2016 Heisman Trophy: Case for and against each finalist
By Jordan Luth
QB Lamar Jackson, Louisville
Through the month of September, Lamar Jackson was putting up astronomical numbers. He was the talk of the college football and was number one in early Heisman polls. Since then, he has returned to earth, but he still leads in the Heisman race.
Case for
The case for Lamar Jackson is simple, he is breathtaking when he is on his game. In the first four games this year he had 25 total touchdowns and 1,856 total yards. He was on pace to break all kinds of records. In those four games, Louisville never scored less then 59 points and absolutely took apart Florida State, 63-20. That game against Florida State could be seen as his “Heisman Moment.” Florida State was No. 2 in the country and Jackson ran all over them for 146 yards and four touchdowns. Another potential “Heisman moment” for Jackson could be him leaping over a Syracuse defender for a touchdown.
Although it ended in a loss, Jackson ran for 162 yards and two scores against Clemson. Jackson ended the year with 51 total touchdowns and 4,928 total yards. His stats are insane and if you’ve seen him play, then you know just how dominant he can be.
Case against
Lamar Jackson had Louisville in playoff contention as the season was coming to a close. That fell apart in the final two games of the year. Louisville went into Houston and came out with a 36-10 loss. Louisville was never in that game. Jackson;s completion percentage was under 50 percent and he ran the ball 25 times for 33 yards and no touchdowns. Louisville then had a disappointing end to the regular season with a home loss to Kentucky. Jackson threw three interceptions in that game and lost a fumble.
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In the final five games Jackson began to have a fumble problem. In those five games, he fumbled the ball six times and lost four of those fumbles. For most of the season, it seemed that Lamar Jackson had the Heisman locked up. With the way he and the Louisville Cardinals ended the season, the door may have been left open.
Jackson will have to wait and see if what he did earlier in the year was enough to keep the award in his hands or if the door has been opened up to another one of the finalist.