The Heisman Trophy: A Rising Star & A Fallen Hero
As I mentioned in my previous article, winning the Heisman trophy twice is an extremely difficult task, which has only been accomplished once before, by Archie Griffin. There is simply too much talent in college football today to do so.
With a weak defense like USC, it's unlikely for a quarterback like Caleb Williams to succeed in college football, as defense wins championships. Unfortunately, Lincoln has only had a decent defense with Ruffin McNeil. There is a reason why I picked Jayden Daniels as my favorite to win the Heisman Trophy before the season started. While the defense is not the best, it's still better than USC's.
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Should He Stay Or Should He Go?
Caleb Williams had his best game of the season against Colorado, who is ranked 127th in defense in the country. However, both Caleb and USC have not been performing well recently. In his worst game of the season against Notre Dame, he could not even pass for 200 yards. While he has a good deep ball, it's unlikely that he will be able to win a National Championship or consecutive Heisman Trophies. Caleb can rack up yards against lower-level PAC-12 opponents, but that's not necessarily remarkable. Tyler Buchner could probably do that.
There is a question that's been on everyone's mind: what should Caleb Williams do now? With two losses, some speculate that he may start preparing for the NFL combine. However, I believe that he owes Lincoln Riley more than that. Without Lincoln, where would Caleb Williams be? I don't think he would even be in the discussion for the number-one pick for at least two years without him. But should he stay another year? He may have hinted at it, but I don't think it's the best choice. If he stays, he will drop in the draft because of his age. At 23, NFL GMs are not as keen on injury-prone quarterbacks, even if they do come back and win the National Championship. Which I don't see happening.
What Does He Want Now?
It's amusing that he believes it's acceptable to make demands while still in college. Initially, he refused to play for the Cardinals, and now he's seeking ownership in any team that drafts him. However, we only know this because the NFL recently implemented new rules prohibiting players and employees from gaining ownership. It's merely a rumor, after all. I desire many things, but it doesn't imply that I'll get them. Ultimately, this isn't what I want to be known for before being drafted.
Finish The Season
I believe that Williams will play the remaining games of the regular season. I have been a great admirer of Washington throughout the year. However, next weekend they have to play at the Coliseum against USC. You may think that I am crazy, but I was one of the few people who believed that a two-loss Notre Dame team would defeat the undefeated USC team a while back. I will probably do the same next weekend and back a two-loss USC team to win against the undefeated Washington team because, as I always say, "every week is different in college football." This is because anything can happen in college football.
However, the week after will be quite different as the team will be playing at Autzen Stadium in Oregon, which is known to be a tough place to play. Oregon has a much better defense than USC and an equally powerful offense. Therefore, I predict that Oregon will beat USC and the Pacific Atlantic Conference will once again beat itself up. At that point, the Heisman and New Year's Six bowl game will be out of reach. Caleb Williams could sit after that to get ready for the NFL Draft. I mean there's only one game after and that's UCLA. They could also beat USC.
After The Season
It's uncertain where he will end up next. Caleb has even been rumored to stay back if he doesn't like the team that is going to draft him, However, some draft experts predict that someone will trade up for him. I agree unless Denver ends up picking first. If Denver ends up having the number one pick I could see Caleb not questioning if he is ending up in a good spot. Sean Payton left New Orleans because he couldn't find a replacement for Drew Brees in time. It's interesting that he returned just as another Mahomes-like QB is about to enter the draft.
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Heisman Trophy Rising Star
I'm not a huge fan of Caleb, but I don't hate him either. I'm just being realistic about his performance this season. Unfortunately, it looks like my prediction was correct and he's not doing very well. Instead, my pick for the Heisman was and still is Jayden Daniels. He is currently second in QBR and has the most all-purpose yards for a quarterback this season.
He is the LSU football team and has another great opportunity to shine in his upcoming game against Alabama. Although I don't think they will win, I believe he will put up a strong performance, which could solidify his chances of winning the Heisman trophy.
Jayden Daniels faces tough competition from Michael Penix, who is considered the favorite by many, except for Vegas, who currently has Michigan's quarterback, JJ McCarthy, as the favorite. I am not sure why though. Jayden Daniels is currently ranked third at +325 and is leading nearly every quarterback stat.
My +2000 bet on Daniels seems to be looking better and better every day. Caleb Williams, who was the favorite at the beginning of the season, has dropped far behind and is currently +6000. I am confident about Daniels' chances of winning the Heisman Trophy and believe that Williams will suffer at least two more losses this year.
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