As we enter the final weekend of the regular season for the 2023 college football season, the Heisman Trophy presentation — which takes place in New York on Dec. 9 — inches closer and closer.
Right now, Oregon’s Bo Nix, LSU’s Jayden Daniels and Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. are at the forefront of the conversation, but there are also some Dark Horse candidates like LSU’s Malik Nabers and Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr., that have also found themselves in the mix as well.
When asked if Nabers’ impressive statistics (80 receptions, 1,424 yards, and 12 touchdowns) warrant an invitation to the Heisman Trophy ceremony, LSU head coach Brian Kelly suggested that other Tigers deserve consideration as well.
“Yeah those are pretty lofty numbers, but I think you have to include Brian Thomas‘ numbers, and Brian I think rivals Marvin Harrison‘s numbers right now and he’s in the conversation for the Heisman,” Kelly said, via On3. “I think if you take both my receivers, those two and what they have done could easily be in that conversation.”
Brian Thomas Jr., of course, is a big play threat in LSU’s passing offense, as the junior receiver has hauled in 55 receptions for 1,021 yards with 14 receiving touchdowns through 11 games this season. For comparison sake, Ohio State’s Harrison has 62 receptions for 1,093 yards with 13 receiving touchdowns.
“So if Marvin Harrison is in that conversation, I don’t know why both Brian and Malik wouldn’t be in that conversation,” Kelly said. “Again, all you have to do is look at the numbers.”
If you look at the numbers, then perhaps Daniels should be the betting favorite to win the prestigious trophy rather than Nix. Daniels has over 4500 yards of total offense, to go with 40 touchdowns. And No. 14 LSU still has another game remaining on the calendar against a Texas A&M program that’s already fired Jimbo Fisher.
“But I think that that’s probably why if you want to look at numbers Daniels’ numbers are starting to pull away from everybody. He’s nearly 1,000 yards of total offense ahead of the next candidate. So if we want to look at numbers this race is starting to distance itself,” Kelly later added.
It remains to be seen who will ultimately be chosen as this year’s Heisman, but three LSU players have certainly put themselves in the conversation, at the very least.
[On3]
About Sam Neumann
Since the beginning of 2023, Sam has been a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. A 2021 graduate of Temple University, Sam is a Charlotte native, who currently calls Greenville, South Carolina his home. He also has a love/hate relationship with the New York Mets and Jets.