The 2016 Heisman Finalists: Breaking down the numbers
To make it to New York as a Heisman finalist, you have to have a great season.
That not only means producing lots of yards and touchdowns, it also means playing well in big games and coming through for your team in key moments.
Each of the 2016 Heisman finalists did just that. Here’s a breakdown of what got them invited to the Heisman ceremony and how those accomplishments compare to previous Heisman winners:
Lamar Jackson
The 6-3, 218-pound sophomore led Louisville to a 9-3 record and a No. 15 regular season ranking. He was second nationally in both total offense (4,928 yards) and in total offense yards per game (410.7). He is just the third player in FBS history to throw for at least 30 touchdowns and rush for at least 20, joining Heisman winners Tim Tebow and Cam Newton. However, he is the first FBS player to hit those milestones prior to the postseason. His total offense yardage would be the second-best in Heisman history behind Ty Detmer, who accumulated 5,022 yards in 1990, while his combined 51 touchdowns (30 passing, 21 rushing), would put him in a tie for third with Tebow on the all-time Heisman list behind Marcus Mariota and Sam Bradford, who each tallied 53.
Jackson topped the 400-yard total offense barrier eight times this season, which would tie him with Detmer for most 400-yard games of total offense in a Heisman-winning season. This includes a 610-yard effort against Syracuse (411 passing, 199 rushing) where Jackson fell one yard of becoming the first 400/200 player in FBS history. Should he win the Heisman, this performance would break the Heisman-record 576 yards of total offense produced by Johnny Manziel against Louisiana Tech in 2012.
His 1,538 rushing yards would put him at 19th on the all-time Heisman list (and first amongs quarterbacks), while his 21 rushing touchdowns would tie him with Tony Dorsett for 11th-most by a Heisman winner (and second amongs quarterbacks). His 30 passing touchdowns would tie him with Troy Smith for 11th on the Heisman charts while his 3,390 passing yards would place him 14th.
The pivotal game in Jackson’s journey came in mid-September against nationally-ranked Florida State when he passed for 216 yards, rushed for 146 and produced five total touchdowns in Lousiville’s 63-20 rout. His most efficient game came against Boston College, when he completed 12 of 17 passes for 217 yards and four touchdowns while also rushing for 185 yards and three scores. Accumulating 36 combined touchdowns by game seven to go with a remarkable highlight reel was no doubt instrumental in his becoming a Heisman finalist.
Here are highlights of Jackson from this season:
Baker Mayfield
The 6-1, 212-pound junior led the Sooners to a 10-2 record and the Big 12 title. Most remarkably, he led the nation in passing efficiency with a mark of 197.75, which is almost six points higher than the NCAA record of 191.78 set by Wisconsin’s Russell Wilson in 2011. If he were to win the Heisman, Mayfield would also better Robert Griffin’s regular season Heisman mark of 192.31.
Mayfield passed for 3,669 yards and 38 touchdowns with eight interceptions while completing 71.2% of his passes. He added 143 yards and six scores on the ground. His 44 total touchdowns would put him eighth on the all-time Heisman list, just ahead of Johnny Manziel’s 43, while his 38 passing TDs would tie him with Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota for sixth on the passing TD chart. His 9.44 yards per play is second nationally and slightly ahead of the Heisman mark of 9.42 held by Winston.
The OU quarterback really started to catch fire in mid-October. He helped the Sooners rebound from a 1-2 start, sparking a 9-game win streak that included 28 touchdown passes to go with an amazing passer rating of 208. Included in that stretch was a 545-yard, 7-TD effort against Texas Tech and an explosive 288-yard, 3-TD performance against No. 13 Oklahoma State to clinch the league title. Mayfield’s record numbers and clutch play down the stretch enabled him to be selected as a Heisman finalist.
Here are some highlights of Mayfield from this year:
Jabrill Peppers
The 6-1, 205-pound junior linebacker showed off his versatility for the 10-2 Wolverines by collecting 71 tackles (48 solo), 15 of them for loss, 3.5 sacks, 1 interception that he returned for 11 yards, a forced fumble, 167 rushing yards with 3 rushing TDs, 2 receptions for 3 yards, 21 punt returns for 310 yards and a touchdown and 260 yards on 10 kickoff returns.
He is the seventh player to become a Heisman finalist while playing primarily on defense, joining Brian Bosworth (’86), Steve Emtman (’91), Charles Woodson (’97), Ndamukong Suh (’09), Tyrann Mathieu (’11) and Manti Te’o (’12). He is the third linebacker to make it to New York, along with Bosworth and Te’o.
Like Woodson, he made a name for himself by showing off his skillset on offense and special teams in addition to defense. His early-season performance in a 45-28 victory over No. 11 Colorado put him on the Heisman radar as he totaled 99 yards on punt returns (including a 54-yard return for a TD that sealed the game for the Wolverines), 81 yards on kick returns and 24 yards rushing for a total of 204 all-purpose yards on just eight touches. He also had 9 tackles, including 3.5 for losses.
In the end, it was Pepper’s all-around performance throught the year that caught the eye of Heisman voters, leading to his invitation to New York as Michigan’s fifth finalist.
Here’s a look at Peppers this fall:
Deshaun Watson
One year after finishing third in the Heisman vote, the 6-3, 215-pound junior produced another stellar season, throwing for 3,914 yards and 37 touchdowns while leading 12-1 Clemson to its second-straight College Football Playoff experience.
In addition to his passing numbers, Watson also contributed 529 yards and six scores on the ground. If he wins the Heisman, his 4,443 yards of total offense would place him seventh on the all-time Heisman chart behind Marcus Mariota. His 43 total touchdowns would tie Johnny Manziel for eighth on the all-time list. His 3,914 passing yards would qualify him for sixth on the Heisman charts while his 37 passing TDs would place him in eighth.
Like last year, Watson had a strong finish to the season, tossing 17 touchdowns over the final six games while rushing for 5 scores. He was excellent in the ACC title game, passing for 288 yards and three TDs while rushing for 85 yards and 2 more scores in Clemson’s 42-35 victory over No. 18 Virginia Tech. That makes two-straight ACC titles for Clemson and Watson, who will go down as one of the great quarterbacks in ACC history. The combination of his steady production and outstanding leadership was key in returning him to New York for another shot at the Heisman.
Here’s a look at Watson this fall:
Dede Westbrook
The 6-1, 176-pound senior caught 74 passes for 1,465 yards and 16 touchdowns to help Oklahoma go 10-2 and win the Big 12 title. He finished fifth nationally in receiving yards, fourth in receiving yards per game (122.1) and tied for fourth in receiving touchdowns. His 19.80 yards per catch was tops nationally among receivers with 60 or more catches and he also led the nation with six receptions of 60 yards or more. In addition to his receiving prowess, he contributed 84 rushing yards on 7 carries, 79 yards (and a touchdown) on 4 punt returns and 227 yards on 8 kick returns.
Westbrook is the sixth wide receiver to be named a Heisman finalist, joining Raghib Ismail (2nd in ’90), David Palmer (3rd in ’93), Randy Moss (4th in ’97), Larry Fitzgerald (2nd in ’03) and Amari Cooper (3rd in ’14). If he wins the Heisman, he would break Desmond Howard’s records for receptions (61) and receiving yardage (950), while placing second to Howard’s 19 touchdown receptions.
The former JC transfer caught fire against TCU in game four, snaring 7 passes for 158 yards and 2 TDs. He followed up that with 10 catches for 232 yards and 3 TDs against Texas. If you want to know why he made it to New York as a Heisman finalist, check out his last nine games — all OU wins — as he averaged 6 receptions for 145 yards (24.2 YPC) and nearly 2 TD grabs per game while ripping off five plays of 60 yards or more. Simply electrifying.
Here are highlights of Westbrook doing his thing:
