Will Grier Should Be One of Three Quarterbacks in New York

Tua Tagovailoa

Tua, who inserted himself into the Heisman race really last year during the National Championship game, secured the Heisman with an Iron Bowl victory where the Auburn Tigers gallantly gave an effort and Tagovailoa squashed them like an insect in his house. At halftime, the Tigers stood toe to toe with the Crimson Tide, down only three 17-14. Alabama then scored 21 points in the third quarter and 14 in the fourth to run away with the rivalry game. Tua threw five touchdowns while running for another and combining for 350 total yards. If there was a thought that Tua could “lose” the Heisman, this game removed any doubt.

Season Stats: 70.3%, 11.86 YPA, 3,189 yards, 36 TD, 2 INT

Kyler Murray

As I predicted, Kyler Murray ripped out the hearts of Mountaineer fans with a stellar performance on Black Friday. Murray and the Oklahoma Sooners held serve with the West Virginia Mountaineers on a Black Friday tilt in Morgantown. When the Sooners needed a fourth down touchdown, Murray delivered and when the Sooners needed a fourth down conversion at the end of the game, Murray delivered. For the game, Kyler completed 20 of 27 passes for 364 yards and 3 touchdowns while adding 114 yards and a touchdown rushing, including a 55 yard scamper that set the game on fire. Murray and the Sooners finish the regular season 11-1 and Big 12 #1 seed. Technically they won the Big 12 title already but will play Texas in the Championship Game.

Season Stats: 70.6%, 12.01 YPA, 3,674 yards, 37 TD, 7 INT. 853 rush yards, 11 rush TD.

Will Grier

Grier proved just how special he is on Friday night when he made dime throw after dime throw that kept pace with the #6 Oklahoma Sooners. Grier became the fourth Mountaineer quarterback under Dana Holgorsen to throw for 500 yards in a single game. Grier and the Mountaineers scored a touchdown with 4 minutes left to put the score at 59-56 Sooners but never got the ball back to attempt a game-winning drive. For the game, Grier completed 32 of 49 passes for 539 yards and 4 touchdowns. Grier also rushed for a touchdown. Grier did have two costly fumbles that were recovered by the Oklahoma defense and returned for touchdowns.

Season Stats: 67% 9.73 YPA, 3,864 yards, 37 touchdowns, 8 INT.

If I had a vote, I would vote in the order listed: Tua, Kyler, Will. Gardner Minshew made a push late but a 152 yard, 0 touchdown, 2 interception performance in your rivalry game that would have put you in the Pac-12 Championship and kept your slim playoff chances alive is not a good way to convince voters. I have always believed in the Deion Sanders statement of “Big time players make big time plays on big time stages”. The three quarterbacks (Tagovailoa, Murray and Grier) shined on their biggest stage. Minshew did not.