By PETER KERASOTIS
Florida Today

I blame Byron Leftwich for this. I wanted to vote for him. I really did. I had my pen poised to write the Marshall quarterback's name atop my Heisman Trophy ballot.

When his teammates carried their general downfield against Akron, because he could hardly stand on an injured ankle, it was a snapshot ready made for the Heisman photo album.

Problem is, even though he had awesome numbers, Leftwich's ankle injury lingered long enough to take him out of the Heisman running. Too bad.

I blame Ken Dorsey for this.

I wanted to vote for him. I really did. I had my pen poised to write the Miami quarterback's name atop my Heisman Trophy ballot. If only he had thrown just one spiral during his career. If only his passing percentage had been better his senior year than it was his junior year. If only he could have distinguished himself from the rest of the country's QBs.

But he didn't. And it has taken him out of the Heisman running. Too bad.

I blame Ron Zook for this.

I wanted to vote for Rex Grossman. I really did. I had my pen poised to write the Florida quarterback's name atop my Heisman Trophy ballot. But Zook's conservative, play-not-to-lose offense wrecked Grossman's junior season. Now Grossman, who was last year's Heisman runner-up, is so far back in the pack that the only way he'll get into tonight's proceedings is if he buys a ticket.

Nobody fell as far and as fast from the Heisman watch. Too bad.

Those three guys were my preseason candidates for college football's most prestigious award.

I've been a Heisman voter for a number of years, going back to the early '90s. I don't remember the exact year. I just remember that one year I got a ballot in the mail with my name misspelled on it. I've been a voter every year since, and every year the Downtown Athletic Club finds new and creative ways to misspell my name. No biggie. I enjoy the privilege. And I take it seriously. Which is why I'm a little exasperated right now. Exasperated and excited. This is the tightest Heisman campaign in history. Every vote matters and could change the course of history.

I almost feel like I live in South Florida.

So whom did I vote for? Actually, whom did I vote for in first, second and third, since that's what the good folks at the Downtown Athletic Club ask us to do?

Let's start with the guys I didn't vote for, and why.

I couldn't vote for Leftwich because he was too injured. Though, as Bobby Pruett, his coach at Marshall pointed out, "In April, he's going to have more money than the other guys." What Pruett is saying is that Leftwich is the most attractive QB at the next level, the NFL, and should go very high in the draft, perhaps even first overall. I don't doubt that.

I couldn't vote for Dorsey because I don't believe the Heisman to be a lifetime achievement award. He wasn't the best player in college football in 2002. Heck, he wasn't even the best player on his own team. But he's a tremendous leader, a winner and remarkably consistent. I've been a believer in him since his sophomore season. I've always said it, and I'll say it again, that he reminds me so much of a former Miami QB great - Bernie Kosar.

I couldn't vote for Grossman for obvious reasons. He had an abysmal season. I did vote for him last year, though. What has happened to Grossman this year is the very reason why I don't believe you give out lifetime achievement awards for the Heisman Trophy. Grossman was better than Nebraska's Eric Crouch last year, better in every shape, form, fashion and statistic. But too many voters didn't want to give the Heisman to a sophomore, choosing instead to give it to Crouch for a body of work. I think that's wrong, especially in this day and age, when many players often leave school early for the NFL. People reasoned that Grossman had two more years to win it. But now it looks like he never will.

That's why I believe if someone is deserving for that year, you give it to him, and then worry about next year when next year comes.

Another guy I didn't vote for is Larry Johnson, the great Penn State running back. His numbers - 2,015 yards on 251 carries - are impressive. But I can't ignore his sub-100 yard days in the Nittany Lions' three losses. Great players have great games when it matters most.

So who gets my vote?

I voted first for Miami running back Willis McGahee, then Iowa quarterback Brad Banks, and then Southern Cal quarterback Carson Palmer.

If you lean closer, I'll whisper a little secret to you. Ready?

(I try to vote provincial when I can. If I'm torn on a choice, I'll give a kid a nudge if he plays for one of the Florida schools. As I mentioned, I voted for Grossman last year, and had Dorsey second on my ballot. I also voted for Florida State's Chris Weinke the year before, in spite of cries that he was too old. I voted for Danny Wuerffel in 1996 and Charlie Ward in 1993, the years they both won it. I also voted Warrick Dunn second the year he was a senior. But let's just keep all that between us.)

I think most voters tend to be provincial. It's only natural. Since we're almost always at college football games in our region, we don't often see players from other parts of the country, except on the evening highlights. So we tend to lean toward what we know, what we've actually seen.

This isn't always good. I don't remember where I voted for Michael Vick in 1999. I think it was third. What I do remember, though, is that when I saw him play against FSU in the Sugar Bowl later that season, I recall thinking to myself: "This isn't just the best college football player I've seen this season. This is the best college football player I've seen since Herschel Walker." I wished I could've have recast my vote, but it was too late.

But that's just the way things are.

So with all that in mind, I offer you my top three picks for this year's Heisman Trophy.

1. Willis McGahee. He is the best player on the best team, and there is no doubt in my mind that Miami would not be undefeated today, with a chance to defend its national title in the Fiesta Bowl, if not for him. Maybe his numbers are not as gaudy as some other backs, but they are more than impressive enough - a school-record 1,686 yards and 27 rushing touchdowns. His six-touchdown performance in Miami's season finale against Virginia Tech may have pushed him over the hump that would make him the first sophomore to win the Heisman Trophy.

2. Brad Banks. If only the Florida native had stayed in the Sunshine State. But after committing to UF, Banks never signed a letter of intent because he was late in qualifying. So he went to the University of Central Florida, where he flunked out. That forced him to junior college in Mississippi and later to Iowa, where he became a run-throw quarterback almost impossible to stop. Banks threw 25 touchdowns against only four interceptions - better than a 6-1 ratio. Nobody else is better in that statistic. Safe to say that Iowa isn't 11-1 and Big Ten co-champs if not for Banks. I could have easily flip-flopped my No. 2 and 3 picks, but Banks is a Florida boy, from Belle Glade.

3. Carson Palmer. He finally lived up to his billing this year, tossing 34 TD passes. As the season wore on, his stock rose steadily. He had perhaps his best game against Notre Dame - 425 yards and four TDs - which helps. And even though some feel Palmer underachieved in his career, let's not forget that he's the Pac-10's all-time leading passer. Better than Troy Aikman. But remember, this isn't a lifetime achievement award.

So there you have it. My three for the Heisman Trophy. Tune in next year, same time, same column space to see who gets the 2003 vote.