The International Business Times writer Greg Price shares the following information regarding the Heisman voting:
Three different voting groups will determine if Alabama Crimson Tide wide receiver Amari Cooper, Wisconsin Badgers running back Melvin Gordon, or Oregon Ducks quarterback Marcus Mariota become the 80th winner of the award. According to the Heisman Trophy Trust, there will be 929 total votes, composed of 870 sports media members, 58 previous Heisman winners and one fan vote facilitated by Nissan and ESPN.
TheAOSN.com takes a look at the three candidates who have received their invite. We will take a look at their season and then make an official selection. After picking the winner; we will choose the player who will have the biggest impact in the NFL.
Amari Cooper
Cooper had an unbelievable season, with 115 catches for 1,656 yards and 14 TDs. During the season, he had three games with over 200 yards receiving. An amazing fact regarding that is that when you take a look at the entire history of Crimson Tide football, there had only been two games where that had occurred before, if one needed any proof of how Cooper elevated the passing game of the Tide.
Cooper finished the season very strong, which could be a factor in Heisman voting. In the regular season finale, the “Iron Bowl” matchup against Auburn, Cooper finished the game with 13 catches for 224 yards. Three of those thirteen catches ended up in the end zone, scoring on catches of 17, 39, and 75 yards.
Cooper was shut out of the end zone in the SEC Championship game, but he set the SEC Championship game record with 12 catches. Throughout the season, teams knew that the ball was going to him, but they still could not stop him from setting records for catches and yards. He blew past Julio Jones’ marks just like he blew past the defensive backs who tried to guard him.
Melvin Gordon
Melvin Gordon was an absolute workhorse for the Wisconsin Badgers, with over 309 carries this season (third in the nation). Those carries amassed 2,336 yards to lead the nation, blowing away the competition in the process: Trevin Coleman, who was in second place, was a full 300 yards behind Gordon. Gordon also had the most rushing touchdowns in the nation with 26. Simply put, he dominated the running back position.
Gordon will have a shot at the single season record when the Badgers play the Auburn Tigers in the Outback Bowl. He needs 292 yards to accomplish the task but he has gained that many yards before in a single game and he is playing against a Tigers team that has also given up many yards this season. Even if he does not gain a single yard, he will leave with the Big Ten single-season record. After the Heisman Award show and the Badgers bowl game; he will be headed to the NFL.
Marcus Mariota
Marcus Mariota has dominated all season. In 2014, Mariota set a PAC-12 record with 53 touchdowns. He secured them through the air (38 TDs), on the ground (14), and even receiving (1). While scoring all those touchdowns, he also set a new passing yardage record for Oregon.
Take a look at these impressive stats:
He was 254 for 372 (68%) for 3,783 yards, with 38 TDs and only 2 INTs. His QB rating was 186.3, a full 20 points ahead of the second-ranked quarterback in the nation (Brandon Daughtry from Western Kentucky). In the Rose Bowl, he will be facing last years Heisman winner Jameis Winston. This year, Mariota had a QB rating 40 points over Winston, a stat that was one of the reasons why Winston did not get invited to the party.
Mariota is not just a passer though, he is a strong runner as well, making him a legitimate dual threat. He rushed the ball 117 times for a very respectful 669 yards (7.2 yards a carry) and 14 TDs.
Perhaps his most impressive stat is that he contributed to at least 4 TDs in a game ten times.
A RB, WR and a QB Invited
Thus, we have a running back, wide receiver, and quarterback that have been invited to the party. Each one of them has been the best at their respective positions this season. The invites were correct as these three are truly heads and shoulders better than their counterparts.
TheAOSN Prediction
Marcus Mariota will win the Heisman. The 53 combined touchdowns with only two interceptions cannot be beat.
However, if you are an NFL executive, grab Amari Cooper as fast as you can.
(Feature image: AP Photo/John Raoux)