Cobbs has time to mature

Cedric Cobbs running to pass the Heisman Trophy test, or is he just passing on running for it?

University of Wisconsin sports information director Steve Malchow said a serious Heisman candidate must be willing to deal with an onslaught of media and fan attention. With those prerequisites in mind, it is obvious that Cobbs, an Arkansas sophomore, is not serious.

The Northwest Arkansas Business Journal has learned that several daily Razorback beat reporters have become accustomed to Cobbs standing them up for scheduled interviews. There have also been other documented lapses in Cobbs’ public relations judgment.

Malchow said 1999 Heisman winner Ron Dayne was far from a media darling with his extreme quiet nature, but he was never rude and always met scheduled appointments. A wide smile on public relations photos certainly did not hurt Dayne’s persona.

Mike Hubbard, former Auburn University assistant sports information director, who is now a member of the Alabama House of Representatives, echoed Malchow’s comments. Hubbard helped Auburn run the successful promotion of Bo Jackson in 1985. He also helped with Herschel Walker’s successful 1980 campaign at Georgia and helped UGA player and roommate Terry Hoage to a fifth place finish in 1983.

“We sat down with Bo before the season and told him that if he would follow our plan, we wouldn’t ruin his life each day,” Hubbard said. “We told him that we would set aside time for interviews and that if he would meet them, we would let him have a life outside of football. He did just that.”

Cobbs had a fabulous freshman season for the Razorbacks, but two games into his sophomore season there are questions of his desire to become a household name outside of Arkansas.