The best teams in college football will contend for the national championship this season. These teams will rely on the top individual star players in the country to lead the way. We took the time to look ahead to the 2016 college football season to project who we feel will excel the most at every individual position. Here is a look at the early predictions for every major offensive college football award.
Davey O’Brien Award: Deshaun Watson, Clemson Tigers
The defending ACC champion Tigers are in good hands with the Heisman trophy favorite leading the way as Watson appears primed to dominate once again this season. Watson threw for 4,104 yards and 35 touchdowns while also running for 1,105 yards and 12 scores at Clemson a year ago as he led them to a national championship game appearance versus Alabama. The offense has the potential to be even better this season with Watson a little more experiences and star receiver Mike Williams back in the fold after missing all of 2015 with a neck injury. That will mean big numbers from Watson and it will be very interesting to see if he can top what he did a year ago for the Tigers.
Doak Walker Award: Leonard Fournette, LSU Tigers
Leonard Fournette has never won a national college football award but that should change in 2016 when he looks to build off an outstanding sophomore campaign. Fournette was the early frontrunner to win the Heisman trophy before eventually hitting a wall late last season, but that had more to do with the lack of a supporting cast around him than his own play. LSU was the victim of some really shoddy quarterbacking, which meant that Fournette faced a lot of eight-man boxes. Also, the Tigers schedule got stronger down the stretch and teams knew what to expect.
Even so, Fournette led the nation with 162.8 yards per game last season and with another year of experience and a little more help, he should be able to do enough to lock up the Doak Walker award as the nation’s top running back.
Fred Biletnikoff Award: Gabe Marks, Washington State Cougars
No player from a Group of Five program has been awarded the Biletnikoff trophy over the last 16 years but that run could come to an end this season if Marks lives up to his potential at Washington State. Marks will play in a pass-heavy offense with an established quarterback so there is reason to believe he will be able to top the numbers he recorded a year ago when he had 104 catches for 1,192 yards and 15 touchdowns. USC’s Juju Smith-Schuster should put himself in the conversation for the award but Marks will have the edge based on familiarity, quarterback play and the pass-heavy offense the Cougars run.
John Mackey Award: Jake Butt, Michigan Wolverines
Butt earned Big Ten Tight End of the Year honors and was a second-team All-American a year ago when he recorded 51 catches for 654 yards and three touchdowns at Michigan. The expectation is that he will top those numbers this season because the Wolverines should be more seasoned than they were last year. The 6’6’’, 250-pound tight end was projected to be a second round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft but he opted to return to the Wolverines for another season and that was phenomenal news for Jim Harbaugh and his staff. Butt will have every opportunity to shine in the Michigan offense and he should have an edge over Clemson’s Jordan Leggett and Virginia Tech’s Buckey Hodges as the top tight end in college football.
Outland Trophy: Dan Feeney, Indiana Hoosiers
The most dominant lineman in college football will return to Bloomington, Indiana this season where he will continue to line up at the guard position. Feeney didn’t allow a single sack on 475 pass blocks last season and earned third-team All-American honors for his outstanding work. Feeney has the potential to be the most versatile and complete offensive guard in the country once again this year and it would only be fitting if Feeney received the Outland trophy as the nation’s top lineman.
