Clemson football: Finebaum’s mea culpa – Should have voted for Deshaun Watson

Paul Finebaum’s mea culpa – Should have voted for Deshaun Watson.

Well, that’s not something you read every day, or ever for that matter according to Clemson football fans, but Paul Finebaum has admitted the error of his ways.

On Monday, when Finebaum was asked about the best college football quarterback to never win a Heisman he went through a few names from the past such as Dan Marino, Peyton Manning, Colt McCoy and John Elway, among others, before settling on one that might interest Tiger faithful: Deshaun Watson.

"“Dan Marino is one we’ll throw on that list,” Finebaum said. “I’ll come up with a couple more here — Stetson Bennett, Colt McCoy … John Elway was good. Joe Namath wasn’t bad, back in the day. Vince Young … he should’ve won the Heisman.”“I’ve got the perfect answer for you, because I still regret not voting for this guy, but — Deshaun Watson.”"

Watson finished his Clemson career with 10,168 yards passing, with 90 touchdowns and 32 interceptions through the air and another 1,934 yards and 26 touchdowns on the ground.

Finebaum overlooked nation’s best player and regrets it

In Watson’s 2015 sophomore campaign he led the Tigers to the National Championship game with 4,109 passing yards and 38 touchdowns, plus 1,105 yards and 12 scores on the ground, but lost out to Derrick Henry.

The following season Watson’s epic performance led Clemson to the National Championship while throwing for 4,593 yards and 41 touchdowns, while rushing for another 629 yards and 9 touchdowns.

Unfortunately, the Heisman vote wraps up in December, before the college football playoff and Watson fell short to Louisville’s Lamar Jackson.

In recent years the award has been dominated by quarterbacks with the only exceptions being three Alabama skill players, the aforementioned Henry, wide receiver Davonta Smith and running back Mark Ingram in 2009.

Clemson, of course, has never had a Heisman Trophy winner in its history and Finebaum’s admission, though it likely mirrors many of his fellow voters around the nation, does little to assuage Tiger fans dislike for the Mouth of the South.