Texas Football: 5 2019 Sam Ehlinger bold predictions

2. Heisman finalist

The early odds for the 2019 Heisman Trophy honors have a legitimate candidate from the Texas football program for the first time in an off-season since Colt McCoy. Ehlinger deserves every bit of Heisman hype he’s getting for the 2019 campaign with the numbers he posted this past season.

If Ehlinger was to at least reach the Heisman Trophy Ceremony in December 2019, he would be the first from the Horns since McCoy in 2009. Texas had an amazing run of Heisman finalists at quarterback and running back in the 1990s and 2000s. Once the turn of the decade hit for the 2010s, the downturn of star power on the Forty Acres fell with the on-field performance from the entire team.

For Ehlinger to reach the point of being a Heisman finalist, he would have to be roughly as efficient as he was in 2018 while increasing his yardage and touchdown numbers a little bit. If he is able to keep the interception numbers in the single digits while increasing his total yardage and touchdowns to at least 45 this upcoming season, he should be a finalist.

Ehlinger would be the eighth Heisman finalist in program history and the first winner since former standout running back Ricky Williams.

However, it’s unfair to compare the potential numbers Ehlinger could post next season to the Heisman finalists in 2018. For most other seasons, the three 2018 Heisman finalists could’ve ran away with the award. But Ohio State quarterback Dwayne Haskins and Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa ran into an unfortunate situation with the amazing statistical year registered by Oklahoma star Kyler Murray.