The Heisman Memorial Trophy Guidelines
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Guidelines yearly recognize the most outstanding college football athlete whose performance best mirrors the pursuit of excellence with integrity. Winners of the Heisman trophy epitomize great ability combined with diligence, perseverance, and hard work.
Jalen Hurts: Heisman Trophy Finalist
The Heisman Trophy Trust’s mission is to make sure they continue the history and integrity of this award. Did Jalen live up to this standard?
- Excellence with Integrity – Proven winner with 37-3 record and a college graduate
- Diligence – Diligence, careful and persistent work or effort. Jalen has continually strived to work hard, pursue excellence, and regardless of the situation. His past and present represent these attributes as he was voted team captain and has led the team to and 11 -1 record while having the 3rd best passer rating in college football.
- Perseverance – The ability to overcome an obstacle: Overcoming Alabama substitution, not quitting, stay committed to the program, graduating, transferring to a top tier program, winning the starting position, earning the trust of teammates, starting the season 11 -1 with a 5th National Ranking.
- Hard Work – Jalen is the epitome of hard work and dedication. Through his relentless never give up attitude in his approach to the game, which has kept Oklahoma in the national Chiomship hunt.
- True Student-Athlete – The fact that he is a college graduate should not be overlooked.
Last year Alabama quarterback Jalen Hurts transferred to the University of Oklahoma after the Crimson Tide lost in a heartbreaking National Championship game against Clemson. At Alabama, Jalen Hurts started his career as a freshman, winning the starting job. Hurts threw for 2,780 yards and 23 touchdowns with nine interceptions. His completion percentage was at 62.8 percent, and he led his team to the National Title game, losing a close match to Clemson and Deshaun Watson 31-35.
His sophomore year started great, as he led his team to 13 -1 record finished with 2,081 passing yards, 17 passing touchdowns, and 1 interception and 855 rushing yards and 8 running touchdowns. He led his team to another National Championship against Georgia. Coach Saban made a substitution at halftime, but they did not discount the 13 wins compiled by Jalen and his composure during that time.
Heisman Excellence with Integrity over NFL Fame
With the pull of NFL fame, money, and other distractions, it may have been easy for Hursts to do something other than transfer to a big-time program like Oklahoma.
Additionally, he may have left for the NFL after his sophmore season at Alabama, but he chose to come back, deciding to complete his degree at Alabama while continuing to contribute to the football field. Jalen, in reality, is what college football needs, and as Stephen A would say, quite frankly, “Jalen Hurts is something all of the football needs to recognize support, award, pay and develop.”
If Jalen Hurts and folks like him are not honored, then black athletes need to start choosing other sports. He wins, he has discipline, intelligence, drive… and he wins.
Did I say he wins? If you think it’s easy to go 37-3 in Top Tier NCAA football with two games remaining, why are there only four other players with more wins? And again, Jalen has the second-best winning percentage ever.
College football has become a billion-dollar business, as we have seen. College football has made enormous amounts of money while players have received little reward for the commitment it takes to compete at the elite levels of football. Jalen is just the type of player that should benefit from such a system, if not monetarily, at the very least by way of awards like the Heisman trophy. He is everything collegiate football should want.
Jalen Hurts Is a Great Choice For The Heisman Trophy
Jalen Hurts did not win the Heisman, as he lost to Joe Burrow. But Jalen was still a great choice and exemplifies the type of player that should be considered for the Heisman Trophy. With its high-scoring offense lead by Jalen hurts the Oklahoma QB would be an excellent choice for this prestigious award. If Hurts can win at Oklahoma, as Mayfield and Murray did, he will solidify the Sooners as the nation’s top transfer destination for elite quarterbacks.
Hurts is now at Oklahoma and is one of the best to play the QB position based on efficiency and wins. He deserves to be at the front of the Heisman conversation after the career he’s had, and even though I hate Oklahoma, I’m rooting for him. Does OU get their third straight Heisman QB this year? Let the Don know what you think!
Why do we seem biased here at Souletics? Well, we believe mindset is one of the key components to not only athletic success by life success. Jalen Hurts has the mental game down! Learn more about the mental game.
Jalen Hurts Heisman Chances
Top Five Quarterbacks in College Football Wins look like this:
- Kellen Moore, 50-3, 2008-2011,
- Boise StateColt McCoy, 45-8, 2006-2009, Texas
- Andy Dalton, 42-7, 2007-2010, TCU
- David Greene, 42-10, 2001-2004, Georgia
- Peyton Manning, 39-6, 1994-1997, Tennessee
Next on the list is Jalen Hurts with 38 wins and three losses. If you remove the national championship in 2018 because of the Tua substitution, that is still 37 wins. His collegiate winning percentage for QB’s that have over 25 wins is second only to Kellen Moore.
Jalen Hurts, by the numbers, is one of the winningest quarterbacks ever to play collegiate football. Additionally, most of those wins come in arguably the toughest conference in college football under high-pressure situations and a team that has a national-championship-or-bust mentality. Jalen Hurts by all accounts, is one of the most mentally tough athletes we’ve seen.
Past Heisman Trophy Winners
Heisman Year, Heisman Winner, School
2018, Kyler Murray, Oklahoma
2017, Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma
2016, Lamar Jackson, Louisville
2015, Derrick Henry, Alabama
2014, Marcus Mariota,Oregon
2013, Jameis Winston, Florida State
2012, Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M
2011, Robert Griffin III, Baylor
2010, Cam Newton, Auburn
2009, Mark Ingram, Alabama
2008, Sam Bradford, Oklahoma
2007, Tim Tebow,Florida
2006, Troy Smith, Ohio State
2005, Reggie Bush, USC
2004, Matt Leinart, USC
2003, Jason White, Oklahoma
2002, Carson Palmer, USC
2001, Eric Crouch, Nebraska
2000, Chris Weinke, Florida State
1999, Ron Dayne, Wisconsin
1998, Ricky Williams, Texas
1997, Charles Woodson, Michigan
1996, Danny Wuerffel, Florida
1995, Eddie George, Ohio State
1994, Rashaan Salaam, Colorado
1993, Charlie Ward, Florida State
1992, Gino Torretta, Miami (FL)
1991, Desmond Howard, Michigan
1990, Ty Detmer, Brigham Young
1989, Andre Ware, Houston
1988, Barry Sanders, Oklahoma State
1987, Tim Brown, Notre Dame
1986, Vinny Testaverde, Miami (FL)
1985, Bo Jackson,Auburn
1984, Doug Flutie,Boston College
1983, Mike Rozier,Nebraska
1982, Herschel Walker,Georgia
1981, Marcus Allen,USC
1980, George Rogers,South Carolina
1979, Charles White,USC
1978, Billy Sims,Oklahoma
1977, Earl Campbell,Texas
1976, Tony Dorsett,Pitt
1975, Archie Griffin,Ohio State
1974, Archie Griffin,Ohio State
1973, John Cappelletti,Penn State
1972, Johnny Rodgers,Nebraska
1971, Pat Sullivan,Auburn
1970, Jim Plunkett,Stanford
1969, Steve Owens,Oklahoma
1968, O.J. Simpson,USC
1967, Gary Beban,UCLA
1966, Steve Spurrier,Florida
1965, Mike Garrett,USC
1964, John Huarte,Notre Dame
1963, Roger Staubach,Navy
1962, Terry Baker,Oregon State
1961, Ernie Davis,Syracuse
1960, Joe Bellino,Navy
1959, Billy Cannon,LSU
1958, Pete Dawkins,Army
1957, John David Crow,Texas A&M
1956, Paul Hornung,Notre Dame
1955, Howard Cassady,Ohio State
1954, Alan Ameche,Wisconsin
1953, Johnny Lattner,Notre Dame
1952, Billy Vessels,Oklahoma
1951, Dick Kazmaier,Princeton
1950, Vic Janowicz,Ohio State
1949, Leon Hart,Notre Dame
1948, Doak Walker,SMU
1947, Johnny Lujack,Notre Dame
1946, Glenn Davis,Army
1945, Doc Blanchard,Army
1944, Les Horvath,Ohio State
1943, Angelo Bertelli,Notre Dame
1942, Frank Sinkwich,Georgia
1941, Bruce Smith,Minnesota
1940, Tom Harmon,Michigan
1939, Nile Kinnick,Iowa
1938, Davey O’Brien,Texas Christian
1937, Clint Frank,Yale
1936, Larry Kelley,Yale
1935, Jay Berwanger,Chicago