ACC Football: Each team’s top Heisman Trophy candidate for 2020

If Travis Etienne seems like the contrarian pick for Clemson, it is. There are several reasons why Travis Etienne is Clemson’s Heisman candidate and not Trevor Lawrence. First, it is hard not to take a flyer on a player who’s averaged almost 8.0 yards per carry for his career. He’s a legitimate home run hitter who can score from anywhere on the field.

Not only is he dynamic with the ball, but Etienne is also one of the better receiving running backs in the country. He finished third on the team with 37 receptions last season. Expect the Tigers to lean on Etienne a bit more this season with the turnover they had at receiver.

There are going to be some new faces at receiver this season, and there might be an adjustment period while everyone gets used to their new roles. Head coach Dabo Swinney and his staff have not shied away from running Etienne when the running game sputters.

He’s so dangerous with the ball in his hand that the staff might just use him more than they have in the past. Consider this: Etienne averaged only 13.8 carries per game last season. Bump that up to 18 carries per game at his 7.8 yards per rush career average. That would give him 2,106 rushing yards.

If we apply the same metric to his receiving numbers, that will improve his receiving numbers as well. If Etienne has four catches per game, that will give him 60 — if they play 15 games again — and 702 receiving yards.

Those numbers could have him in New York.