Devon Dampier's performance against BYU has pushed him into the national Heisman conversation, with the Utah quarterback now carrying the fourth-best odds in the race.
On Saturday, Dampier did a little of everything for the Utes. He ran for a team-high 87 yards, threw for 177 yards and even caught a 29-yard reception in the matchup with BYU. That kind of production did more than help Utah on the field. It also lifted his profile well beyond the rivalry game.
Utah is making the case
After the BYU game, Utah amplified Dampier's candidacy with #SPID4HEISMAN posts. The timing made sense. When a quarterback puts together a stat line like that in a high-profile game, it tends to travel quickly in the Heisman race.
The attention matters because Utah football has rarely been in this position. Only one player in program history has ever been a Heisman finalist: Alex Smith. For Dampier, that history gives the current push a little more weight, especially with Utah still in the conversation as an undefeated team.
That is where the broader picture comes in. If Utah keeps winning, Dampier's case becomes easier to make, and a possible trip to New York City for the Heisman Trophy ceremony starts to feel more realistic. The performance against BYU did not win him the award, but it clearly changed the way he is being viewed nationally.
Teammates have seen this coming
The rise has not come as a surprise to everyone around him. Lance Holtzclaw, who played seven-on-seven ball with Dampier during summers in Arizona, said he has been telling people Dampier should be in the mix. Holtzclaw attended Desert Ridge High School in Phoenix, Arizona, while Dampier played at Saguaro High in Scottsdale, about a 20-minute drive away.
Holtzclaw said Dampier has been his guy since they were 15 years old, adding that he used to be his seven-on-seven quarterback. He called it a blessing to play with someone like that.
James “Bobo” Chenault Jr. also took notice of the BYU showing. He said Dampier has been playing like a Heisman, and added that watching him perform motivates him to keep going because it makes him want to go out and give him back the ball.
For Utah, the message is simple. Dampier's BYU performance gave the program a real Heisman talking point, and it turned a strong night into a much bigger national storyline.
