Urban Meyer chimes in on CJ Stroud, Heisman Trophy race

Ask former Ohio State coach Urban Meyer who the leader in the Heisman Trophy race is right now and he won’t argue a single bit with the guy Las Vegas has installed as the prohibitive favorite halfway through the season: Buckeyes quarterback CJ Stroud.

Stroud is currently listed at -140, with the next closest to him USC quarterback Caleb Williams, at +1000.

“It’s not even close,” Meyer said Tuesday on the Urban’s Take with Tim May show. “He’s doing a lot of this where the games are basically out of hand. It is. It’s a video game right now for him.”

So far this season Stroud has gone 113-of-160 passing for 1,737 yards with 24 touchdowns and three interceptions. He’s been elite, and the Buckeyes are sitting at 6-0 as a result.

What might be even more impressive is that he’s done it without playing as many snaps as several other contenders. Ohio State has won all but the season opener against Notre Dame by at least four touchdowns.

“They are so far ahead in games,” Meyer said, lamenting the quality of opponents faced. “There was a time where Michigan State, in 2012, when Mark Dantonio was there, I mean they beat us. Two first-rounders at corner, Le’Veon Bell at tailback, (Kirk) Cousins the year before was the quarterback, but I mean a loaded team. And they were coming off an 11-2 season, but they’re a shell of themselves right now. They’re just not very good.

“Wisconsin, that used to be an absolute four-quarter street fight.”

Not so much in 2022.

CJ Stroud leading Heisman Trophy race without a full complement of receivers

Meyer also pointed to another factor in his argument CJ Stroud leads the Heisman Trophy race right now: Top receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba has only played in two games so far this season.

He was widely expected to be one of the best receivers in the country, so Stroud’s been down his top weapon for a while.

Meyer made that point while praising one of his former assistant coaches.

“Brian Hartline is, I made a comment to many people, he’s not even challenged as the best receiver coach, I think in recent history, maybe ever,” Meyer said. “You cannot take what he’s done, his body of work, and say, ‘All these first-round draft picks.’ I get angry sometimes when I hear someone say, ‘Well, it’s recruiting.’ No, it’s recruiting but it’s also development of player. And he’s a great developer of player. The best.

“So that combination and they’re doing that without the best receiver in college football.”