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College Football: 10 Under the Radar Heisman Trophy Candidates

By Nicholas Ian Allen

Dec 30, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; General view of the 1968 Heisman Trophy of Southern California Trojans tailback O.J. Simpson (not pictured) at Heritage Hall. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 30, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; General view of the 1968 Heisman Trophy of Southern California Trojans tailback O.J. Simpson (not pictured) at Heritage Hall. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /
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Sep 6, 2014; Waco, TX, USA; Baylor Bears offensive tackle Spencer Drango (58) and offensive tackle Troy Baker (75) and quarterback Seth Russell (17) celebrate a touchdown against the Northwestern State Demons during the game at McLane Stadium. The Bears defeated the Demons 70-6. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 6, 2014; Waco, TX, USA; Baylor Bears offensive tackle Spencer Drango (58) and offensive tackle Troy Baker (75) and quarterback Seth Russell (17) celebrate a touchdown against the Northwestern State Demons during the game at McLane Stadium. The Bears defeated the Demons 70-6. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /

It’s not official yet, but Seth Russell is the most likely player to direct Art Briles’ high-flying Baylor offense in 2015. He won’t be in many pre-season discussions when it comes to Heisman Trophy candidates, but assuming he becomes the next signal caller for Briles and the Bears, Russell will likely find himself in the thick of things next fall.

Robert Griffin III took home the Heisman in 2011 with Briles pulling the strings. Bryce Petty finished seventh in the voting in 2013 and tenth last year and amassed 8,055 passing yards and threw for 61 touchdowns with just ten interceptions in the process. 

Of course, Griffin was the second pick in the 2012 NFL Draft and Petty also has a future as a professional, so their production has as much to do with talent as coaching. Still, odds are that Russell (or whoever wins the starting job in Waco) will rack up video game numbers and compete for the Big 12 title and a spot in the College Football Playoff.

As for Russell, he was Petty’s backup in each of the past two seasons and has appeared in 15 games over that span. The 6-foot-3, 215-pound rising junior started against Northwestern State in the second game of 2014, a game in which he completed 16 of 25 passes for 438 yards and five touchdowns without an interception.

On March 20, Russell threw for 345 yards and four TDs in the Bears’ Friday Night Lights in-stadium scrimmage. In the final scrimmage of the spring, Russell connected on 14 of 21 pass attempts for 100 yards and one score.

Running back Shock Linwood (2,133 career rushing yards, 24 TDs) has a higher profile entering the season, but expect Russell to become the star in 2015 and become a dark course Heisman contender.

Next: Jared Goff

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