The Heisman race rages around him, an undercurrent just below the surface of the BCS and national championship. Fate has somehow linked Heupel with the perfect mentor for this Heisman stretch run. Long is his quarterback coach. You go from a person who hadn't been mentioned at all before the season to a 1-2 race. That is remarkable.
People lose sight of that.
With less than two weeks until the Heisman ceremony, Oklahoma is on the stump for Heupel. From fans to the coaching staff to the sports information staff, getting Heupel the Heisman would be a strong second next to nabbing Oklahoma's seventh national championship. Heupel is playing it as low key as Long did 15 years ago. Back then Long didn't know the politics of the vote. The South voted more or less as a block for Jackson.