LSU QB Jayden Daniels wins the Heisman Trophy

LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels has won the 2023 Heisman Trophy, beating out three other finalists to take home college football’s most-coveted award.

Daniels was voted as the Heisman Trophy winner over Oregon quarterback Bo Nix, Washington quarterback Michael Penix and wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr.

Daniels won the Heisman Trophy with 503 first-place votes and 2,029 points. Michael Penix comes in second with 1,701 points. Daniels and Penix were the lone players to receive more than 51 first-place votes.

Daniels becomes the third LSU player to win the Heisman, joining Billy Cannon in 1959 and Joe Burrow in 2019.

There was a 60-year gap between Cannon and Burrow winning the Heisman. Now, LSU has won the Heisman for the second time in five seasons.

New: How did the votes get cast for the 2023 Heisman Trophy?

Here’s the breakdown from Deloitte’s sealed envelope.https://t.co/oZYCZam2ut pic.twitter.com/ivrxhh8Eqe
— Shea Dixon (@Sheadixon) December 10, 2023
 

Historic season by Daniels gets the attention of voters

Daniels, the five-time SEC Offensive Player of the Week honor in 2023, leads the nation in nearly every category for a quarterback including total offense (412.2), passing TDs (40), TDs responsible for (50) and rushing yards for a player at his position (1,134).

In 2023, he completed 236-of-327 passes for 3,812 yards, 40 touchdowns and only four interceptions and leads the nation in pass efficiency with a 208.0 rating. He ranks No. 3 nationally in passing yards and passing yards per game (317.7).

Daniels joins 2012 Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel of Texas A&M as the only players in SEC history to rush for 1,000 yards and pass for 3,500 yards in a single-season.

Daniels also joined fellow Heisman Trophy winners Joe Burrow (63), Tim Tebow (55), Cam Newton (51) and Bryce Young (50) as the only players in SEC history to account for 50 touchdowns in a season.

In 12 games, Daniels accounted for at least four touchdowns in nine games, including an LSU record tying eight (6 passing, 2 rushing) in a win over Georgia State. The eight touchdowns in one game tied the mark set by Burrow during his Heisman Trophy season in 2019.

Daniels eclipsed the 400-yard mark for total offense six times in 2023, which includes an SEC record 606 yards in the win over Florida. In that game, Daniels became the first player in FBS history to rush for 200 yards (234) and pass for 350 yards (372) in a game.

Daniels was the catalyst behind an LSU offense that leads the nation in total offense (547.8) and scoring (46.4). The Tigers are the only team in college football to average 300 passing yards and 200 rushing yards a contest. LSU ranks No. 4 nationally in passing yards per game (334.3) and No. 7 in rushing with a 213.5 average.

From ASU to LSU, Daniels sees football journey end on a high note

Daniels left high school in the 2019 class as the No. 3 quarterback on the On3 Industry Rankings, checking in behind only South Carolina quarterback Spencer Rattler and Oregon quarterback Bo Nix.

Daniels spent three seasons at Arizona State before transferring to LSU, while Nix transferred from Auburn to Oregon and Rattler transferred from Oklahoma to South Carolina.

Now, Daniels heads to the NFL Draft as a Heisman Trophy winner.

“I wouldn’t trade it for the world,” Daniels said. “Everything I’ve been through — the good and the bad, the highs and the lows. You’ve got to fight through adversity as a quarterback and as a human being. I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.

“I always believed in myself. And everything you could do, you have to put your mind into it, you have to put in the work. And for me, I was just going out here from Arizona State and then transitioning to LSU in the 2022 season and going in this past offseason, I wanted to elevate my game.”

Daniels made a massive jump from 2022 to 2023 during his two seasons in Baton Rouge, and he leaves New York City with the most-coveted hardware in college football.

“I want to be the best version of me because I knew there was much more out there on the table,” Daniels said. “I just put in the work, the early mornings, the late nights.”