Around the Big Ten: Desmond Howard doesn’t think C.J. Stroud is a Heisman candidate yet
Desmond Howard, tell us how you’re really feel.
The former Michigan star wide receiver, who won the Heisman in 1991, doesn’t think that C.J. Stroud is worthy of all the Heisman buzz. In fact, he thinks only one player in college football should be hyped to win the prestigious award.
And that, Howard says, is returning Heisman winner Bryce Young. Last season, the sophomore starting quarterback at Albama won the Heisman as well as the Maxwell Award. Both awards are given to the nation’s top college football player.
On ESPN’s College Football Live on Wednesday, Howard wanted to hear nothing about the hype surrounding Stroud, the Ohio State starting quarterback. Last season, his first as a starter, Stroud topped 4,400 passing yards with 44 touchdowns and six interceptions.
“Well, first, I would like to say that I don’t think that anybody should be the front runner except Bryce Young because he’s the returning winner of the Heisman,” Howard said on ESPN.
“I don’t think that you know, C.J. Stroud or, or anybody else should be even neck to neck with Bryce. I think we look at C.J. Stroud, he’s gonna have some big games.
“He opens up the season against Notre Dame so that’s the marquee matchup, but just at the beginning, with no games played, for him to be the favorite – I just don’t get it. So I believe that Bryce Young to be the front runner and everybody else should be starting at the finish line at the same point.”
Young was absolutely fantastic last season in guiding Alabama to the championship game in the College Football Playoff. He threw for over 4,800 yards with 47 touchdowns and just seven interceptions.
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Now Howard begins pivoting here, obviously utilizing his communications degree earned at Ann Arbor.
He acknowledges that Stroud can become a Heisman candidate but here and now, in late August, Howard wants nothing to do with any Heisman hype other than for Young.
“But I mean, he’s gonna have some marquee games, like I said, to be able to catch Bryce Young,” Howard said about Stroud’s candidacy. “But I think Bryce Young right now for me as a former winner and as a guy who’s a voter – it is Bryce Young against the field.”
