LSU fifth-year senior quarterback Joe Burrow, Ohio State sophomore quarterback Justin Fields, Oklahoma senior quarterback Jalen Hurts, and junior Buckeye defensive end Chase Young have been announced as the four Heisman finalists this year.
Fields and Young are the first pair of teammates to be finalists for the trophy since Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield and receiver Dede Westbrook in 2016.
Fields is the second Buckeye quarterback in as many years to make the trip to New York as a Heisman finalist, joining Dwayne Haskins, who went last year.
Here is Ohio State’s release on the news.
Ohio State’s Justin Fields, Chase Young Heisman Trophy Finalists
Ohio State duo joins Ohio State graduate and LSU record-setting QB Joe Burrow & Oklahoma’s Jalen Hurts in NYC
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State had three very-much worthy and talked about players in the running to be named Heisman Trophy finalists this year. Two of them now are, as New York’s Downtown Athletic Club announced this evening that the four finalists for this year’s trophy include Ohio State sophomore quarterback Justin Fields and junior defensive end Chase Young. The other finalists are Ohio State graduate Joe Burrow, the record-setting quarterback as a graduate transfer at LSU, and Oklahoma quarterback Jalen Hurts.
Ohio State is only the fifth school to have multiple Heisman Trophy finalists in the same year since the award first started inviting finalists to New York in 1982. The schools with multiple finalists in one year are:
§ Ohio State in 2019 (QB Justin Fields and DE Chase Young);
§ Penn State in 1994 (RB Ki-Jana Carter and QB Kerry Collins);
§ Miami in 2002 (RB Willis McGahee and QB Ken Dorsey);
§ Oklahoma in 2004 (RB Adrian Peterson and QB Jason White); and
§ Oklahoma in 2016 (QB Baker Mayfield and WR Dede Westbrook).
Young is just the ninth defensive player – out of 159 total finalists since 1982 – to be named a Heisman Trophy finalist. The others: Michigan’s Jabril Peppers (2016), Notre Dame’s Manti Te’o (2012), LSU’s Tyrann Mathieu (2011), Nebraska’s Ndamukong Suh (2009), Michigan’s Charles Woodson (1997), Miami’s Warren Sapp (1994), Washington’s Steve Emtman (1991) and Oklahoma’s Brian Bosworth (1986).
Young, from Upper Marlboro, Md., has already been named the Chicago Tribune Silver Football award winner as the Big Ten’s best player, and the Big Ten’s defensive player and defensive end of the year.
Fields, who transferred to Ohio State this season, is the Big Ten’s offensive player and quarterback of the year. From Kennesaw, Ga., he has accounted for 50 total touchdowns this season and is within four of Dwayne Haskins’ Big Ten record of 54 total touchdowns set last year. Fields also has a ridiculous 40:1 touchdown pass to interception ratio.
RB J.K. Dobbins misses out on a trip to New York as a Heisman finalist, but he certainly gave it a run. The Doak Walker Award finalist is merely putting together one of the greatest rushing seasons in school history with 1,829 yards rushing which leaves him just 98 yards from Eddie George’s school record of 1,927 yards in a season. He has scored 20 touchdowns.
Jk ALL DAY! I hope he settles the dispute during the playoffs.
If Fields wins it it would be because he came back in to finish ttun with an injury.
Personally, I hope none of our guys get the Heisman. I prefer they win as a team by results on the field.
Go Buckeyes!
I just wonder if this Heisman snub of JK Dobbins might be additional incentive for him to return for his senior year. I get the feeling that he would love to pass Archie Griffin and doing so just might put him over the top to win the Heisman. Plus, this draft is going to be RB heavy with big names. He might be in line for a bigger paycheck to wait for 2021. What say you, Gerdeman?
FYI the Heisman presentation ceremony is this Saturday, December 14, at 8 p.m. on ESPN.
Ridiculous that Dobbins not there…Rb is too underrated in this award anymore….Dobbins, Taylor, Etienne all help carry their teams immensely
The snubbing of JK Dobbins continues. Sorry folks but Justin Fields isn’t a Heisman candidate.
The tougher the competition the more impressive JK Dobbins has become.
While I love Chase Young regardless of how the opponents have done it, they have limited his impact. Heisman is a numbers award and Chase didn’t have any. That’s the last 5 games where he’s disappeared. What’s the word? NO EXCUSES.
JK Dobbins is the best player….BY A LOT in College Football.
LSU – Joe Burrow
OSU- Justin Fields and Chase Young
Clemson- no one
Oklahoma- Jalen Hurts
Because Clemson’s offense hasn’t needed to be outstanding this year and it’s all about the offensive stats.
Andrew great point.
Might as well re-define this as the “top QB from a national contender” award, as it snubs Chuba Hubbard, Johnathon Taylor, and J.K. Dobbins. Shame
Andrew- you beat me to it. I’d argue JK deserves it MORE than Chase Young and at least as much as Fields. People don’t even think anymore, it seems.
All three Buckeyes earned their trip to NYC, Burrows, Fields, and Young and I am very happy and proud of all three. I will be shocked if Burrows does not win the award and he is very deserving.
Now if you want to know my choice for Buckeye MVP this year it is JK Dobbins. I just think he is the #1 reason we are undefeated this season. I also think we win the Championship only if JK and our Oline keep it going like the last 3 games.
Kind of funny that Burrow will keep a couple of current Buckeyes from winning the Heisman plus he could keep us from winning a National Championship.
I do not blame him as players just want to play and I can not blame the Buckeyes as D. Haskins is incredible and Justin Fields had nothing to do with Burrows leaving but if Joe Burrows does not leave I do not think we get Justin Fields. Fields has been incredible for such little experience and I think he will be much better next year, but we have the team this year so it will be interesting to see if he can guide us to the championship.
Great time to be a Buckeye! Basketball is also looking good again and there is nothing better than beating Michigan and Hairball. Funny that they have Michigan playing Alabama as I think Saban will want to put a hurting on Hairball and shut him up. Roll Tide ha ha.
GO Bucks!
Great Honor to be a finalist… but frankly since we know this is just a Joe Burrow coronation I would rather our guys hang back and prepare for the playoffs.
We are going to need 40 points to beat Clemson. When you look at the way michigan moved the ball on us (particularly in the first half) and Wisconsin as well ,you know Clemson will have big time success scoring. Dabo will create what I call “6 Pt. matchups” with our defense and it will create a track meet.
Yes it is an honor to be invited. It is their responsibility to go and represent themselves and the University who put them in the position to be Heisman Finalists. I disagree with your statement that they should skip this once in a life time event. It would be a slap in the face to the school and the coaching staff if they did not attend.
A Slap in the face to the coaching staff to stay in the trenches ith them preparing for the next game which is the most important game of each of these coaches’ lives…yeah, that’d be very disrespectful.
Nonetheless, you are right they will attend.