Lamar Jackson, Deshaun Watson take home awards, upping drama ahead of Heisman Saturday

ByEDWARD ASCHOFF
December 8, 2016, 9:21 PM

— -- ATLANTA -- Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson won the Maxwell Award and Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson won the Davey O'Brien Award during Thursday's Home Depot College Football Awards, creating some exciting buildup to Saturday's Heisman Trophy presentation.

The Maxwell Award is given to the college player of the year, while the Davey O'Brien is awarded to nation's best quarterback. Both players are two of five finalists for the Heisman, making a two-man race out of what was once thought to be a near-certain win for Jackson.

"To win this award means a lot. Being the first one to ever do it at the University of Louisville, I'm in shock right now," Jackson said. "I have butterflies. I ain't never had them before, besides my first time playing football."

Jackson beat out Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield, also a Heisman finalist, and Michigan do-everything linebacker Jabrill Peppers for the Maxwell. Jackson, a sophomore, became the first Louisville player to win the Maxwell and was the second player in FBS history to pass for 3,000 yards and rush for 1,500 yards in same season since Northern Illinois' Jordan Lynch in 2012. He also set the ACC single-season record with 51 touchdowns this season.

"I have to give all my credit to my mother," Jackson said onstage after accepting the award. "She's a great mother, a father figure, loved me, helped me out a lot. I'm blessed."

Jackson, who was named the 2016 ACC Player of the Year, also was named the Walter Camp Player of the Year after ranking second nationally in total offense (410.7 yards per game). Jackson broke the conference record for rushing yards (1,538 yards) and rushing touchdowns (21) by a quarterback and has accounted for 73.4 percent of his team's total offense this season.

Jackson has passed for 3,390 yards and 30 touchdowns this season.

Watson joined BYU's Ty Detmer, Florida's Danny Wuerffel and Oklahoma's Jason White as the only two-time winners of the O'Brien Award. Each of the three also won the Heisman in one of those seasons. Watson also became the first quarterback in ACC history with 35-plus passing touchdowns in two different seasons. This year, he leads the ACC with 3,914 passing yards and 37 passing touchdowns.

Asked about the Heisman possibly coming down to himself and Watson, Jackson replied, "If it does, oh well, best man [wins]."

While Watson thought he should win the Heisman Saturday, he wasn't ready to campaign for himself over Jackson.

"I really don't get too big into all that," Watson said. "Whoever wins it really deserves it. At the end of the day, we both did some great things for our teams."

One person who would vote for Jackson if given the chance is Alabama coach Nick Saban, who watched Watson account for 478 total yards of offense and four touchdowns in the Crimson Tide's 45-40 win over Clemson in last season's College Football Playoff National Championship Game.

"I don't have any input ... but after playing him last year, I'm voting for him, but I don't have a vote," Saban said. "I think he's a fantastic competitor and a great player and played a fantastic game against us."

Oklahoma wide receiver Dede Westbrook, who is also a Heisman finalist, won the Biletnikoff Award as the nation's best receiver. Westbrook was second in the Power 5 with 1,465 receiving yards off 74 catches. He also had 16 touchdowns, averaged 19.8 yards per catch and 67.6 percent of his receptions went for first downs or touchdowns.

Peppers, the fifth finalist for the Heisman, lost out to Alabama defensive end Jonathan Allen for the Chuck Bednarik Award for the defensive player of the year. Allen, the first Alabama player to win the award, already had won the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, another award given to the nation's top defensive player, after recording 13 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks, 15 quarterback hurries, and leading all defensive linemen with two defensive touchdowns.

Peppers played 15 positions in all three phases of the game for the Wolverines, recording three offensive touchdowns and a punt return for a touchdown. Defensively, he leads the team with 16 tackles for loss, and has four sacks, one interception, and 72 tackles.

While Allen won't be in New York for the Heisman presentation, he's rooting for Peppers to win the bronze trophy on Saturday.

"Represent for the defense," Allen said. "that's what I told him. I'm not bothered by [not being a Heisman finalist]. It's fine because I won the Nagurski Trophy. I'm perfectly fine with that. I won't lose any sleep over that."

USC cornerback Adoree' Jackson became the third straight junior to win the Jim Thorpe Award for the nation's best defensive back, while Texas's D'Onta Foreman became the third different winner from Texas (1997 and 1998 Ricky Williams, 2004 Cedric Benson) to win the Doak Walker Award for the nation's best running back after rushing for a nation-leading 2,028 yards this year.