How likely is it that the Boise State Broncos get their first Heisman winner in Ashton Jeanty? Well, let’s take a look. Outside of quarterback, no position has been more popular or important to college football than the running back. At least, according to the Heisman Trust. That’s right, the Heisman Trophy has been given to running backs more than any other non-quarterback position. That’s a good start.
Since the year 1980, 13 Heisman Trophy winners have been running backs. Among the winners are some stars and Hall of Famers such as Herschel Walker (1982), Bo Jackson (1985), Barry Sanders (1988), Ricky Williams (1998), Reggie Bush (2005), Mark Ingram II (2009), and Derrick Henry (2015). The NFL continues to devalue the bell-cow running back, but college football hasn’t quite gone the same way. Only a handful of wide receivers have won the Heisman Trophy.
Last year, a running back made a late push for the Heisman, but only those with an eye on the Boise State Broncos took notice. This year, he has taken his campaign for Heisman to the next level. That’s right, we are talking about Ashton Jeanty. Look no further than his Week 1 performance against Georgia Southern. Jeanty’s six rushing touchdowns and 267 rushing yards were both Boise State records and tied the Mountain West conference record for most touchdowns in a game. Also, the number of plays involving Jeanty that have gone 60+ yards is higher than that of the entire FBS last year.
We’ve established that Jeanty is good. Really good. But how does he compare to running backs that have won the Heisman? Well, let’s take a look. We will borrow the same recency bias of the Heisman process and start with Derrick Henry.
Comparing Ashton Jeanty to Every Running Back to Win the Heisman this Century
Derrick Henry’s 2015 Heisman Season With Alabama
In 2015, Derrick Henry had an incredible stretch of games. Against Texas A&M, he had 236 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns. In the very next game, he had 143 rushing yards and two more rushing touchdowns. Against LSU, he added 210 more rushing yards, and three rushing touchdowns Mississippi State was his next victim. He had 204 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns (notice a theme here?).
Henry had limited playing time in Alabama’s next game but added two touchdowns. But he still wasn’t done. In the Iron Bowl, Alabama played against Auburn and Henry rushed for an amazing 271 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown. Finally, in the SEC championship against Florida, he had 44 carries for 189 yards and a touchdown in the 29–15 victory.
For those following along at home, that’s 1,253 yards and 13 touchdowns in a seven-game stretch. Those are mind-blowing numbers. They don’t call him King Henry for nothing. Throughout the entire 2015 season, Derrick Henry had a stat line of 2,219 yards with a 5.6 average and 28 touchdowns. His long for the season was 74 yards (ESPN).
But let’s compare that seven-game stretch to Ashton Jeanty’s season thus far. In the first six games of the 2024 season, Jeanty has 1248 yards, a 9.9-yard average, 17 touchdowns, and a long of 77 yards. Sure, Henry faced SEC opponents, not the Mountain West. But Jeanty has also played in one less game and two of the three games he’s played in were blowouts where he didn’t play for a quarter or more.
Mark Ingram’s 2009 Heisman Season With Alabama
Okay, well, how about Mark Ingram? Well, he had a similarly impressive stretch but his total for the year was 1,658 rushing yards, 17 rushing touchdowns, 334 receiving yards, and three touchdowns (ESPN). Jeanty could surpass Ingram’s 2009 rushing yard total in the next two or three games. In fact, he’s on track to break the single-season record. Oh, and he’s already tied the touchdown mark.
However, this does highlight an area where Jeanty hasn’t matched Ingram and that’s in receiving. Jeanty has a measly 39 yards and one touchdown. That could be because he’s so effective at what he does and Boise State’s passing game is nothing to write home about. Regardless, it is something to be aware of as the season progresses.
Reggie Bush’s 2005 Heisman Season With USC
What made Reggie Bush so incredible was his dynamic play. He could do just about anything and his stats reflect that. By the end of 2005, Bush had racked up 2,611 all-purpose yards and scored 18 touchdowns. In addition to his 1,740 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns, Bush had 39 receptions with 481 yards and two touchdowns. But that’s not all. He also returned punts and kickoffs for another 672 yards and one touchdown (ESPN).
I don’t foresee Jeanty racking up 2,600 yards, but, like Derrick Henry did, he is on track to get close. Then there are the touchdowns. Sheesh. Jeanty has matched Reggie Bush’s total for the entire 2005 season in just six games when you add in his one receiving touchdown to his total. What’s more important, yards or touchdowns?
Can the Boise State Broncos Football Team Finally Bring Home a Heisman?
Sure, Ashton Jeanty plays in the Mountain West and not the SEC. That may be the biggest knock. Sure, he’s not nearly as dynamic as Reggie Bush or even Mark Ingram. But he’s really good at what he does. But he’s spectacular at what he does. He never goes down on the first hit and usually not on the second or third either. And look at the stats. They are right in line with each of the other three running backs outlined. He has as good of a chance to win as any running back out there and, if he stays healthy, just might bring the Boise State Broncos their first Heisman.
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