The Case for Love
A Home Run Hitter Every Time He Touches the Ball
Every season, pundits talk about a player needing “a Heisman moment.” Love has had several — to the point where they’ve become routine. Whether it’s the aforementioned pair of 40-plus yard touchdowns against Syracuse, the 49-yard strike against Navy, or my personal favorite, the 94-yard sprint against Boston College, his résumé is stacked with jaw-dropping plays.
Love has reached a level of explosiveness where fans now expect a home run every time he touches the ball.
Clear Frontrunner for the Doak Walker Award
Unlike most of his Heisman competitors, Love has clearly separated himself from the rest at his position. He is a shoo-in to win the Doak Walker Award, given annually to the nation’s best running back. The vote will likely be unanimous — as will his First-Team All-America selection.
That’s a distinction that can’t be applied to betMGM’s current Heisman favorite Fernando Mendoza (-105) or fellow quarterbacks Julian Sayin (+400), Diego Pavia (+600), Marcel Reed (+1300), or Gunnar Stockton (+4000). All five are talented. All five play quarterback. None has distanced himself at his position the way Love has.
All listed betting odds are subject to change
Entering Week 14, any one of half a dozen quarterbacks could win both the Heisman and the Davey O’Brien Award. But no one knows who that will be yet because none has separated himself from the pack. Love, on the other hand, has already left his positional peers in the dust — whether he plays this week or not.
Love’s Stats Stack Up With Past Running Back Heisman Winners
Since 2000, only three running backs have captured the Heisman: Reggie Bush (2005), Mark Ingram II (2009), and Derrick Henry (2015).
Love’s production compares favorably to all three. Through 11 games:
• Rushing TDs: Love has 17 — one more than Bush and equal to Ingram.
• Yards per carry: His 7.1 YPC exceeds Henry’s 6.5 and Ingram’s 6.1.
• Receiving TDs: His three receiving scores match Ingram’s total and surpass Bush’s two and Henry’s zero.
In virtually every comparable metric, Love stacks up with — or exceeds — past greats.