On3's Hayes Fawcett couldn't believe two-way Colorado football star Travis Hunter downplayed what Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty has accomplished this season by labeling him "a running back that's good."
"Travis Hunter is a great player and what he’s doing on both sides of the ball is amazing, but to downplay what Jeanty is doing this season is WILD," Fawcett prefaced before saying, "He’s more than just a 'RB that’s good'… we haven’t seen a RB put up numbers like these since Barry Sanders."
Hunter was highly defensive of his own Heisman candidacy while speaking to Robert Griffin III on the "Outta Pocket with RGIII" podcast.
“I know I can win it, but I don’t know who’s there,” Hunter told RGIII and his wife Grete. “I mean y’all see Ashton Jeanty, it’s not like we haven’t seen a running back that’s good. We haven’t seen a player that plays both ways and I’m gonna keep saying that.
“He has, I think, 95 carries for 1,000 yards. If I had 95 catches, how much yards you think I’d have? If I had 95 targets on defense what you think I’d have? If I had 95 catches on offense, what do you think I’d have?”
Travis Hunter missed the mark on Ashton Jeanty in a big way
This is disappointing to hear from Hunter.
Being part of the football fraternity, Hunter should understand more than anyone how impressive Jeanty has been in his role. Good on Hunter for not downplaying Boise State's Group of 5 competition, but that was just about the only line he didn't cross in these complaints.
Jeanty is putting up historical numbers. This doesn't happen every year. In fact, it hasn't happened since 1988. Hunter needs to give a hat-tip to the competition and stop coming off as bitter that someone else is getting attention.
Hunter hadn't made a bad PR move until these comments. Let's hope they're a one-off and he isn't becoming jaded from all of the attention he is, or isn't, getting.