UNC Football: Staff Roundtable and Predictions

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Dec 26, 2014; Detroit, MI, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Marquise Williams (12) runs the ball in the third quarter against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights in the 2014 Quick Lane Bowl at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Does Marquise Williams have a legitimate shot at winning an ACC Player of the Year or even a Heisman trophy?

David Staley: Probably not and definitely not. If Deshaun Watson stays healthy, I would imagine he will have a great season playing for a great team, which typically earns more votes than having a great season for a decent team, which is probably what Marquise will do. That’s assuming a quarterback has a leg up on other contenders, such as Dalvin Cook, Tyler Boyd, and James Conner. If the Heels can win the Coastal, Williams has a decent chance at ACC honors. If not, it seems unlikely. As for a Heisman, if Choo Choo Justice couldn’t win one, neither will Quise.

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Jackson Hicks: Marquise Williams showed flashes of brilliance last season. I could definitely see him putting up close to 4,000 passing yards and close to 1,000 rushing yards (last season he had 3,000 and 800). These numbers aren’t unreasonable compared to his performance last season, and would definitely put him in the conversation for ACC Player of the Year. As for the Heisman, I think there’s too much talent elsewhere, and the committee tends to favor players who play on top-5 teams. I don’t think UNC will be that good this season.

Zack Pearson: The Heisman is just so difficult to win and there is a ton of talent in college football this season. I believe the more realistic one would be the ACC Player of the Year. But Williams will need to cut back on turnovers.

Brandon Griffin: Absolutely. Well as long as UNC wins games. It is always hard to win anything if your team isnt winning, no matter how good you may be playing. As far as the Heisman, I give it a better than zero but more of an unlikely unless Carolina wins 10-12 games and is highly ranked.

Ben Coley: No. Just no.

Leonard Meade: Marquise has a great shot to win the ACC player. With all those parts around him returning, I would say that he is the favorite!

Simeon Jackson: ACC player of the year? Our receivers will have to pick it up if so.

Matthew Haley: He definitely has a chance at the ACC Player of the Year award however he needs to be consistent each week. An experienced offensive line will help him be more consistent. The Heisman Trophy is an award that is reliant on the ESPN crew hyping a player. He can make a case early with a big time showing against South Carolina however his next chance to shine in front of a big audience may not come until Pittsburg in late October.

John Bauman: Yes, I think so. Read here.

Next: How many games will the team win?

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