by While there is still a few more weeks left in the regular season, LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels just asserted himself as the best player in America last night against Florida. Take a look.
With that colossal stat line, Daniels became the first QB in FBS history to accumulate at least 350 yards passing and 200 yards rushing in a game.
Just another day in the office for No. 9.
Despite the Heisman-moment performance, Daniels only jumped to the fourth-best odds for the award via FanDuel this morning, sitting at +700 behind Marvin Harrison Jr., Michael Penix Jr. and Bo Nix. And to be real, the Heisman will more than likely be decided in that Pac 12 title game two weeks from now.
Regardless of what will most likely happen, we should seriously address what should happen. Daniels is piecing together a Johnny Manziel/Lamar Jackson-type season and it’s hard to argue another player having a greater individual impact for his team.
Daniels currently leads the nation in total offense with 408.2 YPG (57 more YPG than any other player), which is also more than 80 teams average per game this season. In fact, he’s posted 38 total touchdowns, which is more than 81 teams have scored this season. That’s utter dominance.
And to the naysayers who claim that he doesn’t deserve the award for “having three losses,” cry me a river. In LSU’s three losses this season, Daniels averaged 435 YPG and posted nine touchdowns while his high school JV team defense allowed 47 PPG over that stretch. Yeah, sure buddy, that’s on him.
No player should be penalized for his defense’s performances. Look at Caleb Williams last season or RGIII in 2011. Both of those guys’s defenses ranked 103rd (31.8 PPG allowed) and 113th in the country (37 PPG allowed) in those respective Heisman years.
Yet again, I digress. The harsh reality in the modern-day Heisman voting world is that nine times out of 10 the player who wins the prestigious award will be on a playoff-contending team. But I don’t care, Jayden Daniels is my Heisman. #GeauxTigers