As we approach Week 5 of the college football season, it’s now time we start pinpointing the guys that will be sitting in the front row at the Heisman Trophy awards ceremony. As we take a look at this season, it appears once again that it’s the year of the QB.
Tua Tagovailoa
For starters, you have the big name guys like Tua Tagovailoa and Jalen Hurts leading the pack. Tua might be the most polished player of them all and figures to be the best at the next level, but that’s not what the award is all about. So much of it, obviously, is the gaudy stats that you put up throughout the year, but it’s also how much value you add to your team. Tua is probably the Tide’s most talented Quarterback they have ever had. His stats this year are amazing: 1,300 yards passing, 17-0 TD-INT, and a 77.7% completion. But let’s not deny the fact that Alabama’s receivers are world-class and could very legitimately both be first-round picks in Jerry Jeudy and Henry Ruggs III.
Jalen Hurts
Jalen Hurts doesn’t figure to have as high of a ceiling in the pros as Tua but in the right system, which he’s in it right now, he can have a ton of success. I truly believe if he stays healthy and continues to have the success he’s had so far, he can join Deshaun Watson in the 4,000/1,000 club. His current stats are pretty amazing, but that’s no surprise in an Oklahoma offense: 880 yards passing, 9 pass TD, 0 INT, 80.3% completion, 373 yards rushing, and 4 rushing TD. These are stats through 3 games as Oklahoma is coming off a bye week. There is a real shot Lincoln Riley could produce 3 straight Heisman Trophy-winning Quarterbacks.
Joe Burrow
One guy that has really made me do a double-take is Joe Burrow from LSU. After watching the LSU game, I thought to myself and I said I could not believe the transformations from year-1 to year-2. This season he looks like a Quarterback that could potentially give LSU a shot at beating Alabama, something LSU hasn’t done since 2011. Burrow’s stats are really impressive: 1,570 yards passing, 17-2 TD-INT, and an 80.6% completion. The changes LSU made this
There is a shortlist of other Quarterbacks that could potentially fight there way into the top three including Justin Fields, Justin Herbert, and Sam Ehlinger but they will need to prove they can win the big game if they want a shot, because as I mentioned it’s not all about stats. If Trevor Lawrence can find a way to turn his season around there is a guarantee he will make his way up there as well. Another guy that I LOVE and thought since Week 2 had a shot at leapfrogging into the top 3 is Anthony Gordon, from Washington State. Not many people know him because they don’t stay up that late to watch Wazzoo’s football games but his numbers this season are ridiculous. Look at these through four games: 1,894 yards passing, 21-4 TD-INT, and a 74.9% completion. If Washington State can win out the rest of the season, and they play some ranked teams the rest of the way, I would not be surprised if the Senior QB sneaks his way into the top 3.
