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Heisman Trophy 2018: Who got snubbed?

By Cody Williams

LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 21: Gardner Minshew #16 of the Washington State Cougars passes during the second quarter against the USC Trojans at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on September 21, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 21: Gardner Minshew #16 of the Washington State Cougars passes during the second quarter against the USC Trojans at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on September 21, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /
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MORGANTOWN, WV – NOVEMBER 23: Will Grier #7 of the West Virginia Mountaineers in action against the Oklahoma Soonersrs on November 23, 2018 at Mountaineer Field in Morgantown, West Virginia. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
MORGANTOWN, WV – NOVEMBER 23: Will Grier #7 of the West Virginia Mountaineers in action against the Oklahoma Soonersrs on November 23, 2018 at Mountaineer Field in Morgantown, West Virginia. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) /

2. Will Grier, QB, West Virginia

With how prolific quarterback Will Grier and the West Virginia Mountaineers offense was last season, throwing for 3,490 yards and 34 touchdowns, it most certainly appeared as if the senior signal-caller was going to be among the leading candidates to win the 2018 Heisman Trophy right from the start of the season. And indeed, for much of the year, Grier was doing just that in regards to staking his claim for the award.

However, a midseason lull really damaged the candidacy of Grier. Not only did he throw two interceptions in a rollercoaster performance against Kansas State, but he then seemingly put it on cruise control in the following two games against Texas Tech and Kansas, which resulted in fine, but less-than-impressive games. That all led to an unthinkable stinker in West Virginia’s first loss of the year to Iowa State as he threw for just 100 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

Though West Virginia lost their final two games of the season, Grier was phenomenal over the final stretch of the season for the Mountaineers as he tried to rebound from that Iowa State game. Over the final five games, Grier’s lowest passing yardage total was 343 yards (with a peak at 539 against Oklahoma) and he threw for 15 touchdowns to just one interception over that span as well, adding three rushing touchdowns too for good measure.

On the year, Grier finished with 3,864 passing yards, 37 touchdowns and eight interceptions, along with those three rushing scores. Had it not been for West Virginia’s three losses and that lull in the middle of the season, Grier may well be heading to New York City. But alas, that’s not how things played out for the senior. Even still, he submitted a phenomenal final season in Morgantown.

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