“Legends aren’t born; they’re built one yard at a time” That’s what Ashton Jeanty appeared to have carried on his 2024-season buzzword. The Boise State Broncos’ breakout running back didn’t merely run; he smashed the record books. With 2,601 rushing yards and 29 touchdowns, Jeanty is now the Broncos single-season rushing leader. He was just 27 yards away from Barry Sanders’ NCAA record. And did we mention he broke Boise State’s single-game rushing record with a mind-blowing 267-yard effort at Georgia Southern? An All-American vote, the Doak Walker award for best running back in the country, and Heisman runner-up were the frosting on the cake. Jeanty now has 4,769 rushing yards and 50 TDs over his career, and he is in line for the 2025 NFL Draft.
He might have posted his record season as the headline, but the narrative becomes richer as you continue. A coach who he is intrigued by to a Heisman victory that ignited a spat, Ashton Jeanty’s life is a wild ride of drama and perseverance. “Football is what I was born to do. I’m one of the hardest workers out there; I show up earlier than everyone else.” Let’s face it: his football life is a Netflix binge.
Ashton Jeanty gives Coach Prime his flowers
So, what’s the sauce that got Jeanty on his flash speed? Leadership and faith from the man himself. When Jeanty was asked about Coach Prime in talks with Dallas, he started raving, “Coach Prime has done a great job at making his players better on and off the field, building relationships, and giving guys opportunities,” and that everybody around him is very cool.
“It’s very cool how he’s passing down faith and boldness to the younger generation,” Ashton Jeanty’s respect for Deion also extends to the way he allowed players like Travis Hunter to shine in unique ways. “Then I think you look at the Travis Hunter situation and you know how he gave him the opportunity to display his talents and play both ways. Not many coaches would do that. Just how he is very bold in faith, and you know how he’s pushing it down.”
It’s impossible to ignore the tension that arose during the Heisman race when Hunter dismissed the idea of a running back taking the trophy over a two-way star like himself. That didn’t sit well with Ashton Jeanty, who let his performances do the talking.
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(@deuce.2x__)When Travis Hunter made the 2024 Heisman pick, it drew a pot: “It’s not like we haven’t seen a running back that’s good.” As a two-way threat for the Colorado Buffaloes, he insisted he was a better choice to win the Heisman than a conventional running back Ashton Jeanty.
That caused all sorts of media mania, of course, and heated debate. Jeanty kept it cool and brushed off the dirt, “Kudos to Travis, he’s balling for real.” But when Hunter won the Heisman, Jeanty did admit he deserved the trophy, though not in a bitter way. “Kudos to Travis for winning,” he exclaimed, taking the whole thing as motivation to bounce back. Hunter’s win was monumental — the first two-way player in decades to win the Heisman — but Ashton Jeanty’s already on fire to remind the nation that running backs are still the heart of the game.
“I think this year, on both levels, really shut down that narrative they’ve been trying to push, which I never quite understood. If you look at history, running backs have always been one of the positions that football is built on. You can’t just move away from the running back position or from running the ball.” Was it the year of RBs in college football?
The year of running backs
2024 wasn’t just a good year for running backs, it was a great year. And Jeanty’s act wasn’t an outlier. Think of what rookies such as Jahmyr Gibbs, Bijan Robinson, and De’Von Achane brought to the NFL. Gibbs was a two-way monster for the Detroit Lions with more than 1,400 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns, and Robinson came on big as a one-hit wonder for the Atlanta Falcons with 1,456 yards and 14 touchdowns. Achane? He had 907 rushing yards, 6 touchdowns and 592 receiving yards, and 6 receiving touchdowns.
They guys showed us that the ground game is still around and for all those who thought the future was a pass-first, seven-on-seven football league — think again. “If you look at history, running backs have been the foundation of football,” Ashton Jeanty says. “You can’t just move away from running backs or running the ball. Otherwise, it’s just seven-on-seven passing drills, and no one’s going to want to watch that.” Amen to that.
A little trip back in memory lane as well, Running backs have been pure Super Bowl MVPs. From Franco Harris’ “Immaculate Reception” to Emmitt Smith’s one-touchback touchdown runs that got him three Super Bowls with the Cowboys, these guys have been the heart and soul of some of the NFL’s greatest dynasties. The Broncos quarterback Terrell Davis could not be stopped in Super Bowl XXXII, throwing for 157 yards and three touchdowns, and the Seattle star Marshawn Lynch brought that “Beast Mode” energy to Super Bowl XLVIII. Now, turn the clock a few years, and Isiah Pacheco put Super Bowl LVII on the map, as he won the championship for the Chiefs with his ground game.
With Jeanty now amid his career, one thing is certain: running backs are back, and they won’t go away. From college to the NFL, these guys are making a name for themselves, touchdown by touchdown. And for Jeanty? Well, the story’s just beginning. Be on the lookout—this is one running back who will be in tow on the big stage.
The post Ashton Jeanty Sums up Feelings About Deion Sanders & Travis Hunter After Latter’s Ugly Shade During Heisman Race appeared first on EssentiallySports.
