Dino Babers: ‘Lamar Jackson is even better than last year’
Syracuse football head coach Dino Babers says Louisville star Lamar Jackson is even better than he was during his Heisman campaign last season.
The Syracuse football team is 4-6 after being gashed by the Wake Forest offense last Saturday. In that game the Orange defense gave up over 700 yards of offense to the Demon Deacons.
The next challenge for the Dome Dudes is the reigning, defending 2016 Heisman winner Lamar Jackson. While the record may not be as good as last year for Louisville (6-4 in 2017, 9-4 in 2016), their quarterback Jackson still looks pretty fantastic.
A lot of analysts have pointed out that Jackson is tied for sixth in the current Vegas lines in terms of his chances at another Heisman (40-1 odds). Indicating perhaps there’s been a drop off. Although few fail to mention only one man in the history of college football has won the award twice (Archie Griffin, Ohio State). So lets cut the kid some slack.
Even if the notion was true that Jackson wasn’t as good as last year, there’s a fair argument to be made that 80% of Jackson last year is still better than the majority of quarterback situations around the country.
Despite the odds drop-off, head coach for the Orange Dino Babers says that Jackson is better than he was during the Heisman campaign.
"“I think we’re better (the Syracuse football team) as well, but so is he (Lamar Jackson). I don’t think we’re going to see the 2016 version of Jackson, I think we’re going to see the 2017 version.”"
That’s a scary thought. When you actually look at the numbers, Jackson doesn’t seem to be that far off of his Heisman pace via CFB Sports Reference:
2016 stats: 3,543 yards passing, 30 touchdowns to 9 interceptions, and he ran for 1,571 yards and 21 scores.
2017 stats: 3,003 yards through the air, 21 touchdowns to 6 interceptions, and so far he’s run for 1,176 yards and 15 touchdowns.
While Jackson still has another three games to pad his stats in terms of the rest of this season. I think the only reason Jackson isn’t more so in the Heisman conversation isn’t because of the lack of stats, but due to the lack of Heisman moments.
Last year, as most Syracuse fans remember, his Heisman moment came in the Carrier Dome on that fateful day back on September 9th, 2016:
When you google Jackson, it suggests the above highlight is what you’re looking for. It captivated the college football world. Although that wasn’t his lone bright moment in the loud house, here’s the rest of the stat line: 411 yards through the air, nearly 200 yards rushing on the ground, and five combined touchdowns, per CFB Sports Reference.
Of course he would go on to win the Heisman crown. Now Babers and company will have to try and figure out how to stop this man. Although last year when asked how he would stop Jackson, Babers gave this light hearted response:
"“Based on our defensive performance,” Babers said last season via Fox Sports, “I don’t have the right to have an opinion on [stopping Jackson].”"
Hopefully he does this time around. Although maybe the attention should be shifted to Orange defensive coordinator Brian Ward. #PayDino has been a thing since the Clemson win and the #PayWard started gaining some traction too. I’d imagine after last Saturday’s performance that hashtag was put on hold as well.
There’s no question SU is going to have its’ hands full again. But the situation is a lot different than last year. Well in terms of their season outlook before playing Louisville. Last year the Orange were fresh off a season opening Colgate beatdown.
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If the Orange lose Saturday, their bowl hopes will be extinct for the fourth consecutive season. Which will likely mean another 4-8 campaign for the Cuse and thus ending the season on a five game losing streak.