Heisman Trophy: Burrow by a mile
But deciding who’s second and third creates lots of consternation.
This was the easiest Heisman Trophy ballot I ever filled out. And among the toughest.
Wait, what? Easy because putting LSU quarterback Joe Burrow at the top was like deciding to clear out your schedule to watch Bears-Packers. Duh.
Hard because there were five strong candidates for the final two spots. (Side note: It’s crazy that baseball’s American League and National League MVP ballots have you list 10 players, while the Heisman is confined to three.)
My final five (listed in alphabetical order):
J.K. Dobbins, Ohio State: His absurd speed-power combo helped him enjoy beastly games against Wisconsin (163 rushing yards, 8.2 per carry) and Michigan (211 rushing yards, four touchdowns). He totaled 100 carries in down-thestretch victories over Penn State, Michigan and Wisconsin, doling out almost as many hits as he took.
Justin Fields, Ohio State: The stats are obscene — 40 touchdown passes, one interception and 10 rushing touchdowns. Fields is the engine that drives the nation’s top-scoring offense. He’s tough too. After taking a shot to the knee at Michigan, he fired an immaculate touchdown pass on his first play back on the field.
Jalen Hurts, Oklahoma: For a time it looked as if Oklahoma would be christened the new Quarterback U with a third straight Heisman winner. Hurts fell off with modest performances against TCU and Oklahoma State and threw 10 picks in his final seven games. He still ended up third behind Burrow and Tua Tagovailoa in passing efficiency rating.
Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin: What a player — and what a Renaissance man.
Taylor rushed for 1,977 yards as a freshman, 2,194 as a sophomore and has 1,909 heading into the Rose Bowl against Oregon. He displayed amazing speed and agility on his 44-yard touchdown run in the Big Ten title game. A big knock, though, is his penchant for fumbling.
Chase Young, Ohio State: Young has a jaw-dropping combination of size, speed and the ability to make razor-sharp turns to slam into quarterbacks. His 16½ sacks are 2½ more than any player in the FBS — and Young racked them up despite a twogame NCAA-imposed suspension. He was quieted, though, in his final two games as Michigan and Wisconsin found ways to neutralize him.
The verdict: 1) Burrow; 2) Young; 3) Dobbins.
The final slot came down to Dobbins and Fields. I went back and forth. Both are brilliant talents. The tiebreaker: Dobbins is a junior who’s likely headed to the pros. Fields is a sophomore who can win the award next year.
Didn’t know how else to decide.