Staff picks: Will Keeton win the Heisman Trophy?
Can Chuckie win the Heisman? He has a very very slim chance, but he does have one. One reason I am giving him a small chance is that he is already under the nation’s watch. Austin Ward from ESPN.com recently wrote an article on Keeton, calling him a “dark horse candidate” to win the Heisman. Ward wrote, “The real measuring stick is coming up Sunday night against Tennessee. A win could spring the Aggies into the national conversation and maybe restore the spotlight on Keeton.”
Let’s think for a second, what if? What if Utah State goes into Tennessee this Sunday and upsets Tennessee in convincing fashion? After that, the only lose-able games that pop off the schedule are against Wake Forest, at BYU, and at Boise State, all of which I see Utah State winning. The last team to go undefeated in the Mountain West and destroy almost all their opponents was the University of Utah back in 2004. That year, Alex Smith (Utah’s quarterback) finished just behind Aaron Rodgers in the Heisman voting. If he could come that close, then why not Chuckie?
—Sean Cassity
Senior Chuckie Keeton’s notorious injury last football season threw his chances for the Heisman trophy into jeopardy. After sitting out for over half of last year, this season will determine how much his injury damaged his prospects for the trophy and whether he can recover enough to still compete. ESPN.com writes that he has thown himself into his rehab program and fully recovered.
If Keeton’s previous record serves as any indication, he will make a remarkable comeback. He has the dedication, the mindset, and the ability to put himself back in the running. His perseverance proves him a worthy candidate. The Heisman Trust will be hard pressed to find a more dedicated, hard-working, and deserving recipient. Sunday’s game against the Tennessee Volunteers will give him a chance to prove it.
—Olivia Webb
Listen I like Chuckie Keeton as much as the next guy, unless the next guy is the guy who made the Chuckie For Heisman twitter account. I’m just a little more realistic I guess.
I think that Keeton is one of most talented quarterbacks in college football this year, but he could be the best quarterback since Yale’s Klint Frank –the first quarterback to win the Heisman– and he still wouldn’t win.
The problem is the conference he plays in. If you are naive enough to think that there is a level playing field in college football then you probably don’t want to keep reading this. Not a single person from the Mountain West has ever won the Heisman. Also the last time a player from a non-power conference won it was in 1990, which pains me because that player was BYU’s own Ty Detmer.
The way things are set up a single loss for Utah State or numbers that don’t compare to Barry Sanders in 1988 equal no Heisman for USU QB1.
—Jeffrey Dahdah
Following last season’s knee injury, Chuckie Keeton has regrouped and refueled, and has a new fire burning in him. Keeton has all the needed credentials and a team that is ready, willing and able to add the necessary fuel to the fire. But will he actually be able to come out on top? He is one of the most athletic dual-threat college quarterbacks out there and he is coming back stronger than ever. He has run the Aggie offense for four years and knows all its ins and outs. There is no one better equipped to lead Utah State University to victory, and maybe even lead himself to the Heisman.
Yes, Keeton has serious potential to win, but it will be no easy task. In order to be even considered for the award, Keeton must win close to, if not all, of his games. He must produce against major teams like upcoming opponent Tennessee in order to get national recognition. A win against Tennessee would definitely put Keeton into the spotlight, but a loss may give him little or no chance at the Heisman. If everything goes perfectly, it might just be enough to win him the most prized award in college football.
—Brooke Bell
First off, I love watching Chuckie Keeton play football. Every time he steps on the field he brings with him the potential to make big plays and light up the opposing team, but can Keeton win the Heisman trophy this season? He’s an amazing athlete playing on a good team but let’s put our Aggie love (or bias?) aside for a minute and be real—no he can’t. Nothing against Mr. Keeton, but there is simply too much going against him.
Being on a team in the Mountain West Conference brings with it unconquerable stereotypes that are simply too much for even an amazing Quarterback like Keeton to overcome. Yes he’s getting lots of Heisman attention and ESPN is showing him plenty of love, but it will take an absolutely immaculate season from him and the team for there to be even the smallest of hopes for a Utah State Heisman Trophy winner, not to mention the need for an unlikely meltdown by some very big names. Marcus Mariota, Jameis Winston, Brett Hundley and Todd Gurley all play for more recognizable teams who will surely have more opportunities to shine in the national spotlight. He’d need a perfect team record, close to a hundred touchdown passes, zero interceptions and nearly every other major conference team in college football to be eliminated from competition due to NCAA violations to have a realistic opportunity to win. it’s not going to happen.
—Taylor Orton
Everyone knows a knee injury that prevented him from finishing up his junior year of football, but just because he was out doesn’t mean his record was forgotten. Five games into his junior year, CBSSports.com named him to its top ten candidates for the Heisman trophy. He was ranked second in the nation with 17 completed touchdown passes, 22nd in the nation in passing efficiency, and second for points responsible (22.8) in the Mountain West.
These are just some of his achievements before he got injured. Imagine if he would have continued his season last year. the Tennessee game on Sunday will be a good test for his potential this season. He can win the Heisman if Utah State football has one of their best seasons this year.
—Laura Miego
Is it possible? Yes. But there is also a chance the Transformers movies finally end. Everything little thing would have to fall in place. I have no doubt Chuckie will continue his torrid pace from last year, but he has to stay healthy and the team has to have the best year in school history.
The Aggies have to go undefeated or lose just one game in a schedule that has their four toughest games on the road. If that happens, and that’s a big if, then huge star quarterbacks like Marcus Mariota, Jameis Winston, Brett Hundley and Bryce Petty will have to plummet out of the race to leave the door open for Keeton.
The last time someone from outside the major conferences won the heisman was 1990. Recent quarterback hopefuls outside the power five conferences like Colt Brennan (Hawaii), Kellen Moore (Boise State), and Jordan Lynch (Northern Illinois) all failed to finish better than third. Chuckie wasn’t included on the heisman odds list from Bovada that went as far down as to 100 to 1 odds. So let’s be unbiased and realistic, it isn’t going to happen. Just enjoy that we have the most exciting player in college football.
-Calvin Makelky
Chuckie Keeton is one of the top dual threat quarterbacks in college football this year. ESPN named Keeton an early dark horse candidate to win the Heisman Trophy. He is in his senior season which means he should be the best he’s ever been. So what? He still won’t win the Heisman.
If Keeton stays healthy all season long he has the talent to put up the numbers needed to win the heisman—the fact of the matter is, the Heisman Trophy has become a popularity poll, not an award for the best player in college football.
Utah State is a great university but it doesn’t garner the national media spotlight necessary to have a player win an award of this caliber. More media coverage at larger universities gives the upper hand to the players at those universities. Whether you think it’s fair or not, it would be next to impossible, no matter how well Chuckie plays or how good he is, for him to win the Heisman in 2014.
—Kalen Taylor