Making the case for a dark horse 2024 LSU football Heisman candidate

While it’s yet to be seen how he fares in year-two of middle linebacker duties, expectations haven’t dropped in the slightest. With an overall skillset that can rival just about any defender in college football, Harold Perkins Jr has the potential to be incredible in 2024.

Could some extra snaps at running back make him a dark horse LSU football Heisman candidate?

While there’s no question about his ability as a linebacker, we saw something in the 2024 ReliaQuest Bowl that may have opened up a whole new world of opportunities as we look ahead to the upcoming season.

After kicking off the 2024 year against Wisconsin on New Year’s Day, many LSU fans went into the day expecting a relatively easy win against a middle of the road Big Ten West program. However, after four drives in a row without putting any points on the board, quarterback Garrett Nussmeier and the Tigers found themselves down 14-0 mid-way through the second quarter.

Something needed to change, and when the offense finally found its way to the goal line, interim offensive coordinator Joe Sloan saw an opportunity for a unique spark to get things going. He went ahead and threw linebacker Harold Perkins Jr in at running back, and just like that the sophomore found his way into the endzone for the first time in his college football career.

Whether Sloan was aware of it at the time or not, he may have opened the door for a potential dark horse LSU football Heisman contender for the 2024 season.

Understandably so, quarterback Garrett Nussmeier is the early favorite within the roster to potentially make it to New York at the end of the 2024 season. Still, Perkins Jr has the chance to potentially enter his name into discussions with a couple big games early on.

Additionally, if the soon-to-be junior can steal some snaps on offense as the season goes along, it would just further arguments to add him into conversations.

History of defensive players and the Heisman Trophy

In the long history of the Heisman Trophy, just one defensive player has ever won the award, as Michigan defensive back Charles Woodson received the nod in 1997.

Additionally, only a handful of players have ever been named as finalists, as Michigan defensive end Aidan Hutchinson, Ohio State defensive end Chase Young, Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te’o and LSU safety Tyrann Mathieu were some of the most recent.

For the sake of comparison for LSU star Harold Perkins Jr, the last linebacker to earn his way to New York as a Heisman finalist was Jabrill Peppers out of Michigan in 2016. While it’s notable to mention that he played all three phases of the game, from a defensive standpoint, the talented athlete didn’t put up crazy numbers by any means.

In total, he record 72 tackles, four sacks, one pass deflection, one forced fumble and one interception on defense while adding 740 all-purpose yards and four touchdowns between offense and special teams.

Truth be told, it’s hard to imagine we’ll see Perkins Jr on offense enough to put up those kinds of numbers. In fact, the bowl game offensive appearance may end up just being a one time deal.

Regardless, putting awards and recognition to the side, if the Tiger defense wants to see a jump in 2024, the elite linebacker will need to be a major part of it. If he happens to put up some crazy numbers along the way, it would just be icing on top of what has already been an impressive career with the purple and gold thus far.