USF Football: 5 reasons why Quinton Flowers will win Heisman in 2017

4. Flowers could notch some huge rushing numbers this season

Just as Quinton Flowers should progress as a passer, he will also shoulder more of the rushing load in 2017. Marlon Mack, South Florida’s three-year starter at running back, has moved on to the NFL. While seniors D’Ernest Johnson and Darius Tice will also see more carries, Flowers will probably carry the ball two to three more times per game.

That would equate to around 25 to 30 more carries over the course of the year, so Flowers would project to get around 225 carries this year. Last year, Flowers racked up 1,530 rushing yards on 198 carries. Let’s assume for the sake of argument that the senior doesn’t quite reach the same 7.7 yards per carry he did last year. At a reasonably increased workload, Flowers would only have to average 6.7 yards per carry to break 1,500.

He should hover around the seven-yard range and threaten to get 1600 or more yards. Last year Flowers also rushed for 18 touchdowns. It is entirely reasonable to assume he gets a few more scores on the ground this year. The 20-touchdown mark is entirely attainable.

It adds up the possibility of joining NIU’s Jordan Lynch as the only 3,000/1,500 dual-threat quarterback in FBS history. Lynch finished third in the Heisman voting in 2013 a year after NIU went to a BCS bowl. In 2012, Lynch set his historic benchmark but finished just seventh in Heisman voting. Flowers could blow away that mark during a New Year’s Six run for the Bulls.