The chase for the Heisman Trophy has tightened to a three-man race, and legendary college football coach Nick Saban has got some advice for the finalists. Colorado Buffaloes two-way unicorn Travis Hunter is the favorite, with Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty and his video game numbers in 2nd, and Miami QB Cam Ward sitting in 3rd.
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Before those guys headed into action on Saturday for the penultimate game of the regular season, Saban, now a pundit with ESPN’s College Gameday pre-game show, had something to say about the race.
Saban spoke from personal experience about his own Heisman winner in 2009, Mark Ingram. And how these young men should handle the spotlight and pressure that winning such an award brings.
“The key thing is for all these guys is, whoever wins the Heisman Trophy, how does that affect how they play when they get an opportunity to play beyond the Heisman Trophy. When Mark Ingram won the Heisman Trophy… I said to Mark, ‘I don’t want you ever to let this affect who you are as a person… the most important thing and the hardest thing for you is, how everybody else approaches you.’ That’s the hardest thing about this to adjust to.”
Saban is arguably the greatest coach in NCAA football history. But he wasn’t only known for the success of his Alabama team. The rate at which he produced elite NFL talent and Heisman Trophy winners was unmatched during his Alabama tenure from 2007 to 2023.
145 players from his time at LSU and Alabama were drafted into the NFL, but he also coached a whopping four different Heisman Trophy winners from 2009 to 2021 in Tuscaloosa.
Nick Saban can’t help but gush about Travis Hunter
With the top Heisman contenders up on the big board for Nick Saban and the College Gameday crew, the seven-time national champion coach pointed out and heaped a little bit of extra praise on Travis Hunter, who has been excelling as a top 10 wideout in the nation while also serving as one of the best cornerbacks in the game.
“This guy here [pointing to Travis Hunter], two players in one. Like [Shohei] Ohtani in baseball.”
That’s high praise not only because it comes from Saban, but because Hunter is getting compared to the best player in baseball — Shohei Ohtani. The Japanese star just won his first World Series with the Los Angeles Dodgers a few weeks ago.
While some (certainly not Saban) will say Hunter has been a jack of all trades but a master of none, he’s pretty darn close to being a master at both of his crafts. He’s 6th in the nation in receptions (74) and tied for eighth in receiving TDs (nine). Meanwhile, he’s also the 6th-highest rated cornerback by PFF (88.2) and his three interceptions are top 15 in the nation.
Challenging him is Ashton Jeanty, who leads the FBS in carries (256), rush yards (1,893), and rushing TDs (26). He’s also doing all that at an eye-popping 7.4 yards per carry. In any other year, he’d be a shoo-in, but with a two-way star in the mix, he’s fallen behind. Miami QB Cam Ward is also somewhat in the mix as the FBS leader in passing yards (3,494) and passing TDs (32).
Heading into Saturday, Hunter had chalky -400 odds to win the award. Jeanty is a ways back at +400, with Ward rounding out the top three at +900, per FanDuel. The Heisman Trophy presentation ceremony will take place on December 14 in New York City.
