COLLEGE FOOTBALL / GENE WOJCIECHOWSKI : Scouting Nation’s Top Players

As a public service to the 917 Heisman Trophy voters, many of whom still think Archie Griffin has an excellent chance of winning the award this year, we offer an unofficial scouting report of the six remaining candidates--Virginia quarterback Shawn Moore, Brigham Young quarterback Ty Detmer, Colorado tailback Eric Bieniemy, San Diego State quarterback Dan McGwire, Notre Dame flanker Raghib (Rocket) Ismail and Houston quarterback David Klingler.

Our talent scouts include a highly respected NFL general manager, who requested anonymity, and Joel Buchsbaum, draft analyst extraordinaire and associate editor of Pro Football Weekly. Their comments:

--On Moore: “He’s really a terrific football player,” the general manager said. “He’s the kind of guy who makes that offense work. He does so much for that team. He’s not really the kind of quarterback the pros are looking for, though. He’s good at everything, but not great at anything.”

Buchsbaum praised Moore’s running ability but questioned his patience and consistency as a passer.

--On Detmer: “This guy is my Heisman choice,” Buchsbaum said, “but I don’t think he’s a pro prospect. He’s got Doug Flutie Disease--he’s really small (listed at 6 feet, 175 pounds) and thin.”

The general manager said: “As exciting a player as I’ve seen in that position. He’s so gutty, so oblivious to pressure. But he’s not big enough and he probably doesn’t have the arm to be rated the top quarterback. He’s really, really tough and he always gets right back up. But this guy might be as good as he’s going to get.”

--On McGwire: “I really like his arm,” Buchsbaum said. “He’s throwing the ball better, but he’s so big that you wonder about his quickness. But that arm--a first-round type of guy.”

The general manager said: “He seems pretty impressive in there.”

--On Bieniemy: “I’d love us to get Bieniemy,” the general manager said. “He seems to find room to run when it looks like there’s none. He has a big set of thighs and a low center of gravity. And if you saw him last week (against Oklahoma), you can see he can really accelerate. I love backs like him.”

Buchsbaum said: “He’s an exciting back, but if you give (the Heisman) to Bieniemy, then you should have given it to (Washington State running back Steve) Broussard last year. Bieniemy is exciting, but I don’t know if he’s a great back.”

--On Klingler: “Off what I’ve seen,” Buchsbaum said, “he throws the ball better than Andre Ware. The guy can throw every pass.”

--On Ismail: “Oh, man,” the general manager said. “He is truly exciting. It’s a football cliche, but any time he touches the ball, he can (score). He would disturb a defense. I’d love to have him and would hate to play against him.”

Buchsbaum added: “He would be the top prospect for the pros. He goes from zero to 60 faster than anyone I’ve ever seen. He has rare explosiveness. I just wish he were bigger.”

Things to remember about this year’s Heisman Trophy race:

--Klingler would still be on the bench if Ware hadn’t left Houston a year early for the pros.

--Quarterbacks Ware, Jeff George and Scott Mitchell and running backs Emmitt Smith and Rodney Hampton--all of whom forfeited their final year of NCAA eligibility for the NFL--would have been the top returning Heisman favorites.

--Buchsbaum said Tennessee running back Chuck Webb would have won the Heisman this season had he not injured his knee in the Volunteers’ second game.

--Ballots are due Nov. 29, which seems unfair considering that BYU and San Diego State both have games on Dec. 1 and Houston plays Dec. 2.

From the Vote With Your Wallet, Not Your Conscience Dept.: Nebraska Athletic Director Bob Devaney is upset at several Big Eight coaches who have cast their UPI votes for Virginia, not the Cornhuskers, as the No. 1-ranked team.

Devaney’s odd logic is based on financial considerations, nothing else. By Devaney’s way of thinking, the more highly ranked the Big Eight team, the better the bowl game and the more money shared by the conference.

Never mind that Virginia deserves to be ranked higher than Nebraska. Devaney’s next probable project: an investigation of why Kansas (2-5-1) hasn’t been extended a bowl invitation.

After seven games, Klingler is on a pace similar to that of Ware in 1989. Klingler has completed 234 of 410 passes for 2,990 yards and 27 touchdowns with nine interceptions. Ware had 221 completions in 354 attempts for 2,936 yards and 30 touchdowns with 10 interceptions.

Bowl gossip: It appears that civic and business leaders in Orlando, Fla., are committed to rescuing the Citrus Bowl from financial embarrassment should Virginia finish the season ranked No. 1. Without payouts competitive with those of the Sugar Bowl, Orange Bowl or Cotton Bowl, the Citrus could lose Virginia and a chance at a national championship game.

The agreement between the Citrus Bowl and the Atlantic Coast Conference, of which Virginia is a member, allows for the No. 1-ranked team to go elsewhere if the payout isn’t comparable to the other major New Year’s Day bowls. The Citrus was supposed to pay an estimated $1.2 million a team, which is about $3 million less than the Orange Bowl will offer its invitees.

Under a new plan, Orlando and other corporate sponsors would underwrite any additional payouts if such a national championship scenario takes place. According to the Citrus contract, a decision will have to be made by Nov. 13.

More bowl gossip: If Virginia is No. 1 at season’s end, count on Notre Dame to follow the Cavaliers to Orlando. The Citrus will happily offer the Irish an invitation if Notre Dame is 10-1, 9-2 or even 8-3.

Mickey Holmes, executive director of the Sugar Bowl, said the outcome of Virginia’s game against Georgia Tech Saturday and Notre Dame’s game against Tennessee on Nov. 10 will determine many of the major bowl matchups. “That’s where everything is hanging,” he said. Even though official invitations aren’t supposed to be extended until Nov. 24, Holmes said few bowls, if any, will wait until then to make arrangements with teams and conferences if Virginia and Notre Dame win those games.

A hypothetical situation: What happens if Virginia is ranked first on Nov. 13, Notre Dame has beaten Tennessee three days earlier and the Citrus Bowl is ready to offer the Irish and the Cavaliers invitations? Could Notre Dame accept but include an escape clause that would allow them to play, say, undefeated Auburn or Nebraska, should Virginia lose before season’s end?

“If there is any institution that could do that, it is Notre Dame,” Holmes said. “They’re in a good stalling position. They could force a stalemate. God knows, we could use a couple of weeks.”

Sugar Bowl wish list: Auburn vs. Miami or Big Ten runner-up or Nebraska. What it really wants, of course, is for Virginia to lose so Notre Dame becomes available again.

Fiesta Bowl wish list: If the Irish are unavailable, the bowl is interested in the Colorado-Nebraska loser (preferably Colorado), Tennessee or Mississippi (preferably Tennessee), Penn State, the Iowa-Illinois loser or the Virginia- Georgia Tech loser. Florida State and Miami are probably longshots.

Our top 10: (1) Notre Dame, (2) Virginia, (3) Washington, (4) Nebraska, (5) Colorado, (6) Houston, (7) Auburn, (8) Illinois, (9) BYU, (10) Miami.

Our waiting list: Texas, Iowa, Georgia Tech, Mississippi, Tennessee.