Day 4 of the 2019 Heisman Trophy continues with a player that transferred after one season at Georgia and was granted immediate eligibility to play this season.
#15: Michigan QB Shea Patterson
New Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields was stuck behind Jake Fromm with the Bulldogs in 2018, and he transferred to Ohio State when he saw an opening at the starting quarterback spot. As always, expectations are high in Columbus, and Fields is a big part of that.
Why he can win it
Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence is a once-in-a-generation type of player, but some people thought Fields was the No. 1 college recruit of the 2018 class. Fields has tremendous dual-threat talent, which he flashed in limited action with Georgia last season, throwing for 328 yards and four touchdowns (and no interceptions) while completing 69.2 percent of his passes and rushing for 266 yards (on 42 attempts) and four touchdowns. Ohio State is ranked as a top-five team entering the season, so Fields will have an opportunity to lead one of the better programs in the nation with a chance at a conference title and College Football Playoff appearance in his first season as a starter. Fields has plenty of hype to give him a boost in the Heisman race if all goes well. The Buckeyes have one of the easiest out-of-conference schedules, and they get to play Michigan State, Wisconsin, and Penn State all at home.
Why he won’t win it
Despite a promising out-of-conference schedule, the Big Ten is still a challenge. If things are close at the end of the season, the weak schedule will likely hurt Ohio State in the eyes of the CFP Selection Committee, thus hurting Fields’ chances of winning the Heisman. Fields is a first-year starter that might need more experience and refinement. Teammate J.K. Dobbins might be the Buckeyes’ top Heisman candidate at running back.
What must happen
Both Fields and the Buckeyes must dominate their competition convincingly, likely having to go undefeated for Fields to win the Heisman.
Stat projection
294/431 (68.1%) | 3,715 PASS YDS | 31 PASS TD | 9 INT
130 CAR | 754 RUSH YDS | 10 RUSH TD | 5.8 AVG
*NOTE: White Wolf is not affiliated with the Heisman Trophy. This article is a staff opinion and is not an official Heisman Trophy watch.
I don’t see them voting for a transfer first year.