Travis Hunter is the Heisman frontrunner?

[PopesReignOverCardinals]

They’ve split offense and defense positions since 1964. So you’re still looking at 60 years since someone was an All-American at two positions.

So whether it’s 100 years or 60 years, the broader point remains which is simply that you just don’t see guys capable of playing at that level on both sides of the ball.

Hunter’s been playing at an elite level at both positions and that can’t really be denied. That warrants Heisman consideration.

Consideration, yes. But we're talking about winning it. That's not the same as consideration.

 

[PopesReignOverCardinals]

Boise barely played anyone either.

The #1 undefeated team in the country (Oregon) had to beat them with a last second field goal. Boise held a lead in that game in the 4th quarter, and it was their only loss all season. You can't undermine that.

 

[Tskware]

A bit OT, but I am old enough to remember Barry Sanders in college + pros, and Jeanty is a really good back, but IMO, could not carry Sanders' jockstrap. Jeanty may claim the one season record, but will have played three or four more games to do it.

 

[UKnCincy]

I mean Ron Dayne won the Heisman and other RBs with way less stats than what Alshon has. He’s got 2,500 yards and 29 TDs on the ground (30 total) and his team is in the playoffs.

Hunter wasn’t the best at anything he did.

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Are you aware that the stats in the Tweet you linked are wrong? For example, Hunter is 2nd in the nation in receiving TDs. It looks like none of the figures for Hunter in that Tweet are accurate.

In terms of his impact on the defensive side of the ball, he was good enough that teams avoided throwing towards him. He was targeted only 39 times this season. That’s third fewest among Power 4 defensive backs.

And despite being targeted only 39 times, Hunter was still 3rd in the nation in terms of passes defended with 15 (11 pass breakups and 4 INTs). Those are impressive figures for a DB.

 

[HeismaNole]

Plays in the minor leagues, was allowed to pad his stats against inferior competition all year. If Huter caught every pass like the boise back took every rushing attempt he would have been over 2500 receiving yards. But people want to pull for the little guy.

The Big 12 is awful which is how Colorado managed to win 10 games this year while losing to any ranked team they played and getting blown out by Kansas.

Hunter played nobody so that can’t be used against him. He’s a product of media hype. He will be drafted high but Colorado was a circus whose on field results were not worthy of the media promotion.

 

[HeismaNole]

A bit OT, but I am old enough to remember Barry Sanders in college + pros, and Jeanty is a really good back, but IMO, could not carry Sanders' jockstrap. Jeanty may claim the one season record, but will have played three or four more games to do it.

Barry Sanders is the greatest RB of all time so it’s not some slight to not be as good as him.

 

[HeismaNole]

Are you aware that the stats in the Tweet you linked are wrong? For example, Hunter is 2nd in the nation in receiving TDs. It looks like none of the figures for Hunter in that Tweet are accurate.

In terms of his impact on the defensive side of the ball, he was good enough that teams avoided throwing towards him. He was targeted only 39 times this season. That’s third fewest among Power 4 defensive backs.

And despite being targeted only 39 times, Hunter was still 3rd in the nation in terms of passes defended with 15 (11 pass breakups and 4 INTs). Those are impressive figures for a DB.

That’s a screen shot before the last game. If you looked at those stats and didn’t know it was Hunter, no way would you argue he deserved the Heisman.

 

[Grumpyolddawg]

Sorry, but you can't argue that Colorado's schedule was much better than Boise's this year or that it was a cake walk. He went off against the literal #1 team in the nation and they almost won the game. Boise State played and beat UNLV twice who literally beat 2 Big 12 teams in Kansas & Houston this year. Same Kansas who beat Hunter's team by 16. Boise whooped Washington State who also whooped a top half Big 12 team; and won their Big Ten matchup. One of the worst MWC teams barely lost to an ACC playoff team. SJSU beat an ACC team. So that argument just holds no water. The Big 12 wasn't much harder than the MWC this year. And comparing catches to handoffs is a head scratcher. Yeah, every WR in the country is going to go for 2500 yards if they get the same amount of catches as top RBs. But getting rushing yards is harder.

And he still isn't an AA on both sides of the ball and I dont think he is as good as the vol RB, who got his yards against the best defenses in the country week after week. Cant believe you bring up wash st as a tfough defense. It was Boise's defense that kept the Oregon Game close, not the offense. Hunter may not win, but he is top enough at his position on bot sides of the ball, if he was on one side only, either one, he would be the number 1 at that position.

 

[Creed Bratton]

Colorado only played 1 team in the Top 25 this year, and they lost that game. They are not in the CFP. Who did Hunter match up against this year? Did he face any elite DBs while player WR? Did he face any elite WRs while playing DB?

He's a great player and he's going to be drafted highly in the NFL. I just haven't seen anybody peel back on the matchups that he's had to make the argument for him.

The Heisman is a joke anyway. The one thing I don't like about the Heisman Trophy is too many times it is the best player, normally the QB, from the best team that wins. Also, a defensive player rarely wins. IMO Josh Allen was the most dominant player in college football his last year here (2018) and he wasn't even a candidate. He was held, double and sometimes even tripled teamed on every play and was still able to post these accomplishments his senior year.....

• Had a team-high 88 total tackles, 17 quarterback sacks, 21.5 TFL, seven QB hurries, five forced fumbles, four pass breakups and two fumble recoveries
• Led the SEC in quarterback sacks, tackles for loss, and forced fumbles
• His 17 sacks were the most by an SEC player in a single season since the NCAA started official sack records in 2000
• Ranked second nationally in sacks, fourth in fumbles forced and sixth in TFL
• Thirteen of his 17 sacks were in the second half, four in the third quarter and nine in the fourth quarter
• UK did not allowed a point on all 17 opponent possessions that he had a sack
• Consensus First-Team All-American (Walter Camp Football Foundation, Sports Illustrated, TheAthletic.com, ESPN, Associated Press, College Football News, Football Writers Association of America, Sporting News, USA Today, CBS, American Football Coaches Association, Athlon)
• SEC Defensive Player of the Year (AP, Coaches, Athlon, ESPN)
• First-Team All-SEC (AP, Coaches, Athlon, ESPN)
• Bronko Nagurski Award winner, National Defensive Player of the Year
• Chuck Bednarik Award winner, National Defensive Player of the Year
• Ronnie Lott IMPACT Trophy winner, National Defensive Player of the Year
• Jack Lambert Award winner, National Linebacker of the Year
• Birmingham Monday Morning Quarterback Club SEC Lineman of the Year

The ten finalist that year were 6 QB's, 3 RB's and a DT from Bama who had less impressive stats than Josh had.

 

[bthaunert]

That’s a screen shot before the last game. If you looked at those stats and didn’t know it was Hunter, no way would you argue he deserved the Heisman.

As a WR alone, yes, you're right, he wouldn't deserve it. As a DB alone, yes, you're right, he wouldn't deserve it. Although, those stats are not updated:

Receptions - 5th (not 6th)
Receiving yards - 6th (not 14th)
Receiving yards/game - 6th (not 14th)
Receiving TD's - 2nd (not 8th)
Interceptions - tied for 17th with 4 (not 29th)
Passes defended - tied for 8th (not 23rd)

But you can't discount that he's most likely going to be an All American on both sides of the ball. The fact this guy has a really good shot at being an AA on both sides of the ball is insane.

Should he win? maybe, maybe not. But to act like he shouldn't be someone that is seriously considered and has a real argument is crazy.