Does Miami's Jacory Harris Deserve the Title of Heisman Candidate?

Current Miami quartberback Jacory Harris has made quite a name for himself over the last few weeks. He has not only managed to lead his team in wins over two top 25 schools, he has done it with that classic "Miami swagger" that has been absent for far too long. Harris' ability to handle pressure and win big games has put him into consideration for college football's greatest award, but does he deserve the coveted title of "Heisman candidate"?

According to Rivals.com, this 4 star recruit came out of high school as a 6'4" 169 pound quarterback who could only bench press a paltry 195 pounds; to say that he was undersized would have been a huge understatement. Despite his lack of elite size, he still managed to put up great prep numbers, and when it was all said and done, he earned himself a scholarship to play for the Hurricanes.

Harris was thrown right into the mix during his first season, splitting time with fellow freshman, Robert Marve. While Marve has since transferred to Purdue, Harris is now left with sole control over the quarterback position at Miami, and he hasn't disappointed so far.

As a sophomore, Harris has bulked up to a more appropriate 190 pounds, and is challenging the likes of Tim Tebow and Colt McCoy for the national spotlight. So far this year, Harris has racked up 695 passing yards and five touchdowns. It should be noted that these numbers weren't posted against typically weak season opening teams; they were put up against favored opponents, Florida State and Georgia Tech. While many teams choose to play a few warm-up games to start their schedule, Miami opted to face four top 25 teams before getting to their first easy win.

While challenging, Miami's tough opening schedule has provided Jacory Harris with a huge opportunity to gain valuable early season Heisman exposure. If Harris can lead the Hurricanes to wins in their most challenging two games (Virginia Tech and Oklahoma), not only will his personal stock rise, Miami could very well find themselves in the National Championship hunt. Their late season schedule includes a potentially interesting match up against North Carolina, but the Tar Heels are nothing that this Miami team can't handle.

With relatively obscure names like Case Keenum and Tony Pike being thrown around for Heisman consideration, why can't Jacory Harris be tossed in the mix? His early season numbers have been very impressive, and his ability to escape the pocket and spread the ball around has gotten him a lot of highlight reel exposure in recent weeks. To top it all off, Harris also has the "return to prominence" story on his side, as Miami tries earn back their traditional "powerhouse" status this year.

With the team's potential for success, and Jacory Harris' swagger on display for a national audience, he is just as likely as anyone to finish his season hoisting the Heisman trophy.

"Jacory Harris" Rivals.com