So, what’s the beef with Travis Hunter, the generational two-way star from Colorado?
After getting passed over for a Jim Thorpe award that goes to the best secondary player in college football an award he probably should have won — some blowhards on social media attacked the future Heisman Trophy winner as undeserving of the awards he recently received as an offensive force.
On Thursday, the Colorado Buffaloes cornerback and wide receiver was named the Associated Press College Football player of the year and won the Walter Camp Award, given to the best player in the nation that season.
Hunter also became the first player in Colorado program history to win the Biletnikoff Award, and the first player in college football history to win both the Biletnikoff and Bednarik Awards.
Travis Hunter Sweeps Biletnikoff and Bednarik Awards: Coach Prime Wants Heisman!
What did Hunter’s coach, Deion Sanders say after hearing the news?
“We got another award to pick up, right? Saturday right?” Sanders said on ESPN, referencing the Heisman Trophy ceremony on Saturday. “It’s going to be something happening if we don’t pick up that award.”
The gift and the curse. That’s the world that anyone closely associated with Coach Prime lives in. The fact that he has taken the same swagger from the ballfield as a pro MLB and NFL legend and brought it into his coaching, recruiting, branding and management style, has altered the way the coaching game is played and it has been uncomfortable for coaches across the country and media who refuse to give Deion Sanders his props.
Instead, they want to nitpick his son Shedeur and his practically adopted son Travis Hunter. Grown adults in the media made a clip of a 10-second interaction with his fiancée into an assault on her character and attentions, his intelligence and somehow tried to make their situation a referendum on the character of the Colorado program. Hunter who has a perfect GPA and has been committed to his girlfriend and living with her throughout his college career at Colorado.
It was very weird how media and other football players and athletes choose to take the low road and instead of allowing Hunter to comment and leaving it at that, decided to concoct stories about Leanna Lenee, that she is a gold digger, and he needs to head for the hills.
We were all left to speculate.
Fans and Some Media Take Feelings Towards Deion Sanders Out On His Star Players
Sensationalism for profit at its best, and there seemed to be a concerted effort to ignore the fact that he locked down the Heisman with his dual performance in that 52-0 win. Follow that up with this recent fake outrage about the fact that Nick Nash of San Jose State won the receiving triple crown and therefore should have won the Biletnikoff Award for nation’s top receiver, and it makes you think that none of this has anything to do with Hunter at all.
He’s Deion’s guy and therefore, people will always try to find a way to demean the out-spoken program builder, who has called out everyone from NFL franchises for not drafting HBCU guys to various media who he refuses to interact with for unfavorable things they have written about him and the program.
Social Media Goes Crazy: Two-Way Phenom Travis Hunter Wins Biletnikoff Award Over Nick Nash
Nash did lead the country in receptions (104), receiving yards (1,382) and receiving TDs (16). That’s a great season, but he also only played one side of the ball.
Some fans saw it otherwise:
“HE wasn’t on tv. That’s why,” one X user offered as an excuse for why Nash lost.
“absolutely diabolical by whoever is voting in these awards Travis Hunter isn’t the best of any position,” wrote another.
“There is no way Travis Hunter is a better WR than Nick Nash,” complained one fan. “I HATE national award voters with a passion.”
That’s a WILD statement considering Hunter caught 92 passes for 1,152 yards and 14 TDs while getting 11 pass breakups and four key picks on defense, often locking down the best receiver.
“I CAN NOT BELIEVE THEY ROBBED NICK NASH BRO WHAT AM I WATCHING. They be loading up Travis hunter’s trophy count to either push him into the Heisman or make him feel him for not getting it. Either way highway robbery of the receiver triple crown king.” said another livid X user.”
Colorado and Travis Hunter Played Tougher Schedule, Better Competition
The anger is warranted by fans because everyone wants their guy to win, but to act like San Jose State plays the same level of competition as Colorado is laughable.
Colorado has the 61st toughest strength of schedule in the nation and San Jose State isn’t in the top 100, and, outside of Boise State, they didn’t play anybody. Colorado is on national TV each week, so yes, of course that matters. More pressure to perform and more opportunity to be criticized too.
Sanders already put it out there that he’s going to cause a fuss if Hunter doesn’t get the Heisman and there are some who feel that Shedeur Sanders should have been invited over because he has better numbers. His dad spoke on that as well, but nobody had any sympathy for his valid point.
Shedeur Sanders A Victim Of Anti-Deion Sentiment In Heisman Voting?
Sanders’ season was Heisman-worthy. Leading the FBS in completion percentage (74.2%) and ranking in the top five in passing categories, he set records and established himself as a future top 5 NFL draft pick. Notably, Shedeur became the 16th player in NCAA history to surpass 14,000 career passing yards, with an elite touchdown-to-interception ratio. He also has a 48-game TD passing streak, a mindboggling achievement across both FBS and FCS levels.
So, nobody is always happy, but to come for Travis Hunter like he’s not deserving of every award he gets is just pure hate.
