Lets talk Heisman contenders after Week 1. Who ya got for now?
Simple question that I already posed in the title.
Personally, I can't overlook Travis Hunter of Colorado. He had 11 Catches for 119 yards on offense and he had a massive redzone interception late in the game to help Colorado pull off the upset. Also had a couple other pass breakups, one of which saved another touchdown. He played 145 snaps! Insane!
I know the Heisman is mostly just a QB award nowadays but I think Hunter's performance on Saturday is what the award was all about when it was originally created. The best player in the country, on either side of the ball. He happens to play both.
If he continues to have performances like that, he's gonna win. No doubt. He's what Woodson was back in the day and he's what we had hoped Peppers was going to be.
September 4th, 2023 at 2:14 PM ^
No one yet - way too early
September 4th, 2023 at 2:16 PM ^
Very Michigan Fan to wanna do the September Heisman thing during the first week of September. Proud of us.
September 4th, 2023 at 3:09 PM ^
And it’s very Sparty to claim that this is a “Michigan thing.”
September 4th, 2023 at 5:01 PM ^
Well, it's actually been a recurring occurrence on this site:
- JJ was basically awarded the September Heisman here last year.
- Denard was a September Heisman.
- Heck, even Tate Forcier was a September Heisman here.
September 4th, 2023 at 5:12 PM ^
lol @ you using bullet points as if it gives that bs more credence. I don’t remember a soul saying any of things except for Shoelace, which wasn’t exclusive to the school’s fan base. That was very much a national buzz, and rightfully so at those points of the season.
September 4th, 2023 at 5:26 PM ^
Chuck is just mad because J.J. is way better than McCord. A big recruiting oops for them.
September 4th, 2023 at 6:07 PM ^
Took enough time to find one...if I looked longer I suspect I would find others:
September 4th, 2023 at 6:15 PM ^
Almost every comment shoots it down. There will always be pie in the sky commenters on a fan board.
September 4th, 2023 at 7:05 PM ^
Yeah, the o.p. suggests this and everyone who comments craps all over the very thought. Why did you think this proved your statement?
September 4th, 2023 at 7:59 PM ^
Why are you here? Don’t you have a cooler to poop in?
September 4th, 2023 at 8:31 PM ^
Wow. So if a couple of fans have a bad take and most disagree, I guess you “found it”
Go back to the land of cooler poopers
September 4th, 2023 at 9:43 PM ^
I don't think posting something that gets dogged almost universally by the readers is the validation you think it is.
September 5th, 2023 at 12:33 PM ^
If my recollection of Forcier being treated as a September Heisman was more a result of what I heard from national media (such as SI) and then over the course of several years I mentally transferred that sentiment onto all of you, I apologize for misrepresenting you.
The OP of the 2009 post I linked was apparently a minority sentiment of idiocy. Please accept my apology for generalizing that onto all of you. (like if one idiot person pooped in a cooler and suddenly an entire population of people get generalized as pooping in a cooler...kinda like that) ;-)
September 4th, 2023 at 5:57 PM ^
I think everyone was happy with Tate Forcier in year one and JJ last year but no one suggested either should win the Heisman. JJ didn't get anywhere near enough attempts to justify that even if many think he's capable if given the opportunity.
Denard had hype and deservedly so. The team wasn't good enough to help him get to the finish line.
September 4th, 2023 at 9:31 PM ^
There DEFINITELY was Tater Talk for the Heisman after the ND game.
September 4th, 2023 at 8:06 PM ^
Owch.
September 4th, 2023 at 8:28 PM ^
Please find threads where people thought JJ won the Heisman last September.
Your take is bad and you should feel bad
September 4th, 2023 at 9:11 PM ^
Plenty of contention on this site whether JJ should even start this time last year
September 4th, 2023 at 9:12 PM ^
This is far closer to 11W behavior than MGoBlog behavior, despite what your fanbase might suggest regarding September Heismans. Our one egregious error as a site was getting too high on Shea Patterson entering 2019, but even in context that doesn’t seem outlandish given what his supporting cast looked like in August/September of that year. Meanwhile 11W predicts OSU to have the best offense and defense every year, has been harping on “Silver Bullets” and “BIA” non-stop, etc etc.
Pot meet the fucking kettle
September 4th, 2023 at 9:30 PM ^
Maybe we should phrase our comments as "The Heisman" to avoid all this contention?
See there...win...win!
September 4th, 2023 at 2:17 PM ^
What an insane comp for Hunter. Give it more than one game.
September 4th, 2023 at 2:40 PM ^
I would normally agree with you, but he's clearly a big part of the team. 11 catches in one game is no joke. You don't get that many catches without being a big part of the offense. He's their number 1 cover corner too.
Also I checked Woodson's stats and he had 10 catches too... over the entire 1996 season. 11 over the entirety of the 1997 season. I don't think the comparison is unreasonable or "insane" at all. Travis Hunter could potentially have the best season of any college player since the days when guys regularly played both ways.
Is it just one game? Yes, obviously. Is he going to have this kind of production every game? Probably not. But the thing is, even if he averages half of that level of production offensively for the rest of the season while playing shut-down defense, how can you not put him up there with Woodson?
September 4th, 2023 at 2:52 PM ^
Well put. I switched between the Michigan game and that game so I saw a lot of it. Sanders was on the money all game too. Colorado looked very well coached and they could be very fun to watch this year.
Buuuut, they gave up a ton of points and TCU always seemed to be able to come right back. I was surprised to turn it back on a few times and see Colorado actually down. They'll definitely ride the high and the hype for a while and it will be really fun to see them take on the rest of the Pac-12. It's too bad it's going away bc there are a lot of good times this year. Colorado's games with USC and UCLA are going to be shootouts but they might struggle with teams with tough defenses like Utah, Washington and Oregon.
September 4th, 2023 at 4:34 PM ^
Can Hunter play that many snaps and last even half the year, much less the entire season? A lot of pressure on one player who other teams will scheme to take away if he continues to be featured on offense like that
September 4th, 2023 at 5:30 PM ^
I suppose Sanders is next Brady?
One year at FCS and a win at TCU, you want to assign this comparison? Hunter ain't Woodson. Not. even. close. End debate.
September 4th, 2023 at 6:11 PM ^
No but he actually did workout with Tom this off-season though. He has the goods, and even earned an offer from Jim Harbaugh. The only reason he played at the FCS level because he wanted to play for his dad
September 5th, 2023 at 9:19 AM ^
Brady never saw the numbers Sanders did Saturday. LOL Most he ever had was 360 ish. It's only one game. No one is seriously projecting him to be lights out like that every game. It's the only fun we have in September. Get off your own lawn.
September 4th, 2023 at 3:13 PM ^
He's an elite talent, but the question is how long is this sustainable? He played a lot of snaps and I don't see how he keeps that up.
Also, it was one game. If he starts doing this week in / week out then maybe he's on Woodson's level. I'll reserve any judgment, either way, until after the Oregon and USC games.
September 4th, 2023 at 3:15 PM ^
A little more context is required here. Woodson wasn’t just our best corner, he was easily considered the best in the country at that position, and was the best player on the country’s #1 defense. On top of that, we also used him as a punt returner and situational WR. (He was definitely our most dangerous receiver, with Tai Streets limited, but we saved him for key moments.)
Hunter will put up bigger numbers but whether he’s actually a Woodson-caliber player remains to be seen.
September 4th, 2023 at 3:46 PM ^
This. Woodson was the best player on the best defense in the nation that let up less than 10 points per game on the way to an undefeated season and a national championship. The Heisman usually goes to a player on a national championship contender. Colorado isn’t going to be that and they definitely won’t take his defensive accomplishments into consideration if he is the best player on a team that lets up 42 points per game.
September 4th, 2023 at 4:45 PM ^
I would still see CU with around 4 losses, until they prove otherwise, and only 3 players have won with 4 or more losses, Owens, Berwanger and Hornung.
https://www.heisman.com/articles/wins-losses-and-the-heisman/
September 5th, 2023 at 9:22 AM ^
The prompt asked you to offer a Heisman candidate based on the ONE WEEK of data we have. Not to hate on somebody else's pick. It was voluntary. You don't have to play if you don't want.
September 6th, 2023 at 10:27 PM ^
I don’t want anyone to take what I say and get the wrong idea, so I want to make it clear that I understand Woodson is one of the best defenders of all time. But let me just say, as a two way player, there is a chance that Hunter ends up being better overall. People act like he was a nobody before coming to Colorado and because he only played at Jackson State he had lots to prove. He was rated as the number one CB and number one WR in his class. He was the number one overall player and he’s projected to get drafted top ten overall if he just sticks to one position.
This isn’t just a guy that was an elite wide receiver that happened to be good at CB in high school because he’s crazy athletic or something, he’s a legit elite corner. He has one of the best two way players of all time coaching him and I’m certain if they needed him to he could be a return man as well. Obviously if they overuse him he’ll wear down eventually, but he’s elite on both sides of the ball. People say Woodson was an elite offensive guy, but Hunter will probably surpass Woodson’s career offensive numbers….in the next few games. I don’t think people are understanding how legitimate Hunter is. Woodson college career was 370 receiving yards, 167 rushing yards and 5 touchdowns. In his college career. Woodson also was a great punt returner but he only had one touchdown there as well.
I really don’t want anyone to think I’m diminishing Woodson, because I’m not. He deserved the heisman and he showed up big in big games. We’ll see what happens with Hunter. But Hunter will have more yards, touchdowns, and overall offense just this season than Woodson had his entire career. And I get that Woodson was the best defender on a legitimate defense. But I’m saying as a complete 2 way player, getting used as such, Hunter will surpass Woodson. I’m not saying Woodson couldn’t have also had 500 yards receiving every year with ten plus touchdowns, but the fact is that it didn’t happen. With Hunter it looks like it will pretty easily.
I don’t want this to ramble on, but I want to make clear that I’m not saying anoint Hunter the greatest player ever or give him the heisman already or he’s better than Woodson. I’m not saying any of that. But I will argue that as a complete two way player, he might end up being better than Woodson at that. You can argue about usage or Woodson could have done this or that, but I’m just stating my belief. Maybe being used as a two way guy so much ends up hurting his overall development on one side of the ball and he doesn’t end up elite in the NFL. Who knows, I’m not saying write him down for the hall of fame or anything. But I do believe he’s got the chance to have the best career numbers as a true two way guy. We’ll see.
September 4th, 2023 at 3:37 PM ^
But the thing is, even if he averages half of that level of production offensively for the rest of the season while playing shut-down defense, how can you not put him up there with Woodson?
Sure, but that's presuming that he plays an entire season in a much more physical league than he's used to at about 100 snaps a game. That would be pretty remarkable in the modern game, and while I don't wish any harm to him the most likely outcome of continued deployment at the rate we saw Saturday is marked performance drop due to overuse or injury.
It's not like Woodson and other elite defensive players of the past lacked his athleticism or energty. Hell, Jabrill Peppers had an amazing season only a handful of years ago and that was on both sides of the field. But they don't get used that way with any consistency because physically it's a huge strain and there's a VERY good chance you get your guy hurt at worst, ineffective and limited due to physical strain at best.
I was wrong about Hunter and CU in general in that I thought they'd be overmatched coming out of the gate; TCU had no reason being ranked and are probably a 7-5/8-4 outfit this year but CU showed they could compete against a good P5 program. But the hyperbole around him after one game does feel extreme. He had a great game and played out of his mind, but if he's seeing 120+ snaps for the foreseeable future it's highly unlikely he continues to be both a shutdown corner and an elite WR.
September 6th, 2023 at 10:36 PM ^
People misremember guys playing both ways. Peppers entire career was 321 yards of offense with 5 touchdowns. Hunter will surpass that half-way through this season. I’m not saying Hunter is light years ahead of Peppers in athleticism or energy but Peppers played maybe 100 total snaps of offense at Michigan. Hunter is going to blow that out of the water. I’m not saying he won’t get wore down or tired or injured or overused, but Peppers wasn’t a true two way college guy. He was a gimmicky player on offense that didn’t get enough snaps to really prove his worth there.
Also Hunter has played this way his entire career, as a true two way player. So he’s more apt to continue at a high level for a while. He also played high school football in a legit league down in Georgia and he was the best of the best down there and rated 1 overall in his class. I think people are going to be surprised at how good he is. Again, maybe he wears down or gets overused. But he’ll most likely surpass Woodson and Peppers entire college production on offense, combined, in just this one season. Plus play more snaps than them while doing it.
September 4th, 2023 at 10:00 PM ^
Yes, but the last several defensive players in Heisman contention were all on teams that were at least in the realm of a top 10ish at the end of the year or in championship contention. Aiden Hutchinson 2021, Jabrill Peppers 2016, HoneyBadger 2012, N. Suh 2009, Charles Woodson 1997. Only Suh was not on a top team, but had just played in a close game conference champ against then #2 Texas, and he was a major force in that near upset and all season.
Even if Hunter has near 8 or 900 yards receiving, 5 or 6 ints, and 15 PBU’s…if his team finishes 5-7, 6-6, 7-5, I have a hard time seeing the Heisman commitee wanting to give a player on a mediocre team over a QB or 1600+ yard RB on a top 5 team the award.
But would he deserve it if these were his numbers, I would say yes. Too early to tell anything.
September 6th, 2023 at 10:44 PM ^
Woodson heisman year, according to Bentley, he had 9 pbus, 8 interceptions, 259 yards of offense, 301 returns yards and 4 total touchdowns. If Hunter has 15 pbus, 6 interceptions and over 800 yards of total offense and let’s say 6-7 touchdowns, I don’t know how you keep it from him. If it’s truly about the best player.
Now Woodson make his big plays against rivals and in big time games so that obviously accounts for something. He had his heisman moments. But how crazy would it be to have someone put up numbers like that and not get it? Realistically I don’t think he’ll have that good of an overall season and his team will most likely go 6-6 or 7-5 so I agree I doubt he wins it.
September 4th, 2023 at 2:18 PM ^
If the vote were today:
Travis Hunter
Keon Coleman
Roman Wilson
Caleb Williams
September 4th, 2023 at 2:28 PM ^
Keon Coleman would be a very Sparty thing.
They might even put picture frame up of him in an MSU jersey claiming him as their 1st Heisman award winner.
September 4th, 2023 at 2:43 PM ^
Nah. They can try to claim him all they want like OSU tried to claim Joe Burrow, but everyone will know the truth.
September 4th, 2023 at 4:03 PM ^
I think the main difference would be that Joe Burrow himself is pretty adamant that he is a Buckeye as well.
His Heisman speech itself was pretty praise-heavy towards Ohio State/Ryan Day, and even during the Heisman-winning season, he credits the ability to pick up Joe Brady’s offense so smoothly to being very similar to the system he was coached to run at Ohio State.
Unlike Keon Coleman who doesn’t seem to want to be associated with Sparty now that he has left.
September 4th, 2023 at 3:38 PM ^
OSU tried to claim Joe Burrow some years ago so I promise you MSU would host a parade through campus for Coleman if he won.
September 4th, 2023 at 2:19 PM ^
The Colorado hype is going to be so funny when they lose 3 of their next 4.
September 4th, 2023 at 2:47 PM ^
I can understand the hate for Colorado, but I don't agree with it. The only reasons I can come up with are the loud, boisterous nature of their head coach and the amount of roster turnover they had in the offseason. As braggadocious as he is, you can't deny that Coach Prime is good at what he does. He motivates, he's confident, he knows what he's doing, and his players love playing for him (the ones that make the team that is).
Coach Prime is also a realist. He tore down the entirety of the Colorado roster and treated it like an NFL team. People didn't like that. I can understand that, but at the same time, this is what College football is now. We may not like it, but Coach Prime is just pointing out the reality of it and using it to his advantage.
September 4th, 2023 at 3:02 PM ^
What happens if he gets outcoached by rhule next Saturday?
September 4th, 2023 at 3:18 PM ^
I don’t mind the “Coach Prime” stuff - I like coaches that are colorful characters - but the amount of roster turnover they had doesn’t sit well with me. I don’t want to see that kind of thing become the norm. That makes me not want to see them succeed this year. (I know Rhule’s program engaged in almost as much turnover, so I’m not cheering for Big Red either.)
September 4th, 2023 at 3:31 PM ^
Sanders said that he told 20 guys they “weren’t it” and cut them. He also said that 37 other guys that he didn’t cut still quit. Don’t know if that changes anything.
Personally, I think it shitty to cut kids who were there on scholarship. As another poster said, though, this is college football now.
Cue Brian’s proposal that offers are 4-year guaranteed deals.
September 4th, 2023 at 4:00 PM ^
On the flipside -
After one game you're given Hunter the Heisman, Colorado the NC and anointing Deion Sanders as the next Nick Saban.
All of which may be a little premature.
September 4th, 2023 at 9:31 PM ^
I was all for Coach Prime until he kicked those kids off the team at Colorado. No one on that team was going to go to the NFL, just like the vast majority of college football players won't go to the NFL. As much as we like to mock the term "student athlete," that's what they were.
Student athletes sacrifice a lot to earn their scholarships. I'm sure there are many on this board who understand what a huge opportunity it would be to have a full ride scholarship. Then to have that taken away despite the fact that you're doing everything required to maintain the scholarship—that's terrible.
Those Colorado players weren't raking in NIL money and there was no guarantee anyone would pick them up in the portal. And even if they received a scholarship in the portal, they still have to incur the costs of moving and getting setup with a new program.
Coaches have done a lot of shitty things for the sake of winning. Few have done things as shitty as Sanders.
September 4th, 2023 at 2:56 PM ^
They'll lose 2 of their next 4 (Oregon and USC), but I can't see Nebraska or Colorado State beating them. Nebraska is ass and CSU doesn't look much better.