Heisman Hype 2017: One candidate from each conference to be excited about
By Jack Crosby
The college football season has arrived so it’s time to start guessing who has the best chance to walk away from New York City with the Heisman come December
You can have all the qualms you desire, but the fact of the matter is the Heisman Trophy is one of the most prestigious awards in all of sports, and it’s certainly the most coveted in the great sport of college football. Each and every year we revel in the performances of spectacular players throughout the season as they state their case to be called the best player in the country week-in and week-out.
This year will be no different, and with the 2017 college football season set to kick off soon, there’s really no better time to take a look at some of the players who will have us excited to watch them on their Heisman quest throughout the 2017 season.
Chasing Archie Griffin
Louisville QB, Lamar Jackson (ACC)
It just makes all the sense in the world to lead off this list with the player that walked away from New York City with the bronze statue last December, Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson.
Jackson had one of the most dominant Heisman seasons ever in 2016 as he continually wowed us with his freakish athletic talent, embarrassing opposing defenses in the process. He didn’t have a ton of preseason hype coming in last year, but after an early mauling of the Florida State Seminoles in Louisville, Jackson was pegged the Heisman favorite and he never looked back from there. Despite a shaky end to the 2016 season, Jackson finished with 3,543 yards through the air and 30 touchdowns to just nine interceptions. He also added 1,571 yards rushing on the ground and 21 touchdowns. 51 total touchdowns is just pure absurdity at its finest when it comes to an accomplishment on the football field.
The reigning Heisman winner now is back for head coach Bobby Petrino for at least one more season and it’s almost somewhat odd how he’s not discussed as often as you’d think when Heisman contenders gets brought up. But we have seen the damage this young man can do on the football field with his arm and his legs and he’s also reportedly gotten bigger and faster.
Should Jackson not miss a beat from last year, he gets the help he needs from those around him and he’s still like a video game come to life, it’ll be a treat to watch him on his quest to become the first two-time winner of the Heisman since Ohio State’s Archie Griffin.
Running wild in Happy Valley
Penn State RB, Saquon Barkley (Big Ten)
The Penn State Nittany Lions offense was a joy to watch last year, especially when they went on their tear at the end of the season which helped earn them a Big Ten Championship and a trip to the Rose Bowl. While quarterback Trace McSorley is talented in his own right, without a doubt the most electrifying player on the Penn State offense — and in all the Big Ten, for that matter — is running back Saquon Barkley.
Barkley rushed for over 1,000 yards during his freshman season in 2015, but last year he really came into his own as one of the best playmakers in the country, tallying 1,496 yards on the ground with 18 touchdowns, while adding in 402 yards worth of receiving out of the backfield and four scores.
Penn State is seen as a legitimate national championship threat entering this season and the playmaking acumen of Barkley is a very good reason for that. If the Nittany Lions are going to earn that College Football Playoff berth they narrowly missed out on last year, a big reason for that will definitely be because Barkley played absolutely out of his mind again and we are very much here to watch him try to top himself this year.
Back for one more chance
Oklahoma QB, Baker Mayfield (Big 12)
In 2015, he finished fourth in the Heisman voting. In 2016, he finished third in the Heisman voting. Now jumping up one more spot again in the final Heisman voting won’t nab Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Baker Mayfield the accolade that’s eluded him the past two years, but it’s going to be mighty fun to watch him try to take a two-spot leap this season to end his career walking out of New York City happy in December.
Mayfield decided to return for his senior season in Norman after the former Texas Tech walk-on had the best year of his career in 2016. He completed 70 percent of his passes for 3,965 yards, 40 touchdowns and he threw just eight interceptions. While the Sooners didn’t enjoy another trip to the College Football Playoff like they did during Mayfield’s sophomore season in 2015, they still captured another Big 12 title and the Oklahoma signal-caller proved once again he’s one of the best players in the nation, without question.
With offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley taking right over for the recently retired Bob Stoops, Mayfield should once again thrive in this offense and make one final run at the Heisman. Whether or not he can keep up his insane numbers without the services of wide receiver Dede Westbrook, who now plays for the Jacksonville Jaguars, is a different story altogether, though.
The new face of Los Angeles football
USC QB, Sam Darnold (Pac-12)
There probably isn’t a player in the country receiving more Heisman hype entering the 2017 college football season than USC Trojans quarterback Sam Darnold, and for good reason. As a redshirt freshman last season, Darnold quickly made a name for himself when he resurrected the Trojans’ season after a 1-3 start and led them to a Rose Bowl win over Penn State in January. He was sitting on the bench during USC’s opening-week blowout loss to the Alabama Crimson Tide, but by the time the season came to a close, Darnold turned himself into a household name within the college football realm.
Being the star quarterback for the USC football program has always brought with it much responsibility and expectations, so this season we’ll see if the redshirt sophomore is really up to the task. Sure, there was some obvious pressure on Darnold last year while he threw for over 3,000 yards and 31 touchdowns, but that will be heavily amplified this season as USC opens up as the No. 4 team in the nation in the AP Poll and are considered locks by some to take the Pac-12 away from the Washington Huskies. With that, too, some are calling this USC team led by Darnold a legitimate national title contender.
Darnold has to deal with some loss like any other quarterback — the departure of veteran wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster will especially sting a bit — but we’ve seen how well he can spread the ball around the field and get everyone involved. So sooner rather than later, the Heisman could be making its way back to Los Angeles off the arm of Sam Darnold.
Leonard who?
LSU RB, Derrius Guice (SEC)
Well, the much-hyped college football career of Leonard Fournette with the LSU Tigers has come to an end, as the former top recruit was selected with the No. 4 overall pick in the NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars. You know what, though? Permanent head coach Ed Orgeron and the Tigers are gonna be A-OK, because stepping right into full-time duty now is Derrius Guice.
As a matter of fact, casual fans may forget that last season it was not Fournette who led the team in rushing. No, as Fournette dealt with nagging injury, Guice showed the damage he could do in the Baton Rouge backfield by rushing for 1,387 yards and 15 touchdowns. Guice is fast, he’s explosive — he’s basically your run-of-the-mill, top-notch running back from the mighty Southeastern Conference.
As the 2017 season begins, the spotlight is solely on him now, and following the performance he put on last season, a Heisman run is absolutely not out of the question. With the Tigers once again probably not having a stable situation at quarterback, Guice will definitely be getting a Heisman load of carries, that we can just about be sure of.
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Many called it a lock when he committed to LSU that Fournette would bring the coveted bronze statue to Baton Rouge, but it may actually end up being his replacement who’s standing tall inside the Downtown Athletic Club hoisting up the 2017 Heisman Trophy.