LSU quarterback Daniels bags Heisman Trophy

NEW YORK — Louisiana State University quarterback Jayden Daniels won the Heisman Trophy on Saturday as 2023’s most outstanding collegiate football player.

Daniels beat two other quarterbacks in Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. and the University of Oregon’s Bo Nix, as well as Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr.

Daniels started his college career at Arizona State and transferred to LSU in 2022.

He captured collegiate football’s most prestigious award, handed out at a ceremony at Lincoln Center, after a season that saw him pile up 4,946 yards of offense – 3,812 passing yards and 1,134 rushing yards – and 50 touchdowns.

The 22-year-old Californian led all Football Bowl Subdivision players in yards per attempt and passing touchdowns as well as pass completions of 20 or more yards.

His running game was also outstanding, his 8.4 rushing yards per attempt enough for fourth in the FBS among all running backs.

After making the move to LSU in 2022 he led the team to nine wins and the Southeastern Conference championship game.

They won the same number of games this season, but didn’t make it to the conference championship.

Daniels became the third LSU player to win the Heisman, after Billy Cannon in 1959 and current Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow in 2019.

He’s the third straight quarterback to win the award and the seventh in the last eight years.