NCAA Football: 25 Heisman Trophy finalists who should have won in hindsight

Steve Young holds a Super Bowl ring, two NFL MVP awards and has the second-most rushing touchdowns out of any NFL quarterback (43) in history. He led the league in passer rating for six different seasons, a record, and threw for 33,124 career passing yards. His 4,239 career rushing yards are third-most among all quarterbacks.

So how is one of the most decorated quarterbacks in NFL history not also a Heisman winner?

The BYU signal-caller finished the 1983 season with 3,310 passing yards, 33 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions, which were far superior to any other quarterback who vied for the award (interestingly enough, this list from 36 years ago included Boston College’s Doug Flutie, Nebraska’s Turner Gill and Maryland’s Boomer Esiason).

Young also rushed for 444 yards and eight touchdowns, presaging a prolific NFL rushing career. He held the quarterback record for rushing touchdowns until Cam Newton rushed for his 44th career score in 2016.

Nebraska running back Mike Rozier ran away with the Heisman Trophy with 2,148 rushing yards and 29 touchdowns. Rozier led an undefeated 12-0 Cornhuskers team into Orange Bowl at the time of the Heisman ceremony, shortly before falling to the Miami Hurricanes in the famous 31-30 failed two-point conversion game.

BYU, which then competed in the lower-profile Western Athletic Conference (WAC), largely flew under the national radar while compiling an 11-1 record. Yes, Rozier’s Big Eight competition was likely more challenging than BYU’s, but looking back, there’s no question on who had a greater impact on the game of football.