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Heisman watch 2018: 10 dark horse Heisman Trophy candidates

By Brad Berreman

ATLANTA, GA - JANUARY 01: McKenzie Milton #10 of the UCF Knights looks to pass in the first half against the Auburn Tigers during the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 1, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - JANUARY 01: McKenzie Milton #10 of the UCF Knights looks to pass in the first half against the Auburn Tigers during the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 1, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /
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Dark horse Heisman candidates
BOCA RATON, FL – DECEMBER 02: Devin Singletary #5 of the Florida Atlantic Owls rushes for a touchdown past Kemon Hall #16 of the North Texas Mean Green during the Conference USA Championship game at FAU Stadium on December 2, 2017 in Boca Raton, Florida. (Photo by Rob Foldy/Getty Images) /

7. Devin Singletary, RB, Florida Atlantic

Singletary topped 1,000 yards on the ground as a freshman in 2016, with 12 touchdowns while averaging 6.7 yards a carry. But Lane Kiffin’s arrival at FAU clearly agreed with the entire team, and Singletary led the country in rushing touchdowns (32) while finishing fourth in yards (1,920; 6.4 yards per carry) and tied for the FBS lead in carries (301).

With quarterback Jeff Driskel giving up football during the offseason and transfers De’Andre Johnson and Chris Robison competing to replace him, Singletary is in line for another heavy workload this season. Apart from getting plenty of carries as the clear workhorse, it’s worth wondering if offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. can find ways to up Singletary’s production as a pass catcher (19 receptions for 198 yards and a touchdown last year).

Singletary is on the preseason watch lists for the Doak Walker and Maxwell awards, for what it’s worth. FAU has also started a Heisman Trophy campaign for him, after doing so late last season with a reference to Singletary’s nickname (“Motor”), by putting billboards on a prominent freeway. Kiffin tweeted out a picture of a billboard, with the tagline “Heisman in Paradise.”

https://twitter.com/Lane_Kiffin/status/1019985108349194240

Win or lose in the Owls’ Sept. 1 season opener against Oklahoma, Singletary can push himself into the Heisman conversation with a nice game against a marquee opponent on the road. From there it will only get easier, with a follow-up against the sieve that was Air Force’s run defense in 2017 on Sept. 8 and a Sept. 21 road game against UCF of note.

If Singletary manages to get near a 2,000-yard rushing season again or surpass the mark, he will have a strong case to be one of the Heisman finalists heading to New York in early December.