Fansided

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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Mandatory Credit; Scott Donaldson- Getty Images
Mandatory Credit; Scott Donaldson- Getty Images /

6. Nick Fitzgerald, QB, Mississippi State

After a gruesome right ankle injury against rival Ole Miss last Thanksgiving night, Fitzgerald is back to full strength and ready to go under new Bulldogs’ head coach Joe Moorhead. Moorhead comes south to the SEC from being the offensive coordinator at Penn State, where he helped mold Trace McSorley into one of the top quarterbacks in the country.

Moorhead’s offense will be heavy with the run-pass option, which should fit Fitzgerald perfectly. His passing numbers fell some last year, even accounting for missing most of two games. But after running for 1,375 yards and 16 touchdowns in 2016 Fitzgerald ran for 984 yards and 14 scores last year in essentially 11 games.

Bovada has Fitzgerald at +5000 to with the Heisman Trophy this year, Oddsshark has him at +3500 and Westgate Sportsbook in Las Vegas has him at 60-1.

At SEC Media Days Fitzgerald shared the content of a text Moorhead sent him after he was hired, as an effort to set the bar high for his senior season.

"Hey, this is Joe Moorhead. I’m going to be your new head coach. For starters, I want you to clear off a spot on your mantel piece for the Heisman Trophy. I want you to learn what your ring size is right now, because you’re going to need it."

Mississippi State can confidently be booked for eight or nine wins again this year, despite the change in head coach. But Fitzgerald’s legitimacy as a Heisman candidate will be determined against Auburn (Oct. 6), LSU (Oct. 20) and Alabama (Nov.10), regardless of wins or losses in those games.