The numbers new Miami Hurricanes quarterback D’Eriq King recorded in 2018 were comparable to other dual-threat QBs that won the Heisman Trophy.
Multiple dual-threat quarterbacks have won the Heisman Trophy in the last 10 years. In the modern era of college football, the first true dual-threat QB to win the Heisman Trophy was Charlie Ward of Florida State in 1992. New Miami Hurricanes QB D’Eriq King is one of the best dual-threat QBs currently playing college football.
In the 21st century, seven dual three QBs have won the Heisman Trophy. If King can duplicate his 2018 season with Houston for Miami in 2020, he will have a great chance to earn an invitation to New York as a Heisman Trophy finalist. Miami has not had a Heisman Finalist since Ken Dorsey and Willis McGahee in 2002.
In 11 games in 2018 for Houston in 2018, King completed 63.5 percent of his passes for 2,982 yards, 36 touchdowns and six interceptions while adding 674 yards rushing and another 14 TDs. In 2019 King set the NCAA record of 15 consecutive games with a passing and rushing TD in a game. That record is active entering the 2020 season.
Troy Smith of Ohio State was the first dual-threat QB of the new millennia to win a Heisman Trophy. Smith threw for 2,542 yards, 30 TDs and six interceptions and ran for 204 yards and a TD during his Heisman Trophy winning campaign. King’s 2018 season greatly exceeded those numbers.
| Year | Voting | Player | School | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Voting | Kyler Murray* | Oklahoma | 260 Cmp, 377 Att, 4361 Yds, 42 TD, 7 Int |
| 2016 | Voting | Lamar Jackson* | Louisville | 230 Cmp, 409 Att, 3543 Yds, 30 TD, 9 Int |
| 2014 | Voting | Marcus Mariota* | Oregon | 304 Cmp, 445 Att, 4454 Yds, 42 TD, 4 Int |
| 2012 | Voting | Johnny Manziel* | Texas A&M | 295 Cmp, 434 Att, 3706 Yds, 26 TD, 9 Int |
| 2011 | Voting | Robert Griffin III* | Baylor | 291 Cmp, 402 Att, 4293 Yds, 37 TD, 6 Int |
| 2010 | Voting | Cam Newton* | Auburn | 185 Cmp, 280 Att, 2854 Yds, 30 TD, 7 Int |
| 2007 | Voting | Tim Tebow* | Florida | 234 Cmp, 350 Att, 3286 Yds, 32 TD, 6 Int |
| 2006 | Voting | Troy Smith* | Ohio State | 203 Cmp, 311 Att, 2542 Yds, 30 TD, 6 Int |
Provided by CFB at Sports Reference: View Original Table
Generated 5/28/2020.
Tim Tebow previously held the record with 13 straight games with a passing and rushing TD. In his Heisman season, Tebow threw for 3,286 yards, 32 TDs and six interceptions and ran for 895 yards and 23 TDs. King’s numbers hold up well compared to Tebow.
Three years after Tebow, Cam Newton was the first of three straight Heisman Trophy winning dual-threat QBs. Newton was ironically the backup QB for Tebow during two seasons at Florida before he transferred to Blinn Junior College and later, Auburn. Newton carried the Tigers to the National Championship in 2010.
Newton threw for 2,854 yards, 30 TDs and seven interceptions and ran for 1,473 yards and another 20 TDs on the ground on his way to becoming the top pick in the 2011 NFL Draft by the Carolina Panthers. Robert Griffin III of Baylor and Johnny Manziel of Texas A&M won the subsequent Heisman Trophies.
Three out of five seasons saw dual-threat QBs win the Heisman Trophy commencing with Marcus Mariotta of Oregon in 2014. Lamar Jackson from Louisville claimed the 2016 award and Kyler Murray of Oklahoma won in 2018. If King puts up numbers for the Miami Hurricanes in 2020 that he did in 2018 he should be a Heisman finalist.