Georgia all-everything running back Todd Gurley is an excellent dark horse to win the Heisman Trophy, and the sooner the bet is placed, the better.
The sophomore back is a 232- pound battering ram with break-away speed that can go around defenders, but he often chooses to run directly over them instead. He’s the best running back in the country, and more people are realizing it every week.
Gurley’s odds to win the Heisman currently sit at 20-1, according to Bovada. Smart money would go in as soon as possible, because the clock is ticking on his odds being that long.
With two monster performances against top-10 opponents already under his belt, a visit from LSU this Saturday gives him the opportunity to launch his Heisman candidacy with a third.
The Tigers’ defense had some issues tackling Auburn running back Tre Mason last week. Not only is Gurley on another level than Mason, but Aaron Murray will prevent the Tigers from loading the box against Gurley like they did against Mason.
Win or lose against LSU, Georgia still has the inside track to the Southeastern Conference Championship Game because it beat South Carolina. Florida would then be the only ranked team standing between the Bulldogs and an Eastern Division title.
And don’t forget, Championship Game Saturday is a great chance to make one last impression on the voters before the Heisman is awarded a week later.
Obviously, being the best running back in the country doesn’t guarantee a Heisman. In 2008, Mark Ingram became the only non-quarterback to win the award in the seven seasons since Reggie Bush’s now-revoked Heisman.
That’s part of what makes Gurley such a brilliant candidate.
In recent years, the award has been given to the quarterback with the most eye-popping statistics. Johnny Manziel was that quarterback last season, and he has as good a shot as any to do it again.
Now I love Johnny Football and could easily see him deserving the Heisman, but after everything that’s happened since they gave him the last one, the voters do not.
Imagine the following scenario: Johnny Football continues putting up Heisman-type stats and caps off his candidacy by walking into Baton Rouge and orchestrating another signature upset like the one he pulled off last November in Tuscaloosa.
It would be difficult to justify giving the trophy to another quarterback. Oregon’s Marcus Mariota, Louisville’s Teddy Bridgewater and Clemson’s Tajh Boyd will put up similar numbers, but Manziel does it in a better conference with less help around him. Fellow SEC signal callers like Murray and Alabama’s AJ McCarron won’t match the video- game numbers that Manziel records.
Then the voters will be faced with the decision of unofficially anointing Johnny Football as the greatest college player of all time by awarding him his second consecutive Heisman, or finding a non-quarterback to give the award to.
“What about a running back?” one voter supposes.
“Yes! That’s brilliant!” responds another.
And then the voters will turn their heads to Gurley. It won’t be a hack job. He’ll finish the season with Heisman-type numbers for a running back. Throw in some signature performances and a run to the SEC Championship in Atlanta; visions of Gurley striking the pose look a little more realistic.
It’s not a sure thing by any means, but at 20-1, there are a ton of worse things to invest in than Todd Gurley.