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Can the Prescott-Lewis tandem be as dangerous for Mullen as Tebow-Harvin in ’07?

Ethan Levine

By Ethan Levine

Published:

Dak Prescott and Jameon Lewis are primed to have a pair of dynamic seasons for the Mississippi State Bulldogs. Prescott led the team in both passing and rushing last season, while Lewis led the team in receiving.

Perhaps I’ll lose a few readers when I say the Prescott-Lewis tandem could be the best in the SEC by year’s end, despite playing a daunting SEC West schedule.

But I want to take it even a step beyond that.

What does that mean? 

It means the duo’s ceiling may have already been determined in 2007, in a Dan Mullen-coached offense at that.

It means if both players stay healthy, the tandem of Dak Prescott and Jameon Lewis can be every bit as dynamic as Florida’s Tim Tebow and Percy Harvin from 2007.

But wait; didn’t Tebow win the Heisman that year? Didn’t Harvin rack up more than 1,600 total yards and 10 touchdowns? Didn’t the Gators win nine games and finished ranked in the top-20 in the final polls?

The answer to all of those questions is, of course, yes. Tebow did in fact win the Heisman, Harvin did in fact gain yard after yard in every conceivable way, and Florida did in fact win more games than most BCS teams that season.

The numbers from that season speak for themselves:

  • Tebow: 66.9 completion percentage, 3,286 passing yards, 32 passing touchdowns, 895 yards rushing, 23 rushing touchdowns.
  • Harvin: 764 yards rushing, six rushing touchdowns, 858 yards receiving, four receiving touchdowns.

And even with that said, even with the numbers strongly backing Tebow and Harvin, the Prescott-Lewis tandem can make just as big an impact in the SEC this season.

Think about it. When was the last time Mullen had a dual-threat quarterback this productive as both a runner and a thrower? Not since his days as offensive coordinator at Florida when he coached Tebow.

That’s not to say Prescott is going to win the Heisman Trophy like Tebow did in 2007, although he has appeared on several preseason Heisman watch lists, but it does mean Prescott is capable of having as dynamic a season.

Let’s face it, any quarterback not named Cam Newton or Johnny Manziel would have a tough time duplicating Tebow’s 2007 numbers. In addition to Harvin, Tebow had the help of future NFLers Aaron Hernandez (a bad person but a tremendous football player), Louis Murphy, Andre Caldwell, Chris Rainey, Riley Cooper, the list goes on and on.

But Prescott can still take over games and elevate his entire team the same way Tebow did at Florida, even if Prescott has far less help on the Bulldogs’ roster. Playing quarterback isn’t all about physical ability. The intangibles are a crucial part to any quarterback’s repertoire.

Prescott showed more and more command of Mullen’s offense as last season progressed, all while battling nagging injuries and being the primary backup. He is now set to begin his junior season with a healthy body, two years of experience under his belt and complete control of the offense. He’s “the guy.”

When was Tebow’s first season as “the guy?” That’s right, 2007.

Still don’t believe me? Go back and watch last season’s Egg Bowl, when Prescott overcame injuries and entered the game in the fourth quarter to lead the Bulldogs to a come-from-behind victory in overtime. The combination of toughness, desire, ability and leadership he showed that night was as Tebow-esque as it gets.

Prescott has the same “it” factor in him, and perhaps he’s even a better runner than Tebow. If he can let it out for a full season the sky’s the limit.

Is the Lewis-Harvin comparison nearly as much of a stretch?

The basics: similar build, similar styles of play and comparable versatility. Both players are under 6-feet tall, both can torch opposing defenders in the open field and both can beat you in more ways than you knew the game of football allowed.

Here’s a crazy stat line for you: last season, Lewis threw for three touchdowns on just three pass attempts, ran for three touchdowns on just 13 carries and just happened to lead the team in receiving with 64 catches for 924 yards and five touchdowns. Do those numbers make you believe he can perform like Harvin in ’07?

I’ll give you his numbers from that season one more time so you don’t have to scroll up, and then you can decide for yourself:

  • Harvin: 764 yards rushing, six rushing touchdowns, 858 yards receiving, four receiving touchdowns.

Lewis proved in 2013 that he can impact a game in literally any way possible for a wideout – passing, rushing, receiving or blocking – and Mullen has had all offseason to pull out his Percy Harvin game tape to find fun ways to torch opposing defenses. Don’t expect coaches to rename a position “The Jameon Position” like Harvin, but Lewis has all the tools in an athletic shed to make believers out of doubters.

The SEC West is not going to make it easy, but in a conference losing as much star power as it’s keeping, the table is set for Prescott and Lewis to light the southeast on fire.

Ethan Levine

A former newspaper reporter who has roamed the southeastern United States for years covering football and eating way too many barbecue ribs, if there is such a thing.

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