Local media have already devoted more than a novel to Iowa State sensation Troy Davis, but his latest accomplishment is hard not to notice.

Late last week Davis, a sophomore tailback from Miami, was named a finalist for the Heisman Trophy, college football’s most coveted award. In no uncertain terms, the honor is well-deserved and congratulations are definitely in order.

The Heisman winner will be announced at a Dec. 9 ceremony at New York City’s Downtown Athletic Club.

Davis, though often unassuming off the field, has put ISU back on the football map and made Ames an exciting place to take in the gridiron. With 2,010 rushing yards this season, Davis has established himself as one of the truly elite college football players ever to play the game.

Only four other players — all eventual superstars — have ever hit the 2,000-yard mark. Those runners include: Marcus Allen at Southern California in 1981, Mike Rozier at Nebraska in 1983, Barry Sanders at Oklahoma State in 1988 and Rashaan Salaam at Colorado in 1994.

No 2,000-yard rusher has ever been denied the Heisman. Will Davis be the first? It’s possible, but his candidacy alone makes him one the most outstanding players ever to take the field for ISU.

What’s more, Davis being named a Heisman finalist will potentially work wonders for Coach Dan McCarney and his efforts to “bring back respect” to the Cyclone football program.

“It gets people talking about Iowa State,” McCarney said at a news conference Friday. “We’ve got a huge weekend of recruits that are coming to town this minute and they’re all going to be talking about Troy.”

To that end, imagine what having a Heisman winner in the backfield would do for recruiting. So with the weight of the Cyclone football program on his back, we wish Mr. Davis luck in New York.