Gregg Doyel of the IndyStar will not be giving his Heisman vote to Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy amid the school’s sign-stealing scandal, he announced on Tuesday.
Doyel’s reasoning? Somebody has to pay the price for the accused cheating of the Wolverines, and in turn, McCarthy will not receive his vote.
“This is not J.J. McCarthy’s fault,” Doyel wrote. “But thanks to the Michigan coaching staff, he will pay the price. At least on my ballot. Because unlike Jim Harbaugh, I plan to sleep tonight with a clear conscience.”
While Doyel does not point any blame towards McCarthy for the school’s sign-stealing scandal, he does note that voting for the Michigan quarterback would be unfair to the other quarterbacks in the running who play for schools who appear to be abiding by NCAA rules. Notably, Doyel named Washington’s Michael Penix Jr., Oregon’s Bo Nix and LSU’s Jayden Daniels among the quarterbacks that he would consider voting for instead of McCarthy.
The Michigan story continues to twist and turn as the investigation into the program rolls on, but on the field, McCarthy certainly looks the part of one of the best players in the country.
McCarthy has completed 75.7% of his passes for 2,134 yards and 18 touchdowns against just three interceptions for the No. 3 Wolverines, who travel to Happy Valley to take on No. 10 Penn State on Saturday.
