Big-trophy Hunter: CU star states Heisman case
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Adam Rittenberg, ESPN Senior Writer
BOULDER, Colo. — Travis Hunter started his victory lap on the Colorado sideline, signing autographs and taking pictures as fans chanted, “Heisman!”
He posed with his fiancée, Leanna Lenee, who wore a jacket with “HE12MAN” — a nod to Hunter, his jersey number and college football’s top individual honor — on the back. As Hunter completed his celebratory circuit behind the north end zone at Folsom Field, a fan told him he was the greatest ever to wear a Colorado jersey.
The Buffaloes’ two-way sensation capped his career at Folsom Field on Friday with an emphatic closing argument for why he should win the Heisman Trophy, hauling in three touchdown passes and an interception as Colorado walloped Oklahoma State 52-0 to finish the regular season at 9-3. Unless Colorado gets some help Saturday and advances to the Big 12 championship game — the Buffaloes would need several outcomes to go their way — Hunter will not play again before the Heisman voting concludes.
“Travis clinched the Heisman with his performance,” Colorado coach Deion Sanders said.
Hunter entered Friday as the overwhelming favorite (-800) to win the Heisman and saw his odds soar to -25000 during the game per ESPN BET, as he broke Colorado’s single-season touchdowns receptions record, which now stands at 14, and tied the single-game team mark. He intercepted a Maealiuaki Smith pass on the game’s first series and nearly had another interception at the end of the first half, finishing with two pass breakups.
The junior, who starts at both cornerback and wide receiver, recorded an interception and an offensive touchdown in a game for the fourth time this season. According to ESPN Research, he also became the first player in the past 25 seasons with two games of multiple scrimmage touchdowns and an interception.
Hunter is vying to become Colorado’s second Heisman winner, following running back Rashaan Salaam in 1994. And he’s also vying to become the first to play a defensive position full time and win it since Michigan cornerback Charles Woodson in 1997. Hunter, who elected not to speak with reporters Friday, also is a finalist for the Maxwell Award, given to college football’s top player, and the Chuck Bednarik Award, given to the defensive player of the year.
“Travis Hunter proved today and he has proved every week that he is the best player in college football,” Sanders said. “You’ve got to give me another definition of the award. The award is to go to who? The best quarterback? He’s up for best offensive player, best defensive player, a plethora of things.
“Who else has done that? Ever?”
Earlier in the week, Sanders criticized voting for the Thorpe Award for not including Hunter as a finalist. Sanders, who won the Thorpe in 1988 at Florida State, said criticism of Hunter’s modest tackles total (30) is “stupid,” noting that cornerbacks who make many tackles are thrown at for a reason.
Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy, who called Hunter “a special player,” admitted that his team challenged the Colorado star far too much Friday.
Hunter also is a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award, which goes to the nation’s top receiver, after dramatically improving his numbers from his first two college seasons. He recorded his seventh 100-yard receiving performance Friday, and had at least 10 catches for the third time, bringing his season total to 82.
“There’s no argument at this point,” said Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders, who likely will factor into the Heisman voting, as well. “That’s crazy, the consistency that he has, that’s what the award is about.”
Both Deion Sanders and Shedeur Sanders said they don’t like to knock other awards candidates, and Shedeur Sanders recognized the play of Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty, likely Hunter’s top challenger for the Heisman. But they think Hunter’s two-way brilliance — he hardly ever comes off of the field on offense or defense when game outcomes haven’t been decided — stands alone.
“Travis proved that week after week, throughout injuries and throughout everything,” Shedeur Sanders said. “He’s the life of our team.”
Hunter’s early interception set off what became a Heisman infomercial. He strolled into the end zone for an 11-yard touchdown late in the first quarter.
His final play came early in the fourth quarter, as he leaped for a 23-yard touchdown pass from Sanders while being draped by Oklahoma State’s Kale Smith.
“Travis is him, man, Travis is that dude,” Deion Sanders said. “Ain’t nobody can deal with him on either side of the ball.”
Shedeur Sanders said he plans to attend the Heisman Trophy presentation Dec. 14 in New York, even if he isn’t a finalist. Sanders on Friday became the first Colorado player to win the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, which goes to the nation’s top quarterback. He finished with 438 passing yards with five touchdowns and an interception against Oklahoma State.
After the game, Deion Sanders took pictures with his three sons — Shedeur, Colorado senior safety Shilo Sanders, and Deion Jr., who produces social content for the CU program. Deion Sanders reiterated that Hunter, Shedeur and the rest of the team will play in the team’s upcoming bowl game, but Friday marked the end to their time together at Folsom Field.
“I didn’t really think about it until watching the last seconds tick off, like, ‘Dang, this is it, this is it,'” Deion Sanders said. “Do you know how long this journey has been with me and my kids? There’s been a lot of ups and downs and ins and outs, a lot of adverse situations, a lot of highlights.
“It’s unbelievable to think that it’s the conclusion of the matter, just here. That’s tough.”
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Jesse Rogers
CHICAGO — Los Angeles Dodgers starter Blake Snell will back off his throwing program as he continues to recover from left shoulder inflammation, according to manager Dave Roberts.
“As he was playing catch, he just didn’t feel great,” Roberts said Wednesday afternoon before the Dodgers played the Chicago Cubs. “Right now, we’re going to slow play the throwing. Will probably get it looked at again when we get back home.”
Snell, 32, has been on the injured list since early April after making just two starts for the Dodgers. He signed a five-year, $182 million contract this past offseason.
Snell, who was set to throw a bullpen session Wednesday, felt discomfort in the shoulder while playing catch Tuesday. Roberts was asked how concerning the latest setback was.
“I wouldn’t say concerning because part of the messaging from us to Blake is, it’s about later on in the season and if there’s any type of discomfort, let’s not try to fight through it,” Roberts responded.
Snell is one of several Dodgers pitchers on the mend, including left-hander Clayton Kershaw, who pitched three innings in a minor league start Tuesday, his second rehab outing this spring.
“Velocity was good,” Roberts said. “Got into the fourth inning. He’ll make a start next week. Really positive stuff.”
The Dodgers also received positive news about right-hander Tyler Glasnow after he left his last start with leg cramps. His latest bullpen session went well, according to Roberts.
Meanwhile, Shohei Ohtani is throwing again after missing time on the paternity list. He’ll have another bullpen session Saturday as he recovers from elbow surgery, though the team still doesn’t have a timetable for his return to major league action.
The team was also without catcher Will Smith on Wednesday after he injured his wrist on a play at the plate in Tuesday’s loss to the Cubs.
“As he made the tag, his [left] wrist turned in and so there’s some residual soreness,” Roberts said.
Smith could get imaging done when the team returns to Los Angeles, but Roberts wasn’t overly concerned about the injury.
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Jesse Rogers
CHICAGO — Most players are happy to be done facing the Los Angeles Dodgers, but Chicago Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong might not be one of them.
The Los Angeles native has torched his childhood team this season, including Wednesday night at Wrigley Field when he went 3-for-4 with a home run, two stolen bases and a career-high four RBIs, helping the Cubs to a 7-6 win. It came one night after Chicago beat L.A. 11-10, with Crow-Armstrong contributing another home run.
He was asked Wednesday whether his production has special meaning coming against the team he used to root for.
“Absolutely,” he said. “I mean, they are regarded as the best, and I think we’ve enjoyed being able to show that we’re right there with them, and yeah, it’s always a little extra special for me getting to do it against the team I grew up going to see.”
Crow-Armstrong erased a 2-0 Cubs deficit with an opposite-field, three-run homer in the fourth inning, then added a run-scoring single an inning later, which turned out to be the final run of the night for the Cubs.
Overall, he had four home runs and nine RBIs in the seven-game season series against the Dodgers, which the Cubs won 4-3 after losing the first two games in Japan in mid-March. But that was before the Cubs’ offense took off. They’re averaging an MLB-high 6.3 runs per game.
Crow-Armstrong’s season took off as well, starting over a week ago when the teams met in Los Angeles. In the 10 games since, the 23-year-old is hitting .400 with five home runs.
“He needs to send me a bottle of wine or some golf balls with all the success he’s had,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts quipped before Wednesday’s game.
Roberts and Crow-Armstrong exchanged pleasantries before the first game of the series, as the second-year player is friends with Roberts’ son, Cole. The two played against each other growing up.
“I got a couple different connections to Doc,” Crow-Armstrong said. “He’s so great.”
That’s the same word Crow-Armstrong’s teammates are using about him as he continues to impress both at the plate and in the field. According to ESPN Research, he’s the fastest player in Cubs history to reach five home runs and 10 stolen bases, doing it in 26 games.
Plus, his pitchers love seeing him patrol center field.
“Defensively, I got to say he’s probably the best,” Wednesday’s starter, Matthew Boyd, said. “And what he’s doing at the plate is no surprise.”
Crow-Armstrong showed signs of breaking out late last year but then struggled early this season before locking in during the Cubs’ most recent road trip. He said he got “on-time” with his swing while learning how to deal with failure better. He was asked how satisfied he is with his game right now.
“If it comes out in a win, it’s very satisfactory,” he said. “It makes me feel very content. I love being able to impact it in any way I can.”
So does his manager, who called Wednesday a “wonderful game” for Crow-Armstrong.
“He made his presence felt in a big way for sure,” Craig Counsell said.
Crow-Armstrong is quickly becoming a fan favorite, as the Cubs faithful are taking to his aggressive style of play. He was asked what it’s like to hear his name chanted when he comes to the plate after producing in previous at-bats.
“I’ve tried to tune that out,” he said with a laugh. “I was actually thinking about it yesterday and I was like, I got to be 0-for-20 when they’ve chanted my name. But they continue to chant and they get behind every one of us and it’s the coolest thing.”
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