heisman Trophy-caliber statistical line: 324 completions, 493 attempts, 3,789 yards, 28 touchdowns/11 interceptions (including more than 3,500 yards each in their debut seasons). Prior to that, dual-threat star Brad Smith had more than 3,000 total yards in three of his four seasons as a starter.
The Tigers did not lose a single reception from the 2010 season to graduation and have nine returning starters on offense (including four offensive linemen). Franklin, who is expected to win the Tigers' starting job, demonstrated his promise as a dual-threat QB in limited action in 2010: 79 percent completion percentage, five yards per rush and three total TDs.
7. Manti Te'o, LB, Notre Dame Fighting Irish
The Fighting Irish look poised to make a run at a BCS bowl appearance in 2011.
If that happens, the natural reaction will be for fans and media members to identify a driving force behind the team's rise. Te'o could easily be that focal point.
He racked up 129 tackles (8.5 for loss), one sack, three pass breakups, three quarterback hurries and one forced fumble as a sophomore. Those numbers could get even better this year if their front seven develops as much as ESPN Insider Bruce Feldman believes they could.
Again, it's tough for a defensive player to become part of the Heisman race. But a star linebacker on a big-name program like Notre Dame -- one who could potentially put up massive numbers -- is one of the few that could work his way into the conversation.
8. Andre Ellington, RB, Clemson Tigers
Ellington had a great start to the 2010 season. Through seven games, Ellington had 12 touchdowns, a total that helped him to rank 10th in the nation in scoring. He also ranked 30th in rushing yards per game (91.7) largely on the basis of the four 100-yard showings he had in those contests. It wasn't a matter of posting big numbers against weak opponents, either, as three of those games were against Auburn, Miami (Fla.) and Georgia Tech.
A combination ligament tear/fractured sesamoid bone ended his season and caused him to miss spring practice, but the injury is reportedly healing nicely. If he stays on the field for the entirety of the 2011 season, he could put up huge numbers for the Tigers.
KC Joyner covers the NFL and college football for ESPN Insider. The webmaster and blogger for TheFootballScientist.com, he is also the author of "Blindsided: Why the Left Tackle is Overrated and Other Contrarian Football Thoughts." He is a regular contributor to ESPN The Magazine and a frequent guest on "The Brian Kenny Show" on ESPN Radio. You can find his ESPN archives here and follow him on Twitter here.