Marcus Mariota is going to win the 2014 Heisman Trophy* By Andy Hutchins Nov 10 2014, 11:58 AM It is only the second week of November, but theres no doubt about who will hoist this years Heisman. As long as he stays healthy. The front-runner QB Marcus Mariota, Oregon Ducks Against Pac-12 teams, hes completing 66 percent of his passes and averaging 9.6 yards per attempt (just off his 10.0 yards per attempt against all foes, which leads the nation), and has thrown for 21 touchdowns in seven games. Just five quarterbacks from power conferences have cleared the three TDs per conference game bar since 2008: Sam Bradford in 2008, Matt Barkley in 2010, Geno Smith and Tajh Boyd in 2012, and Jameis Winston in 2013. Connor Halliday also passed that threshold this year before his season-ending injury. All of them, even the two who won the Heisman, threw at least four interceptions in their respective seasons. Mariota has tossed two. With just Colorado and Oregon State left on the regular season schedule, the lone credible threat to Mariotas chances of being the statistically superior Heisman candidate and the leader of a College Football Playoff team is Arizona State, looming as the Ducks Pac-12 title game counterpart. Arizona State hasnt beaten Oregon since 2004, the only losing season in Mike Bellottis 14 years with the Ducks; that season was so bad Oregon hired a fancy new offensive coordinator in the offseason. It was so long ago that the guy they hired was Gary Crowton. Mariota needs to stay his course and nothing more to win the Heisman. And theres no indication whatsoever that he wont do that. So Marcus Mariota will win the Heisman*. *If he stays healthy. I remember Dennis Dixon, too. In need of a surge QB Dak Prescott, Mississippi State Bulldogs This weeks statistical comparison: Prescott vs. Tennessee-Martin: 14-for-23, 206 yards, two TDs; six carries, 54 yards, TD Mariota vs. Utah: 17-or-29, 239 yards, three TDs; 18 carries, 114 yards, TD Mississippi State didnt really run up the score on the Skyhawks, leading just 24-3 at halftime, but it was 38-3 after three quarters, by which time Prescott was out. Mariota played well into the fourth against Utah, so this isnt apples and oranges. But I dont think Heisman voters will care that much about that, given that Mariota wins head-to-head comparisons with all of his competition almost every week. Prescotts bigger problem is that hes got the trump card -- hes the quarterback of an undefeated SEC team -- and its worthless. Maybe Prescott lights up Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Johnny Manziel-style, this weekend. And maybe he punctures the Mississippi defense in the Egg Bowl. And maybe he puts on a show in the SEC Championship Game like Cam Newton once did. I dont know for sure if even all of that together is going to be enough for him this year. And, well, Alabamas favored by about a touchdown this week, so it might be a moot point next Monday, anyway. Trotting along QB Jameis Winston, Florida State Seminoles Jameis Winston has thrown more interceptions in his last two games than Mariota has thrown this or last season, and has thrown one fewer interception this year than Mariota has in his career. He runs like a truck with a flat tire even when not nursing a sprained ankle while Mariota glides like a Tesla, but, yes, Winstons clearly the better pro prospect, haters, and you just dont want him to win another Heisman because you hate #TalkinBoutTheNoles. If Winston plays well in a dominant Florida State win over Miami, well, maybe theres something interesting to talk about in regards to his candidacy come next week? But last year, when Winston wasnt really throwing picks, he threw two (with just one touchdown) against Miami (while also generally aerating the Canes, to be fair), so I wouldnt count on him being brilliant on Saturday night. The workhorse RB Melvin Gordon, Wisconsin Badgers Another week, another fine day on the ground from Gordon, who had 205 rushing yards, a score on the ground and a pretty 27-yard receiving touchdown. This is what he needs to keep doing against overmatched competition to get to New York. And if youre not Mariota, youre just looking for a trip this year. The fun dark horse QB Trevone Boykin, TCU Horned Frogs Its been a long, long while since weve seen a quarterback improve from year-to-year like this. Last year (and in 2012), Boykin was an exciting, athletic project at the position. He wasnt accurate, and he was playing in offenses that were average at best. Now, with a more open offense and a better command of it, Boykins a revelation. His 23 touchdowns this year are more than he had in his freshman and sophomore campaigns combined, and hes sitting on just four picks scattered across four games. Sure, hes been much better against unranked teams than against top competition, but TCU definitely didnt lose to Baylor because of what its offense did. In the four games since, Boykin has thrown 12 touchdowns against two interceptions. Hes not winning anything, but hes fun, and hes improved. That counts for something. Rip up your tickets QB Everett Golson, Notre Dame Fighting Irish QB Nick Marshall, Auburn Tigers Told you so.
Posted on: Wed, 12 Nov 2014 18:53:01 +0000
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