Sanders family now campaigning for Travis Hunter to win Heisman

Shedeur Sanders quarterbacks an uber-popular ranked program having a successful season while placing in the top 10 of every major passing statistic, that is normally a recipe to chase a Heisman Trophy but the leader of the Colorado Buffaloes is throwing his support behind teammate Travis Hunter.

While Sanders may be more in line with the usual winner of the honor, what his teammate is doing is like nothing we have seen in modern power football. Playing both sides of the ball, Hunter was on the field for 132 snaps on Saturday—earning a Big 12 Player of the Week award for his offensive output. In doing so, he became the first player in conference history to win the offensive version of the award and the defensive one, which he claimed back in Week 3. Against Cincinnati, Hunter set a career-high with 153 yards receiving on nine catches, including two touchdowns. He was one of only three players in FBS to average 17 or more yards per reception with at least eight catches in Week 9. Hunter currently ranks in the top 10 nationally in receptions (60,) yards (757) and touchdowns (8.) All of that production through eight games is already more than what Hunter did on offense a season ago. Meanwhile, Hunter’s seven passes defended on defense paces the Big 12 while his two interceptions on defense ties him for top ten in the conference for that mark.

Sanders, like Cam Ward and Dillon Gabriel will be in the race until the very end. Not only because of his play but because only four players who weren’t quarterbacks have won the award since 2000. Where Hunter differs from the norm is that he isn’t reliant on a scheme or a gunslinger since he plays on both sides of the ball. That means Hunter isn’t necessarily reliant on Sanders success, unlike most pass-catchers to their quarterback.

“They’re not going to give it to two players on the same team. Me and Trav [Travis Hunter], it won’t happen like that. It is what it is. I don’t really look too deep into that,” Sanders said. “I just want Travis to win, of course, and that will be almost like I won, because I’m throwing the ball. He [Travis Hunter] is the best player in college football, hands down, and I’m excited for him to win it. That would truly just make my day right there. Like, when he was on the cover of the NCAA game, just seeing him on there, knowing the sacrifice that he took to make all this happen. To come to HBCU, to come here, no matter how much money he was offered, and all the crazy type of stuff I heard, that he told me. Now I’m just excited for him, everything he achieves, all the accolades and everything. That’s fine because he deserves it.”

Sanders also tweeted his support for Hunter. And, indeed, the two can’t win it, that doesn’t mean they won’t both be finalists. Each is still in it and with Colorado’s upcoming easier schedule and the rate both are playing at, there’s a chance.

“It’s funny to us because Shedeur could care less. He wants to be drafted in a wonderful city. He wants to win out, and that’s what he thinks about. He isn’t thinking about a Heisman,” Shedeur’s father and Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders said. ” Travis is the best college football player in the country. We all know that. Why are we even deliberating over that? What are the criteria? Somebody needs to say, what are the criteria for that prestigious award? Because we’re looking for the best college football player ever. There has never been a Travis Hunter, and I’m up here saying that.”

The award is given to the top football player in the country, there is a criteria. Even if there was rigid statistical evaluation of each player’s contributions across the country, would it capture the totality of what Hunter is doing? There is no real precedent for his playstyle and his efforts as a whole.

‘There are some voters out there who really are good at what they do. So, you can’t discredit them as well because they’re really good at what they do,” the coach said. “You can never go right with that kind of stuff. Somebody’s always going to have opposition. I just get a kick out of it.”

As for Hunter, he’s returned the love—throwing his support behind his quarterback Shedeur. Hunter shared that message on social media.

“He’s so darn good that we don’t give him the credit that he deserves for some of the things that he does,” Coach Prime said about his son.