7 Senior Stars with the Best Shot at the Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Trophy has become a young man’s award. In recent years, college football has become a game that thrives on young stars who excel quickly and then depart early for the NFL. Its biggest award has reflected that trend. Star players who hang around for all four seasons of collegiate play are exceedingly rare. No senior has won the award since Ohio State’s Troy Smith in 2006.
However, there is a strong group of senior candidates who could change that trend this fall. These players are focal points of strong teams with standout offenses, and if they thrive, we could have a senior Heisman Trophy winner in 2015. Here are the seven senior stars with the best shot at winning the Heisman Trophy.
TCU QB Trevone Boykin
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Last fall, Trevone Boykin was the breakout star of the 2014 season. Boykin had bounced around from quarterback to wide receiver in his college career, but when TCU installed the air raid offense, it was a natural fit for Boykin.
He threw for 3,901 yards with 33 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, adding 707 rushing yards and eight touchdowns. The Horned Frogs finished 12-1 and just missed the College Football Playoff, putting an emphatic bow on the season with a 42-3 Peach Bowl rout of Ole Miss. Boykin is back this fall, and so are 10 TCU offensive starters.
A dynamic player, Boykin is an early front-runner for the Heisman Trophy and will have an excellent chance if the Frogs perform as many expect them to.
Michigan State QB Connor Cook
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When Connor Cook decided to return to college for his senior year, Michigan State scored one of the biggest victories of the offseason. The Spartans must replace their leading rusher and receiver, but Cook is a huge piece for Mark Dantonio to build around in 2015.
Cook has steadily improved as a starter. Last fall, he threw for 3,214 yards with 24 touchdowns against eight interceptions and was a steady leader for the Spartans’ offense. His leadership will be crucial again this fall as Michigan State builds its offense, and if MSU lands a College Football Playoff perch, he’ll be a prominent Heisman candidate.
USC QB Cody Kessler
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USC is expected to be a dark-horse College Football Playoff contender this season, and one big reason why is Cody Kessler’s return to school. Kessler quietly had one of the best seasons among college quarterbacks in 2014, throwing for 3,826 yards with 39 touchdowns against five interceptions.
This offseason, Kessler will lose top receiver Nelson Agholor to the NFL draft, but he'll still have a talented roster to throw to. He is an excellent pocket passer, and if the Trojans make a playoff run, Kessler will make much more noise nationally.
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Arizona State RB D.J. Foster
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Arizona State has recorded back-to-back 10-win seasons, and the Sun Devils’ offense has been a huge reason why. ASU’s fast-paced offense averaged 36.9 points per game last fall, No. 17 nationally. It also scored a big victory when D.J. Foster decided to return to Tempe for his senior season.
Foster is one of the most dynamic tailbacks in America. Last fall, he rushed for 1,081 yards and nine touchdowns while also catching 62 passes for 688 yards and three scores. Foster is fast and versatile, and if the Sun Devils thrive under new quarterback Mike Bercovici, it isn’t inconceivable to see him in New York for the Heisman Trophy ceremony.
Ohio State QB Braxton Miller
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Perhaps the most interesting story in college football is Ohio State’s quarterback situation.
The Buckeyes enter preseason practice with signal-caller depth that would make any team envious. They have Cardale Jones, who led the program to a College Football Playoff national title, as well as J.T. Barrett, who threw for 2,834 yards and 34 touchdowns against 10 interceptions and rushed for 938 yards and 11 scores, keying the playoff surge before missing the season's end with a broken ankle.
Oh, yeah, and Braxton Miller, too. Miller’s shoulder surgery gave Barrett and Jones their opportunities, but he might be the most polished quarterback on the roster.
SI.com's Andy Staples says Ohio State might have the most unique quarterback story in college football history.
"It's awesome," Ohio State offensive coordinator Tim Beck told Staples. "They love each other. They care about each other. It's an incredible dynamic I walked into. Really interesting."
In 2013, Miller threw for 2,094 yards with 24 touchdowns against seven interceptions and rushed for 1,068 yards and 12 touchdowns. If Miller emerges as the winner of Urban Meyer’s quarterback derby, he’ll be a strong candidate to win the Heisman behind Ohio State’s stacked roster.
Mississippi State QB Dak Prescott
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Last fall, Mississippi State made the leap from SEC West also-ran to national title contender, spending four weeks as the nation’s No.1 team before fading down the stretch with losses to Alabama and Ole Miss. Quarterback Dak Prescott was a huge reason why.
Once he was healthy, Prescott emerged as one of the nation’s premier signal-callers, throwing for 3,449 yards with 27 touchdowns against 11 interceptions while rushing for 986 yards and 14 touchdowns.
His unique blend of skills keeps defenses honest and makes the Bulldogs’ offense hum. With Josh Robinson’s departure, Prescott is Mississippi State’s leading returning rusher, and he returns his leading receiver in De’Runnya Wilson. If he can stay healthy and MSU thrives, Prescott will be a strong Heisman candidate.
Navy QB Keenan Reynolds
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2014 was a bit of a down year for Keenan Reynolds. The Navy quarterback fought through injuries and threw for 843 yards with six touchdowns against three interceptions while rushing for 1,191 yards and 23 touchdowns. Both numbers were down from his junior season, but it should be noted that he missed two games with injuries.
If Reynolds is healthy, he’ll put up big numbers as a focal point of Navy’s flexbone offense. He isn’t a classic Heisman candidate. After all, no service academy player has won the award since former Navy quarterback Roger Staubach in 1963. But if the Midshipmen have an outstanding season, Reynolds will have a huge say in it and would be a fascinating Heisman candidate.
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