Jim McMahon‘s senior season at BYU in 1981 checked several boxes that a Heisman winner might normally have: A 10-2 squad that was on its way to defeating Washington in the Holiday Bowl, more than 3,500 passing yards and a 30 to 7 touchdown-to-interception count, all despite missing two games due to injuries.
McMahon endured several setbacks during his BYU career, where he began as a punter, only to take over as signal-caller after an injury. He later took a medical redshirt after an injury and he had to battle for the starting position the following season. The culminating point was, of course, the 1981 season in which he finished third in Heisman voting.
In 1981, McMahon threw for 3,555 yards (which was 700 more than a Pittsburgh quarterback named Dan Marino, who would go on to be an NFL great), 30 touchdowns, and seven interceptions for the aforementioned 11-2 Cougars team.
McMahon might have been a victim of USC running back Marcus Allen’s successful season. Allen rushed for 2,427 yards and 22 touchdowns, averaging 5.7 yards per carry. The Trojans did lose three times, so it was not as if the Heisman winner was a shoo-in by leading his team to a national title.
Looking back, it is tempting to say that McMahon was the victim of playing at a smaller and less prestigious school, while Allen played in the glamorized role at one of college football’s most esteemed institutions. It’s tempting to say this because these are legitimate points to bring up 38 years later.