This is the time of year when everyone starts making those post-season lists. You know who deserves a spot in the college football playoff, who the best football player in the country, and who should be on those Heisman Trophy Candidate lists.
Many worthy candidates are being talked about in the Heisman conversation. Carson Beck of Miami, Dante Moore of Oregon, Ty Simpson of Alabama, and Jeremiah Smith of Ohio State are on many’s lists. However, one name is noticeably absent from most people’s list of potential Heisman candidates. That guy lives in Tampa, Florida, and plays for the USF Bulls.
Let me introduce you to quarterback Byrum Brown of the 17th-ranked USF Bulls. Brown is a dual-threat quarterback who will beat you with his arm and legs. He is built like a linebacker at 6’3, 231 lbs. He also has a propensity for taking defensive players straight on to get the first down. He loves contact.
Brown has propelled the Bulls to a 5-1 record and a No. 17 ranking in the country. He has guided the Bulls to wins over a ranked Boise State team to open the season and beat Florida on the road before losing at No. 2 Miami. He has passed for 1439 yards this season with 13 touchdowns and five interceptions, and is completing 64% of his passes. He also leads the team in rushing with 364 yards and five touchdowns on the ground, averaging 4.3 yards per carry.
In his last three games, Brown has accounted for 14 touchdowns, passing for 11 and running for three. Brown also ranks No. 7 in the FBS, accounting for 18 points per game. Brown is also No. 10 in total offense in the NCAA, putting up 300.5 yards per game.
The Bulls’ offense is ranked 18th in the country in yards per game, averaging 468 yards per game. It is also the 12th-ranked scoring offense in the country, averaging 40.7 points per game. As a team, USF is averaging 60 points a game over its last three games.
A lot of football is yet to be played, and a lot can happen in the next few months. However, for anyone to dismiss Byrum Brown as a legitimate Heisman Trophy Candidate is a dereliction of duty.
Former Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin of ESPN named him a Heisman darkhorse candidate before the win over Boise State.
Brown has been among the most consistent quarterbacks in college football so far this season.
While the rest of the country is late arriving at the party in Tampa and South Florida, Byrum Brown continues to put up monster numbers and is a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate.