Boise State WR says focus on ending Ashton Jeanty’s Heisman campaign is Broncos’ gain
By Austen Bundy
Boise State star running back Ashton Jeanty has been trampling teams this season and surely will find himself in New York City as a Heisman Trophy finalist.
Jeanty has racked up 1,525 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns on 190 attempts, threatening to chase down the great Barry Sanders' 1988 single-season rushing record as part of his Heisman campaign.
Because of that success, the team has followed his cleat tracks to a 7-1 record and are likely going to qualify for the 12-team College Football Playoff.
If you ask one of the Broncos wide receivers, he thinks Jeanty's been the perfect dual threat.
Boise State WR says teams are focused on stopping Jeanty's Heisman, not winning games
Latrell Caples said defenses have one goal against them: keep Ashton Jeanty from winning the Heisman Trophy.
— B.J. Rains (@BJRains) November 5, 2024
Asked to clarify he said, “well they’re not trying to win, so I would say so….” pic.twitter.com/9TJ9I0sg6L
"They're trying to ... stop Ashton from winning the Heisman ... we're trying to win the game," he told reporters Tuesday. "They're so worried about our running back that they weren't trying to stop anybody else."
Well, he's not wrong, really. Boise State has won six of its seven victories by 11 or more points this season. The only exception was its five point win over UNLV on Oct. 25 (29-24).
But even in that span, Jeanty has dominated with all the defensive attention on him. He's averaged 8.0 yards per carry, that's good for second in the FBS.
You know Ashton Jeanty is one of the best players in College Football when people are trying to claim his Heisman campaign is over…after putting up 319 yards the last two games…while injured…with an injured offensive line…against nothing but stacked boxes
— RBT (@SamuelBrownRBT) November 2, 2024
Even if teams were to successfully stuff Jeanty over the course of Boise State's final four games this year, he's posted numbers that more than clear the bar to keep him in the Heisman conversation.
No running back has won the coveted individual award since Alabama's Derrick Henry in 2015. He finished with 2,219 rushing yards and 28 touchdowns on a whopping 395 carries.
Jeanty is well within that pace and will certainly make voters have deep debates over whether to deny him the honor or not. But Boise State won't care (much) as long as it keeps winning and makes a run in the playoff.
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