’16 winner among finalists for honor
Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson has looked even better than last year, when his performance was good enough to make him the youngest player to win the Heisman Trophy.
This year, the junior has posted remarkably similar, eye-opening statistics but the attention has been more muted after Louisville stumbled through a 1-4 midseason stretch in ACC play.
His skills, leadership abilities and prospects as a pro quarterback have been questioned, particularly after defending national champion Clemson and QB counterpart Kelly Bryant defeated Jackson and the Cardinals 47-21 in September.
Jackson has sidestepped questions about his NFL future and remained focused on helping Louisville win. And though he doesn’t have the same talent around him as he did last year, he has led Louisville (8-4) to a three-game winning streak and a berth in the Dec. 30 TaxSlayer Bowl against No. 24 Mississippi State.
Jackson has earned a return trip to New York on Saturday as a Heisman finalist and can join Ohio State’s Archie Griffin (1974, ’75) as the award’s only repeat winners.
“I don’t really think about all that,” said Jackson, 20. “I just come into the game with a passion. I hate losing. I love to win, and that’s it.”
The stats he has compiled along the way have been impressive. He has:
Passed for 3,489 of his 4,932 yards of offense, a total 4 yards better than last year.
Scored 42 touchdowns (25 passing), just nine fewer than in 2016.
Improved his completion percentage from 56 to over 60 with just six interceptions.
Led the nation in total offense per game with 411 yards.
Become the first player in the Football Bowl Subdivision to surpass 3,000 yards passing and 1,000 rushing in consecutive seasons.
Been named the ACC Offensive and overall Player of the Year, with a school-record 12-game streak of 300-plus yards.
Former Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy has seen Jackson’s development and believes he has even more upside at the pro level.
“We forget, this kid’s really young,” said McElroy, an ESPN analyst. “I happen to think the best is way in front of him, and if I was an NFL talent evaluator, I would absolutely roll the dice on the kid.”