Heisman frontrunner Ashton Jeanty compared to future Hall of Fame running back by NFL greats: 'The real deal'

Six weeks into the assemblage shot season, the frontrunners for the Heisman Trophy person separated themselves from the pack, and galore absorption connected large names from the large schools of the Power Four conferences to triumph the hardware astatine the extremity of the season. 

However, the Mountain West Conference rather perchance has the champion subordinate successful assemblage shot close now, arsenic Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty is not lone a Heisman candidate, but idiosyncratic who could interruption the large Barry Sanders’ NCAA single-season rushing grounds of 2,628 yards. 

Jeanty has electrified assemblage shot fans with his quality to interruption retired for large runs and people touchdowns virtually astatine whim. It is not conscionable fans noticing, arsenic Heisman Trophy-winning moving backmost Mark Ingram II has been enthralled by his performance, too. 

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Boise State Broncos moving backmost Ashton Jeanty, #2, strikes the Heisman airs during the 2nd fractional against the Washington State Cougars astatine Albertsons Stadium. Boise State defeats Washington State 45-24. (Brian Losness-Imagn Images)

"Dude is the existent deal," Ingram told Fox News Digital portion discussing his clip partnering with Tide for its #TideTackles NFL campaign, which has sent him and different NFL greats astir the state to antithetic tailgates. 

Being retired of the Power Four conferences – SEC, ACC, Big Ten and Big XII – determination are immoderate skeptics astir Jeanty posting 1,031 yards with 16 rushing scores done conscionable 5 games. Ingram does not privation to perceive it. 

"Everyone wants to say, ‘Who’s helium playing?’ I’m like, ‘He went for 200 [yards] and alteration and 4 TDs connected Oregon, who is simply a apical 4 squad close now,’" Ingram said. "And it’s not similar he’s moving done large holes. Before past week’s game, helium had 588 yards aft interaction and had 44 forced missed tackles. So, the antheral is doing a batch of this connected his ain and helium has the speed, helium has the power, helium picks up walk protection. So, successful my mind, he’s a implicit back. 

2024 HEISMAN WATCH: ASHTON JEANTY, CAM WARD SIT ATOP LEADERBOARD

"We person immoderate large moving backs successful assemblage shot close now, but you can’t speech RBs and assemblage shot without mentioning Ashton Jeanty. He is RB1 close present and making a beardown lawsuit for the Heisman Trophy. Dude is peculiar and Boise State would not beryllium wherever they are without him."

Anthony "Spice" Adams besides said his portion connected Jeanty, explaining however helium reminds him of a definite aboriginal Hall of Fame teammate during his clip in the NFL. 

"In 2000, we played Miami [Hurricanes] and this was erstwhile Miami had everybody," Adams began, referencing his clip playing for Penn State. "…The moving backs were Clinton Portis, Willis McGahee and past Frank Gore. This kid is fundamentally a steadfast Frank Gore. This is what Frank Gore would’ve looked similar if hadn’t had torn his ACL. That’s who helium reminds maine of – debased halfway of gravity. The guy’s conscionable lasting consecutive up successful the backfield, he’s not successful a two-point stance. He doesn’t person his hands connected his hips."

Boise State moving backmost Ashton Jeanty, #2, runs distant from Utah State information Malik McConico, #21, connected a 75-yard touchdown tally successful the archetypal fractional of an NCAA assemblage shot crippled connected Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024 successful Boise, Idaho. (AP Photo/Steve Conner)

Jeanty’s unorthodox stance earlier the drawback is the slightest viral happening helium has done this season, arsenic Ingram mentioned each the tackles helium has bounced retired of and yards helium has picked up due to the fact that of his quality to combat done contact, particularly erstwhile it is clip to get into the extremity zone. 

While Jeanty does pb the state successful rushing and touchdowns, Ingram does deliberation that Boise State arsenic a squad has to execute a definite feat for him to beryllium a existent Heisman contender astatine the extremity of the day. 

"In bid for him to triumph it, helium has to support astatine this gait that helium is," Ingram said. "But also, Boise State, arsenic a team, has to marque it -- they person to get that Group of Five bid into the College Football Playoff. If helium continues astatine this pace, makes a tally for Barry Sanders’ single-season record, but besides Boise State does bully arsenic a squad and get that bid, I deliberation he’ll person a legit changeable to triumph it."

To enactment into discourse what Jeanty has been doing, Ingram’s Heisman play with Alabama successful 2009 saw him unreserved for 487 yards with six scores connected 83 carries done his archetypal 5 games. Even Derrick Henry, different Crimson Tide large who won it successful 2015, and USC’s Reggie Bush, arguably 1 of the champion assemblage careers of each time, had little accumulation than Jeanty. 

He volition person stiff contention to spell against – Alabama backmost Jalen Milroe and Colorado cornerback Travis Hunter are among the frontrunners. However, similar Ingram and Adams spot on with the remainder of assemblage shot fans, helium is doing things that cannot beryllium explained connected the tract oregon connected the stat sheet. 

And he’s got galore much games to adhd to his precise awesome resume for the 2024 campaign. 

Mark Ingram II and Anthony "Spice" Adams instrumentality connected a New Orleans Saints tailgate party. (Tide)

TACKLING TAILGATE STAINS WITH TIDE

Now retired, some Ingram and Adams get to enactment successful tailgates earlier large games each weekend, and that is precisely what they are doing with Tide, arsenic they person interacted with antithetic fans from Kansas City, to Buffalo, to New Orleans during the NFL play to spot conscionable however messy they tin get with section foods and rituals.

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"I deliberation it’s dope that Tide is partnering up with myself and guys similar Mark Ingram. You cognize there’s going to beryllium stains astatine these tailgates, truthful it conscionable makes consciousness that tide is going to beryllium determination to tackle those things," Adams said. 

Ingram added, "Both of us, evidently playing each those years, you don’t truly get a accidental to tailgate and beryllium capable to spell backmost to New Orleans and beryllium capable to tackle these stains with Tide. I had my lad Spice with me. He had a full set with him. We were eating po’boys and everything similar that. We had music, we had nutrient and had large vigor with Tide."

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