Spencer Rattler has HUGE expectations to live up to in 2021
By Chip Rouse
It’s getting to the point that all the expectations being piled on the shoulders of Oklahoma football quarterback Spencer Rattler might be getting a bit concerning.
After all, he’s just starting his second season as the Oklahoma starting quarterback and the soon-to-be 21-year-old is only human.
Regardless, he expected to lead the Sooners to a potential national championship appearance in the College Football Playoff, not to mention a seventh consecutive Big 12 title. That’s what’s expected on him for the team.
Individually, he is the preseason favorite for the Heisman Trophy, which would make it three Oklahoma quarterbacks to win the prestigious award in the past five years and the fifth Sooner QB to win the Heisman since 2003. He is also in strong consideration for the Maxwell Award and the Walter Camp Award, both of which honor to most outstanding player in college football every year.
And, oh yeah, he also up for several national quarterback awards as well.
And the expectations continue to mount for the star Sooner quarterback. On Wednesday, Rattler and the Sooners’ top defensive player, edge-rusher Nik Bonitto, were both named to the USA Today Preseason All-America Team. Both are first-team selections.
Five Big 12 players in all were USA Today Preseason First-Team All-America selections: RB Breece Hall and TE Charlie Kolar from Iowa State and RB Bijan Robinson of Texas are the others. Iowa State’s Kolar, by the way, is from Norman, Oklahoma.
Outside of the Alabama team, Rattler is probably carrying higher expectations leading into the 2021 season than any other team or individual in college football. Here’s hoping the weight of those expectations aren’t too much for him to handle.