COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State coach Urban Meyer started the campaign on Monday, officially declaring Buckeyes quarterback J.T. Barrett as a candidate for the Heisman Trophy.
“I don’t know if my endorsement matters, but I do statistically — been fortunate to coach some guys that have been in New York, and he’s a Heisman candidate,” Meyer said.
True, Meyer does have experience working with Heisman contenders. He coached Tim Tebow at Florida when the quarterback won the award in 2007. Tebow also finished in the top 10 of the Heisman voting two other times under Meyer.
In 2004, Alex Smith finished fourth in the Heisman voting while quarterbacking a Meyer-led Utah team.
Barrett, despite struggling in games against Virginia Tech and Penn State, has thrown himself into the conversation this year by putting up big numbers.
Here’s Barrett’s resume:
• Passing: 165-258, 2,356 yards, 29 TD, 8 INT
• Rushing: 136 carries, 771 yards, 9 TD
• Best game: Barrett was 16-of-26 for 300 yards and three touchdowns, and ran for 85 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries in Ohio State’s win at Michigan State.
• Worst game: Barrett was 9-of-29 for 219 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions, while also rushing 24 times for 70 yards (2.9) and one touchdown in a September loss to Virginia Tech.
It seems Barrett, at least in some part, has put his struggles against Virginia Tech and Penn State enough in the rear-view mirror that people outside of Columbus are starting to consider him a legitimate Heisman candidate.
It’s helped that he’s had his two best games the last two weeks, putting on a show in tough road wins over then-No. 8 Michigan State and No. 25 Minnesota.
Sporting News declared it a three-player race between Barrett, Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota, and Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott. Others have Barrett fourth in the race behind Mariota, Wisconsin running back Melvin Gordon and TCU quarterback Trevone Boykin.
ESPN wasn’t as convinced last week, with Barrett only receiving one fifth-place vote in an experts’ poll released before the Buckeyes’ win over Minnesota.
There’s a lot that can happen between now and when the finalists are announced, but there’s no denying Barrett has put up some Heisman-worthy numbers this year. He’s another thing that can’t be denied: Barrett isn’t the only one filling up the stat sheet.
Here’s how the rest of the field stacks up:
Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon
• Passing: 186-277, 2,780 yards, 29 TD, 2 INT
• Rushing: 89 carries, 524 yards, 8 TD
• Best game: Mariota was 17-for-29 for 239 yards and three touchdowns, while also running 14 times for 114 yards and a touchdown in a win at Utah.
• Worst game: Mariota was 20-for-32 for 276 yards and two touchdowns, while running nine times for one yard in a loss to Arizona.
Dak Prescott, QB, Mississippi State
• Passing: 173-287, 2,521 yards, 20 TD, 10 INT
• Rushing: 165 carries, 861 yards, 11 TD
• Best game: Prescott completed 15 of 24 passes for 268 yards and two touchdowns, while running for 105 yards and one touchdown on 22 carries in a win at LSU.
• Worst game: Went 27-of-48 for 290 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions, while running for 82 yards on 22 carries in a loss at Alabama.
Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin
• Rushing: 223 carries, 1,909 yards, 23 TD
• Receiving: 11 receptions, 83 yards, 2 TD
• Best game: Gordon ran for an FBS record 408 yards, and four touchdowns, on 26 carries in a win over Nebraska.
• Worst game: Gordon ran 17 times for 38 yards (2.2) in a week two win over Western Illinois.
Trevone Boykin, QB, TCU
• Passing: 229-386, 3,021 yards, 24 TD, 5 INT
• Rushing: 122 carries, 548 yards, 7 TD
• Best game: Boykin was 22-of-39 for 433 yards and seven touchdowns in a win over Texas Tech.
• Worst game: Boykin completed 21 of 47 passes for 287 yards and one touchdown in a loss at Baylor.
Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama
• Receiving: 87 receptions, 1,303 yards, 11 TD
• Best game: Cooper had 10 receptions for 201 yards and three touchdowns in a win over Florida.
• Worst game: Cooper was held to two catches for 22 yards in win over Arkansas.
