Well, this has the potential to be awkward.
Last year, Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray claimed the 2018 Heisman Trophy before leaving for the 2019 NFL Draft. Murray’s replacement under center in Norman, Alabama transfer Jalen Hurts, is having himself a Heisman-worthy season as well, with the oddsmakers almost universally giving the senior the second-best odds as the Sooners look to become the first school with back-to-back-to-back winners of the most prestigious award in collegiate sports.
As a former Heisman winner, Murray has earned the right to vote for the trophy moving forward. Given the fact that his successor is putting up Heisman-worthy numbers, that vote would surely go to Hurts, right?
Well, not exactly.
“Our guy (Hurts) kind of took a hit with that loss,” said Murray said Wednesday by way of ESPN.com. “I think right now, if somebody had to win, it’d probably be Joe Burrow.”
Burrow would, of course, be LSU’s starting quarterback and the current front-runner for the 2019 Heisman who will have a national stage on which to perform this Saturday against Alabama. And “that loss” would be OU’s stunning setback to Kansas State late last month, although Hurts put up nearly 500 yards of offense (395 passing, 96 rushing) and four touchdowns in nearly leading the Sooners back from a 25-point fourth-quarter deficit.
By the way, good on Murray for showing the willingness to vote with his head and not his school colors.