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College Football: 10 greatest players to never win the Heisman Trophy

By Dante Pryor

MADISON, WISCONSIN - NOVEMBER 09: Jonathan Taylor #23 of the Wisconsin Badgers runs with the football in the second half against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Camp Randall Stadium on November 09, 2019 in Madison, Wisconsin. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)
MADISON, WISCONSIN - NOVEMBER 09: Jonathan Taylor #23 of the Wisconsin Badgers runs with the football in the second half against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Camp Randall Stadium on November 09, 2019 in Madison, Wisconsin. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images) /
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GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN – DECEMBER 08: Senior Vice President of Player Personnel Doug Williams of the Washington Redskins at Lambeau Field on December 08, 2019 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)
GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN – DECEMBER 08: Senior Vice President of Player Personnel Doug Williams of the Washington Redskins at Lambeau Field on December 08, 2019 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images) /

Doug Williams probably did not stand a chance of winning the 1977 Heisman Trophy. He played for tiny Grambling State University in Louisiana.

The Tigers’ only opponent that was not an HBCU was Temple in the postseason. However, you cannot discount the season he had as a senior in 1977. Williams led the nation in passing yards, touchdowns, total yards, yards per attempt, yards per playcand was third in yards per attempt.

Williams’ finish in the Heisman race was the highest by a player from an HBCU until Steve “Air” McNair in 1994. His fourth-place finish was a testament to the season he had. It also gives pause and asks the question: “what if?”

Williams was 6-4 and 220 pounds with an elite level arm. There’s no way Williams ends up at Grambling if he’s being recruited now. With the way offenses are set around the quarterback and his talent for throwing the football, he could have put up Joe Burrow type numbers. He’d have a Heisman.

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