By Ty Scheiner
I get it—it’s only Week 1, and there’s an entire season ahead of us. However, Ashton Jeanty deserves serious consideration for the Heisman watch if he maintains this level of production. I understand the challenges: A) The award has largely become a de facto QB honor, with only three running backs winning it since 2000 (Reggie Bush in 2005, Mark Ingram in 2009, and Derrick Henry in 2019). B) He plays in a lower-tier conference, and the last G5 player to win the Heisman Trophy was Ty Detmer at BYU in 1990. Still, Jeanty is making a case for himself.
Jeanty’s stats from last Saturday’s game are eye-popping: six touchdowns, 267 rushing yards, and an average of 13.3 yards per carry. These aren’t video game numbers—they’re real stats that led Boise State to a high-scoring victory over Georgia Southern. His six touchdowns set a school record and tied a Mountain West record, while his 267 rushing yards marked a career-best. Four of these touchdowns came before halftime!
Even though the Heisman is a personal accolade, Jeanty’s humility shines through. Postgame, he acknowledges his offensive line’s crucial role in his success. “I’ve got to shout out my O-line,” Jeanty said. “They opened up big, wide holes all game. I’ve got the easy part: make some guys miss and run to the end zone.” With Sire Gaines, a true freshman to keep an eye on, also rushing for over 100 yards on ten carries, it’s scary to consider how much more Jeanty could have achieved if he didn’t share carries.
It’s not like other Power Four teams didn’t know about the reigning Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year and the impact he can have on the field. Amid rumors of other schools trying to lure Jeanty away, he decided to stay with the Broncos because he wanted to be “a Bronco for life!” and leave behind a legacy. Boise State wisely recognized what they had and launched their Heisman campaign for Ashton a few days before the opening kickoff—and rightly so.
https://twitter.com/BroncoSportsFB/status/1828941842546864304
If Jeanty were playing in a Power Four conference with a Top 25 team, he’d likely be getting more attention even before this Week 1 performance. Boise State is a top G5 team and has a strong chance to make the G5 playoff. It’s time to recognize what could be a remarkable season for Jeanty. While he’ll need to maintain his performance and might not keep up these level of stats, upcoming games against Oregon, Washington State, UNLV, and Oregon State will provide ample opportunities for him to showcase why he deserves to be in the Heisman conversation. I’m not saying he’s the frontrunner, but he’s definitely on the radar and deserves our attention.
