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Utah has officially launched the #HuntleyforHeisman campaign

Utah QB Tyler Huntley is a dark horse for the Heisman trophy, but does he at least deserve to be invited to NYC?
Ryan Kostecka|
Utah has officially launched the #HuntleyforHeisman campaign
Utah has officially launched the #HuntleyforHeisman campaign

With just two games remaining in the regular season for all of college football, a clearer picture is being painted of who the likely Heisman candidates are.

LSU quarterback Joe Burrow is clearly the front runner, leading the nation in nearly every major statistical category while guiding the Tigers to the No. 1 ranking in the CFP. Barring any upset losses or any absolutely atrocious outings by Burrow, he will be walking out of New York City with the Heisman trophy in hand.

Other likely contenders who've dominated this season are quarterbacks Jalen Hurts of Oklahoma, Justin Fields of Ohio State and Tua Tagovailoa of Alabama. Even Oregon's Justing Herbert and Clemson's Trevor Lawrence (preseason favorite) are beginning to make noise as potential contenders with their recent play.

Running backs Johnathon Taylor of Wisconsin and Cheba Hubbard of Oklahoma State are both having amazing seasons, putting their names on the board.

And this doesn't even include Ohio State defensive end Chase Young, arguably the No. 1 pick in the upcoming NFL Draft

Cracking this lost of top contenders, which ESPN.com write about each week, is a tough and difficult task. But if you ask anyone associated with the Utah football program, and they'll all tell you there is one name being left off this list; quarterback Tyler Huntley.

Huntley is having a superb and vastly underrated season for the Utes. His elevated play has completely transformed the Utes offense, very similar to what Burrow has done for LSU. No longer just a threat running the ball with a great defense, Utah has no problem going out on offense and slinging the ball around the field, racking up points and playing from behind.

“I’ve said it for weeks now that in our opinion and in the opinion of the nation, that Tyler is an elite player, an elite quarterback,” said Utah coach Kyle Whittingham. “His complete dedication and immersion in the details of what he’s doing and his preparation is outstanding.”

For this reason, the University of Utah athletic department has invented the hashtag #HuntleyforHeisman, complete with a website to go along with it. On the season, he has thrown for 2,397 yards, 13 touchdowns and 1 interception, while running for 221 yards and five scores.

While Huntley shouldn't win the award given to the nation's best player, it's clear that he's having a season that belongs with the other names listed. His 74.2 completion percentage ranks 2nd in the country behind Burrow, while he's 5th in passing efficiency (190.10) and 7th in passing yards per completion (15.46).

Ultimately what hurts Huntley is that he has one of best running backs in the country alongside him in Zack Moss, who helps take pressure off the quarterbacks. Also, Utah is still a run-based offense, passing the ball only 34.8% of the time, limiting Huntley's opportunities for dominance and stat-growing.

The Utes also have one of, if not, the best defense in the nation. So to not risk running up the score, Huntley has often found himself on the sideline during the fourth quarter, watching the game with his helmet in hand.

Huntley has already earned recognition as a finalist for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, a semifinalist for the Davey O’Brien Award and on the watch list for the Manning Award. 

Yes, Burrow is likely to win the Heisman, and there are other multiple athletes who should be invited to NYC for the ceremony, Huntley deserves to be in that exact conversation as well. Just ask those in the Utah program, they'll tell you.

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Ryan Kostecka
RYAN KOSTECKA

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