JB’S HEISMAN ROOM: TWO HURRICANES HAVE THE TABLE TO THEMSELVES
The Heisman Room is open again, but right now I only see two players who have earned a seat at the table: Miami quarterback Darian Mensah and his favorite weapon, Malachi Toney.
Everyone else is either standing near the door, looking through the window or trying to convince us that preseason expectations should still matter.
They don’t.
The Heisman Trophy should be based on what a player has done on the field—not his last name, recruiting ranking or preseason betting odds. Through the first two weeks of the season, nobody has built a stronger case than Mensah and Toney.
THE FRONT-RUNNER: DARIAN MENSAH, MIAMI
Mensah is the clear leader right now.
Through two games, he has completed an absurd 41 of 45 passes for 653 yards and eight touchdowns. That is better than 91 percent passing with no interceptions.
Against Stanford, Mensah completed 27 of 30 passes for 401 yards and five touchdowns. He followed that by going 14 of 15 for 252 yards and three touchdowns against Florida A&M.
Yes, we have to consider the level of competition, but we also have to recognize nearly flawless quarterback play when we see it. Mensah has operated Miami’s offense with tremendous accuracy, anticipation and command. He isn’t simply completing underneath throws and allowing receivers to do all the work. He is pushing the football down the field and creating explosive plays.
At this moment, the Heisman race runs through Coral Gables.
AT THE TABLE: MALACHI TONEY, MIAMI
Toney is sitting right beside his quarterback.
The difficulty for any receiver competing for the Heisman is that his production is partially dependent on someone else getting him the football. That becomes even more complicated when the quarterback throwing him the ball is also a leading candidate.
But Toney has been too good to ignore.
He opened the season with 12 receptions for a Miami-record 234 yards and three touchdowns against Stanford. Florida A&M tried to prevent another explosion, but Toney still finished with four receptions for 96 yards and another touchdown.
That gives him 330 receiving yards and four touchdowns through two games.
Toney is more than a productive receiver. He is an explosive playmaker who forces a defense to account for him before every snap. He can beat coverage at every level, create after the catch and turn an ordinary play into a Heisman moment.
The biggest obstacle facing Toney may be Mensah himself. If both continue producing at this level, they could eventually split votes. That is a problem for another day. Right now, both belong at the table.
KNOCKING ON THE DOOR: ARCH MANNING, TEXAS
People are going to put Arch Manning into the conversation after Texas defeated No. 1 Ohio State, and I understand why.
Manning helped lead Texas back from a 23-3 fourth-quarter deficit in one of the biggest wins of the young season. He directed three consecutive touchdown drives, made two critical fourth-down completions and helped the Longhorns complete a historic 24-23 comeback.
That was a Heisman moment.
But it was not yet a complete Heisman performance.
Manning finished 23 of 37 for 196 yards and one touchdown. For three quarters, Texas scored three points and Manning struggled to consistently move the offense. His fourth quarter was outstanding, and doing it against the No. 1 team carries considerable weight, but one great quarter does not erase the first three.
Manning deserves to be near the room because of the quality of the victory and the way he responded with the game on the line. He does not deserve a seat at the table yet.
He will have plenty of opportunities to earn one.
THE DARK HORSE: KAMARIO TAYLOR, MISSISSIPPI STATE
If there is one legitimate dark horse in this race, it is Mississippi State quarterback Kamario Taylor.
Taylor went on the road against a Big Ten opponent and introduced himself to the country. He completed 16 of 22 passes for 227 yards and three touchdowns while adding 86 rushing yards in Mississippi State’s 38-13 victory over Minnesota.
Through two games, Taylor has thrown for 581 yards, seven touchdowns and no interceptions. He has also shown that he can hurt defenses with his legs.
What makes Taylor intriguing is that we still don’t know where his ceiling is. He is a 6-foot-4, 230-pound sophomore with the physical ability to become one of the most dangerous dual-threat quarterbacks in the SEC.
Taylor now gets another opportunity against South Carolina. If he goes into Williams-Brice Stadium, produces another big performance and leads Mississippi State to a victory, his Heisman campaign will no longer be a quiet little story developing in Starkville.
People across the country will know his name.
THE REST OF THE ROOM
There are plenty of talented players who can eventually enter the discussion. It is still early, and the Heisman race can change dramatically with one major performance or one terrible Saturday.
But I’m not filling the room just to fill it.
Right now, Mensah is the front-runner. Toney is sitting beside him. Manning is knocking on the door because of one remarkable fourth quarter, and Taylor is the dark horse moving quickly toward the building.
Everyone else still has work to do.
That’s the Heisman Room this week.
Two players at the table. One famous name at the door. And one young quarterback from Mississippi State coming up the driveway fast.
