Lamar Jackson has led our poll from the outset. The Louisville quarterback has put forth dominant performance after dominant performance. Recently, the Cardinals have started to struggle, and Jackson has looked mortal. In back-to-back weeks, the Cardinals got routed by Houston and then got upset by in-state rival Kentucky. Has Jackson’s hold on the 2016 Heisman Trophy started to slip?
Let’s take a look at how our voters reacted to this past week of college football…..
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What you’ll see each week in the TSS Heisman Poll:
* The top total vote getters, with quotes from the voters in support of their candidate.
* A list of all players receiving votes.
* Poll notes that look at some interesting facts, figures and trends of the poll.
* The TSS Roll Call of voters, with links to their respective blogs and twitter accounts.
Without any further ado, the first 2016 installment of the TSS Heisman Poll:
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1) Lamar Jackson (QB – Louisville): 18 points, 33.3% of votes, 5 first-place votes
Last week ranking: No. 1
Last week: Lost to Kentucky 41-38; 16 of 25 passing for 281 yards with 2 TD vs 3 INT; 171 yards rushing with 2 rushing TD
Season: 220 of 382 passing (57% completions) for 3390 yards with 30 TD against 9 INT and 1538 yards rushing, 6.5 ypc, 21 rushing TD
COMMENTS
OK, so the season ended with a couple of thuds for the Cardinals and perhaps Jackson fell back to the pack a little bit down the stretch. Does that mean I’m going to just forget about what he did the previous two and a half months? Nope.
– Kevin McGuire, The Comeback
Despite a loss, nobody did anything to come close to taking over the no 1 spot.
– Scott Halasz, Buckeye Battle Cry
Jackson has had a few hiccups coming down the stretch, but we’ve seen enough to declare him the best in the nation, which is what this award is supposed to represent.
– Phil Harrison, The Student Section
Yes, it’s been a crappy week for him but his numbers are otherworldly. He should be a lock to win it.
– Michael Abelson, The Student Section
2) Deshaun Watson (QB – Clemson): 15 points, 27.7% of votes, 2 first-place votes
Last week ranking: No. 2
Last week: Beat South Carolina 56-7; 27 of 33 passing (81%) for 347 yards, 6 passing TD vs 1 INT, 19 yards rushing
Season: 306 of 453 passing (67.5%) for 3626 yards, 34 TD vs 14 INT, 444 yards rushing and 4 rushing TD
This week: ACC Championship Game vs Virginia Tech (9-3)
COMMENTS
Lamar Jackson and Jabrill Peppers probably have gotten more pub over the season, but no one has been as consistently good every week as Watson, who will match his touchdown pass total from last year with one more in the ACC Championship Game. His completion rate is once again over 67 percent. Consistency like that deserves celebration.
– Bart Doan, The Student Section
It’s no coincidence that the Clemson Tigers have really turned the corner the past two years. With Deshaun Watson at the helm, they have the quintessential leader on and off the field. Not everything is about stats, but Watson’s are better than some would have you believe (6th in Nation in passing yards, 7th in Nation in TD passes, 9th in Nation in completion percentage). His team is also 11-1 and headed to the College Football Playoff for the second time in as many years.
– Kevin Causey, The Student Section
3) Jalen Hurts (QB – Alabama): 5 points, 9.2% of votes, 1 first-place vote
Last week ranking: No. 5
Last week: Beat Auburn 30-12; 27 of 36 for 286 yards with 2 TD and 2 INT; 1 rushing TD
Season: 209 of 317 (65.9% completions) for 2454 yards passing with 21 TD and 9 INT; 840 yards rushing with 12 rushing TD
This week: SEC Championship Game vs No. 15 Florida (8-3)
This week: at No. 2 Ohio State (10-1)
COMMENTS
Hurts is the difference maker for the Alabama offense. He’s an accurate passer (65.9% completion percentage) that can also beat you with his legs (840 yards rushing). This skill set makes him the most difficult player in college football to defend. If that doesn’t make him the most outstanding player in the country, I don’t know what does.
– Terry Johnson, The Student Section
Also receiving votes: D’Onta Foreman (RB- Texas) 3 points; JT Barrett (QB- Ohio State) 3 points; Adoree’ Jackson (CB- USC) 3 points; Curtis Samuel (RB- Ohio State) 2 points; Jabrill Peppers (LB/DB- Michigan) 1 point; Baker Mayfield (QB- Oklahoma) 1 point; QB Logan Woodside (QB- Toledo) 1 point; WR Dede Westbrook (WR- Oklahoma) 1 point; Austin Carr (WR- Northwestern) 1 point
Dropped Out: Donnel Pumphrey (RB- San Diego State); Greg Ward Jr (QB- Houston); Dalvin Cook (RB- Florida State)
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Poll Notes:
– Leaders from the past: Let’s take a look at our past Heisman polls from 2011 to 2015 at this point in the voting and see who was in the lead…..
2011: Trent Richardson
2012: Manti T’eo
2013: Jameis Winston
2014: Melvin Gordon
2015: Derrick Henry
– It now appears this is a two-man race. Lamar Jackson’s Louisville team is fading and his hold on the Heisman has taken a hit. Jackson lost two first-place votes this week and took a 5% drop in the overall vote. Jackson remained on the same number of ballots this week as last week but his support is not as strong as it has been.
– Coming off of an absolute demolition of in-state rival South Carolina, Clemson’s Deshaun Watson was the only big winner of the week. Watson picked up two first-place votes, which are his first this season. Watson also gained voters, as he went from being on four ballots last week to seven ballots this week. With one more game left, Watson has a big chance to make a late push for the trophy.
– Jalen Hurts has emerged as the bronze medalist in third place. Jabrill Peppers lost votes when Michigan fell to Ohio State and newcomers such as D’Onta Foreman, Adoree’ Jackson, and Dede Westbrook simply got too late of a start to make a real push at the Heisman (although Westbrook and teammate Baker Mayfield both have a chance to shine this week against Oklahoma State). Hurts has another game left and being on the number one team in the country can’t hurt his chances. He’s a longshot but if Watson falters, he could pick up the needed votes.
– If this is truly a two-man race, Watson’s game against Virginia Tech could very well decided the winner of the 2016 Heisman Trophy.
The Comeback Heisman Poll Roll Call
Andrew Coppens – The Comeback/Madtown Badgers (@andyonfootball)
Bart Doan – The Student Section (@TheCoachBart)
Kevin Causey – The Student Section (@CFBZ)
Kevin McGuire – The Comeback/Nittany Lions Den (@kevinoncfb)
Mike Abelson – The Student Section (@ABELSON)
Yesh Ginsburg- The Student Section (@yesh222)
Phil Harrison – The Student Section (@PhilHarrisonCFB)
Scott Halasz – Buckeye Battle Cry (@ohiostatescott)
Terry Johnson – The Student Section (@SectionTPJ)
