No Need to Wake Him Yet

Carson Palmer knew everything was different a few moments after he walked out of a Manhattan hotel Sunday morning and slipped inside a stretch limousine.

“Are you going to want makeup?” asked a production assistant for the “NFL Today” show on CBS.

Palmer, who won the 68th Heisman Trophy the night before, shot a quizzical look at his father, Bill, then shrugged his shoulders and said, “I guess so.”

That’s how Day 1 of life after the Heisman began for Palmer, the fifth USC player and the first Trojan quarterback to win the award presented annually to the nation’s most outstanding college football player. Tonight, Palmer will be the guest of honor at a $600-a-plate, black-tie dinner at the New York Hilton sponsored by the Downtown Athletic Club of New York City.

“It’s definitely getting to the point where I realize that I’m in for some serious changes,” said Palmer, who will turn 23 on Dec. 27.

Hundreds of onlookers ringed the outdoor set at CBS headquarters when Palmer appeared for a live interview with Jim Nantz, Dan Marino, Deion Sanders and Boomer Esiason on “NFL Today.” When the segment was done, Palmer mugged with the trophy and courteously filled every autograph and photo request as he made his way back to the limo.

“Did you see Deion’s shoes?” he said.

After a quick lunch of chicken parmigiana and chocolate milk at a nearby pizza shop, Palmer recounted the previous 15 hours as a series of surreal events.

“Winning it was a shock,” Palmer said. “Looking at the trophy with my name on it was crazy. Going out last night and celebrating was great. Then, to wake up and go do the interview with those guys -- it keeps getting better and better.”

Palmer, however, said he was beginning to grow weary of the attention.

His father predicted as much on Saturday night, shortly after his son won the Heisman over Iowa quarterback Brad Banks, Penn State running back Larry Johnson, Miami running back Willis McGahee and Hurricane quarterback Ken Dorsey.

“He would rather be anonymous than on the stage, but unfortunately you don’t get those choices if you’re successful. That’s just what we do to people,” Bill Palmer said. “He doesn’t seek that, so he’ll worry about that in time. But other [Heisman winners] have been through it and they have survived.”

Palmer, who has passed for 3,639 yards and 32 touchdowns this season, will complete his USC career Jan. 2 when the fifth-ranked Trojans play third-ranked Iowa in the Orange Bowl. A solid performance against the Hawkeyes could solidify Palmer’s status as the potential No. 1 pick in the NFL draft.

Esiason, who led the Cincinnati Bengals to the Super Bowl in 1989, addressed the speculation during Palmer’s television appearance. The lowly Bengals are expected to have the No. 1 pick.

“Have you ever been to Cincinnati?” Esiason asked while handing a tiger-striped Bengal helmet to Palmer. “Guess what, son. You’re going!”

Palmer laughed along with Esiason. Later, he downplayed conjecture.

“They don’t know. I don’t know. I don’t think anybody knows,” he said. “There is still a lot of football that needs to be played and I still have a lot of work I need to do. A lot of areas need to get better before I start worrying about being the No. 1 guy in the draft or anything like that.

“It’s kind of like the whole Heisman thing. It’s so far out there, the chances are so slim it could ever happen to you. I’m definitely not banking on it or thinking about that.”

Instead, Palmer is deciding where he will keep his Heisman Trophy -- “probably at my parents’ house” -- and what he will say in a short speech tonight at the dinner in his honor.

USC President Steven Sample, Trojan Coach Pete Carroll, offensive coordinator Norm Chow and quarterback coach Steve Sarkisian are among those scheduled to arrive from Los Angeles this afternoon to join Athletic Director Mike Garrett and other athletic department officials who will be among the crowd saluting Palmer.

Garrett, who won the Heisman Trophy at USC in 1965, said Palmer’s victory reflected the Trojans’ return to prominence.

“Winning this year and going to a BCS bowl makes us a national power. Carson is icing on the cake.”

Palmer is looking forward to returning home Tuesday, sharing the Heisman Trophy with teammates and practicing for the Orange Bowl.

“I’m shaking my head and saying, ‘Wow. I can’t believe this is happening to me,’ ” he said. “When I jump on that plane [to go home] and have free time to really enjoy and think back on all the great things I’ve had the opportunity to do, I think I’m going to realize what’s going on and how special and how amazing this has been.”