NEW YORK (AP) — Same iconic statue, very completely different race.
With two-way star Travis Hunter of Colorado and Boise State operating again Ashton Jeanty main the sector, these definitely aren’t your typical Heisman Trophy contenders.
Sure, veteran quarterbacks Dillon Gabriel from top-ranked Oregon and Cam Ward of No. 15 Miami are finalists for faculty soccer’s most prestigious award as properly, however the ninetieth annual ceremony developing Saturday night time at Lincoln Center in New York City provides a recent taste this 12 months.
To begin with, not one of the 4 are from the powerhouse Southeastern Conference, which has produced 4 of the previous 5 Heisman winners — two every from Alabama and LSU.
Jeanty, who performed his residence video games for a Group of Five staff on that peculiar blue turf in Idaho greater than 2,100 miles from Manhattan, is the primary operating again even invited to the Heisman get together since 2017. After main the nation with 2,497 yards speeding and 29 touchdowns, he joined quarterback Kellen Moore (2010) as the one Boise State gamers to be named a finalist.
“The operating again place has been neglected for some time now,” mentioned Jeanty, who plans to enter the 2025 NFL draft.
“There’s been quite a lot of nice operating backs earlier than me that ought to have been right here in New York, so to sort of keep on the legacy of the operating again place I feel is nice. … I really feel as if I’m representing the entire place.”
With the votes already in, all 4 finalists spent Friday conducting interviews and sightseeing within the Big Apple. They got customized, commemorative watches to mark their achievement.
“I’m not a watch man, however I prefer it,” mentioned Hunter, flashing a smile.
The gamers additionally took photographs beneath the huge billboards in Times Square and later posed with the well-known Heisman Trophy, handed out since 1935 to the nation’s most excellent performer.
Hunter, the heavy favourite, made positive to not contact it but.
A dominant participant on each offense and protection who hardly ever comes off the sector, the huge receiver/cornerback is a throwback to generations passed by and the primary full-time, true two-way star in a long time.
On offense, he had 92 catches for 1,152 yards and 14 touchdowns this season to assist the Twentieth-ranked Buffaloes (9-3) earn their first bowl bid in 4 years. On protection, he made 4 interceptions, broke up 11 passes and compelled a essential fumble that secured an additional time victory towards Baylor.
Hunter performed 688 defensive snaps and 672 extra on offense — the one Power Four convention participant with 30-plus snaps on either side of the ball, based on Colorado analysis.
Call him school soccer’s reply to baseball unicorn Shohei Ohtani.
“I feel I laid the bottom for extra folks to return in and go two methods,” Hunter mentioned. “It begins along with your mindset. If you imagine you are able to do it, then you definitely’ll be capable of do it. And additionally, I do quite a lot of remedy. I sustain with my physique. I get quite a lot of restoration.”
Hunter is Colorado’s first Heisman finalist in 30 years. The junior from Suwanee, Georgia, adopted flashy coach Deion Sanders from Jackson State, an HBCU that performs within the decrease degree FCS, to the Rocky Mountains and has already racked up a staggering mixture of accolades this week, together with The Associated Press participant of the 12 months.
Hunter additionally received the Walter Camp Award as nationwide participant of the 12 months, together with the Chuck Bednarik Award as the highest defensive participant and the Biletnikoff Award for greatest huge receiver.
“It simply goes to indicate that I did what I needed to do,” Hunter mentioned.
Next, he’d like to shine off his spectacular {hardware} assortment by changing into the second Heisman Trophy recipient in Buffaloes historical past, after late operating again Rashaan Salaam in 1994.
“I labored so arduous for this second, so securing the Heisman undoubtedly would set my legacy in school soccer,” Hunter mentioned. “Being right here now is sort of a dream come true.”
Jeanty carried No. 8 Boise State (12-1) to a Mountain West Conference championship that landed the Broncos the third seed on this 12 months’s College Football Playoff. They have a first-round bye earlier than dealing with the SMU-Penn State winner within the Fiesta Bowl quarterfinal on New Year’s Eve.
The 5-foot-9, 215-pound junior from Jacksonville, Florida, received the Maxwell Award as school soccer’s prime participant and the Doak Walker Award for greatest operating again. Jeanty has 5 landing runs of a minimum of 70 yards and has rushed for the fourth-most yards in a season in FBS historical past — topping the full of 115 groups this 12 months. He wants 132 yards to interrupt the FBS report set by Heisman Trophy winner Barry Sanders at Oklahoma State in 1988.
In a pass-happy period, nevertheless, Jeanty is making an attempt to grow to be the primary operating again to win the Heisman Trophy since Derrick Henry for Alabama 9 years in the past. In truth, quarterbacks have snagged the prize all however 4 instances this century.
Gabriel, an Oklahoma switch, led Oregon (13-0) to a Big Ten title in its first season within the league and the No. 1 seed within the College Football Playoff.
The regular senior from Hawaii handed for 3,558 yards and 28 touchdowns with six interceptions. His 73.2% completion charge ranks second within the nation, and he’s making an attempt to affix quarterback Marcus Mariota (2014) as Ducks gamers to win the Heisman Trophy.
“I feel all of the recollections begin to roll again in your thoughts,” Gabriel mentioned.
Ward threw for 4,123 yards and led the nation with a school-record 36 landing passes for the high-scoring Hurricanes (10-2) after transferring from Washington State.
The senior from West Columbia, Texas, received the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback of the Year award and is trying to be a part of QBs Vinny Testaverde (1986) and Gino Torretta (1992) as Miami gamers to go residence with the Heisman.
“I simply suppose there’s a recklessness that it’s important to play with on the quarterback place,” Ward mentioned.
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