Here's your next Heisman winner...Ohio State Running Back, Ezekiel Elliott...Yes, the Heisman has become a QB dominated award...11 of the last 12 winners have been QB's...Elliott, like past Ohio State Heisman winners, Eddie George and Archie Griffin, Elliott will restore college football's faith in a dominating running back...
Last year, the 6'0", 225 running back rushed for 1,878 yards...696 of those he racked up in the last three games...220 yards against Wisconsin in the Big-Ten Championship game...230 yards against #1 Alabama in the playoff game...And then 246 yards against Oregon in the National Championship game...
Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer said, "he's the most underrated back in America. He's the most post-contact-yards guy I've ever been around."
When new Ohio State running backs coach Tony Alford came to Columbus from Notre Dame, he didn't hold back his excitement when asked what it would be like coming from ND to Ohio State..."I don't know, it's pretty easy to drive a Lexus after you've been a Volkswagen."
While many of the talking heads predict that either Buckeyes QB, Cardale Jones, or J.T. Barrett have a good shot at the award, I'm not sold since we haven't seen either put together a full season...Elliott is the key to the offense....
Having the National spotlight on Ohio State will help his chances...
....That is my front-runner...My prediction of who will win...In past years I make you wait until the end for that...But each year since I have done this, I have nailed it, or at the very worst, had two of the finalists in my list of Heisman hopefuls...So here are the other guys to watch...
-USC Quarterback, Cody Kessler...
Kessler had an excellent season last year on an average Trojans team...He threw for 3,826 yards with 39 TD's...He threw just 5 INT's, and had a completion percentage just of 69.7%...The Trojans are coming off probation, and have some solid play-makers for Kessler to get the ball to...He also has a solid O-Line in front of him...The biggest question is if the team has a enough depth if they sustain injuries...
-TCU Quarterback, Trevone Boykin...
He's already working on the pose...Boykin, ran the high-powered, high-tempo, TCU offense almost flawlessly last season...He is THE dual-threat QB, as his numbers from last season prove...3,901 yards passing with 33 TD', with 10 INT's...Adding 707 yards on the ground with another 8 TD's...
Working against Boykin is that he plays at TCU, which doesn't always get the credit it deserves...Also, I'm not sure TCU can win the Big-12...A Baylor squad returning almost everyone may be too much for the Horned Frogs...
-Miss State QB, Dak Prescott....
Prescott got a look last year while his Bulldogs were 9-0...Then they hit a bad skid, and that was it...He will get early season talk, but I don't think he has a much of shot...The SEC won't be surprised by Miss State this year...Also a key factor...the Bulldogs have to replace Prescott's entire O-Line...
His numbers last year were pretty good...They say the SEC plays defense, but clearly they don't...Prescott threw for 3,449 yards with 27 TD's...He rushed for 986 yards and 14 more TD's...
-Georgia RB, Nick Chubb...
As a Freshman Chubb put up 1,547 yards with 14 TD's...A 7.1 yards per carry average is a nice start to a college career...With Todd Gurley gone, the job is all his...Reports have compared his offseason work ethic to Herschel Walker...
-Sleeper:
Auburn QB, Jeremy Johnson...
In limited duty were Johnson saw snaps in 6 games, he completed 28 of 37 passes for 436 yards, 3 TD's, and no INT's...The Auburn coaching staff feels their run-first-spread offense won't miss a beat with Johnson, and feel he will be a bi-time player...Again, this is a guy who will benefit from the SEC's lack of strong defense...You know, that strong defense they all say they have...
-Really long-shot...This is my Dark-horse...
-Notre Dame QB, Malik Zaire...
Zaire was dubbed Notre Dame's "running QB"...After a solid performance against LSU in the Music City Bowl, where he threw for 96 yards, and rushed for 96 yards, putting up a TD via both ground and air, the rumbles started in South Bend...Eventually it became clear during workouts, and Everett Golson transferred to Florida State where right now he is the #3 guy...
Zaire went back to the Elite 11 this year camp as a counselor...When he was a camper there, (then an option QB) he nearly won the competition...Camp coach, Trent Dilfer had high Praise for Zaire watching him work now as a counsler...
Speaking about Zaire's work ethic Dilfer said, “He’s a machine. He’ll go until he dies.”
Here is what Dilfer said when he was asked how Zaire has evolved as a passer?
“He’s so much more advanced as a passer. Not that he wasn’t before, but I remember getting him from high school, and everybody was saying he’s just a runner who can throw a little bit. And anyone who’s still saying that, I think it’s crazy. He is going toe-to-toe with (Penn State quarterback) Christian Hackenberg, (USC quarterback) Cody Kessler, with all of these supposed passers, and he’s ripping it around as good as anybody. I think Malik has the curse like a lot of college quarterbacks these days that they’re so dynamic as runners that they get devalued as passers. But I think Malik is an exceptional passer.”
Yes, I'm a ND fan...But I'm not saying he's going to win...He's just my long-shot...Hey, I hate Ohio State, and I've got Elliot winning the thing...Don't gamble with your heart...Dad taught me that a long time ago...But if the Irish can notch at least 10 wins, Zaire will be a huge reason why, and may actually get some notice...
Feel free to share your thoughts...
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