Where Washington’s Jake Browning stands among top QBs in Heisman race
Washington quarterback Jake Browning has led the 8-0 Huskies to a No. 4 national ranking and in doing so has vaulted himself into the Heisman Trophy conversation. Is it really a race for runner-up at this point, as some analysts say, or does he have a shot at unseating the front-runner, Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson?
ESPN and SI.com have Browning ranked second in the race behind Jackson and in front of Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson. The Associated Press’s Heisman Watch has Browning third and Watson second.
SI.com’s Chris Johnson noted Browning’s struggles against Utah’s stout defense last week: “Browning looked rattled at times, and his stat line (12-of-20 passing, two touchdowns, one interception) is an apt reflection of his inability to consistently connect with receivers against sound coverage downfield.”
How does Browning feel about all the attention he’s receiving? The Sacramento Bee’s Joe Davidson writes that Cool Hand Jake is focused on winning, not awards.
Here’s a look at how the three top QBs in the Heisman race stack up:
Jake Browning, So. | Lamar Jackson, So. | Deshaun Watson, Jr. | |
Passing yards | 1,895 | 2,522 | 2,328 |
Passing TDs-INTs | 28-3 | 22-5 | 22-10 |
Completion pct. | 67.7 | 58.3 | 63.5 |
QB rating | 89.4 | 89.7 | 74.5 |
Rushing yards | 63 | 996 | 331 |
Rushing TDs | 4 | 16 | 1 |
Team W-L | 8-0 (5-0 Pac-12) | 7-1 (5-1 ACC) | 8-0 (5-0 ACC) |
Browning will lead the Huskies against Cal (4-4, 2-3 Pac-12) in Berkeley on Saturday. Kickoff is 7:30 p.m. (ESPN).
This story was originally published November 4, 2016 at 8:46 PM with the headline "Where Washington’s Jake Browning stands among top QBs in Heisman race."