Ashton Jeanty Is Familiar With Unconventional Paths, So Bring on Heisman and CFP Contention

The Boise State running back played prep football on a Naval base in Italy before joining a powerhouse Texas program, setting up an improbable football career.

Boise State Broncos running back Ashton Jeanty has taken an unconventional path to a Heisman-contending season. / Marco Garcia-Imagn Images

In the 20 minutes after the No. 15 Boise State Broncos defeated the UNLV Rebels, 29–24, on Friday, running back Ashton Jeanty was pulled in a dozen different directions.

There was a postgame interview on national television, handshakes and hugs for opponents and teammates, plus a victory lap of high fives around Allegiant Stadium to thank the throngs fans who made the trip to Las Vegas to sport signs bearing his name. 

Before eventually making his way back to the locker room to change out of a scuffed all-white uniform that showed how he had to earn every one of his 128 rushing yards, Jeanty took a few moments to huddle with Las Vegas Raiders running back (and former Bronco) Alexander Mattison. After a few pictures were taken, the two exchanged words—some encouragement from the current pro to the future one—and did their best to flash a mock stiff arm in unison before parting.

It remains to be seen if Jeanty will repeat the display solo in five weeks in New York City for the Heisman Trophy award ceremony, but it wouldn’t hurt if he practiced the pose just in case. That a kid from northeast Florida—by way of Italy and Texas—is tearing it up with home games on blue turf in Idaho to become one of the faces of the Heisman race is a remarkable statement.

This may be the most unique—and downright interesting—Heisman race ever if things continue apace like they have after 10 weeks of action.

Colorado Buffaloes two-way star Travis Hunter is doing something on the field nobody, not even 1997 winner Charles Woodson, has done before. A lockdown cornerback in addition to being a No. 1 receiver, Hunter played 129 of 132 snaps in a 34–23 win over the Cincinnati Bearcats to help the program become bowl eligible for just the third time in 15 years. The 153 receiving yards were a career high, to go along with two touchdown catches and four pass breakups, subsequently allowing him to become the first player ever to earn Big 12 Offensive and Defensive Player of the Week honors.

Adding to the mystique, Hunter started his college career at the FCS level before flourishing at a Power 4 program. That’s a starting point similar to another contender, Miami Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward, who lit up the scoreboard at Incarnate Word before he moved up a level with the Washington State Cougars. Eventually, he landed across the country in Coral Gables prior to this season and elevated his game further, leading the Canes to the top of the ACC standings with passing numbers statistically ahead of the last three Heisman-winning signal-callers at this point of the calendar.

Oregon Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel is similarly well acquainted with changing time zones to find the perfect on-field fit. A Hawaiian native who first took snaps at Central Florida before spending two seasons with the Oklahoma Sooners, the 23-year-old is on track to become college football’s all-time leading passer on top of leading his team to the No. 1 ranking in the polls.

Unlike those other three, however, Jeanty will have to overcome the additional hurdle of playing at a Group of 5 school. No player has won the Heisman from outside a power conference since BYU Cougars quarterback Ty Detmer in 1990. Further, Kellen Moore remains Boise State’s lone finalist to make it to New York, and no running back has hoisted the trophy since Derrick Henry in 2015—one of just three at the position to win it in the past quarter century. 

The good news for Jeanty is overcoming obstacles is par for the course on a journey that has taken him to end zones all over the world while his father, Harry, embarked on a career in the Navy. At this point, it’s even baked into the growing myth surrounding the 5' 9" bowling ball of a running back, with an origin story that includes growing up in Jacksonville, Fla., before a stop in the Virginia Tidewater and, even, making his way across the pond to Aversa on the northern outskirts of Italy’s third-largest city.

Broncos students show support for Jeanty’s Heisman campaign. / Brian Losness-Imagn Images

It was there, on the Naval Support Activity Naples base, where the legend of a touchdown-scoring Jeanty really began to take off and earn notice beyond that of his supportive family. 

“When I finally got my chance, I ran with it and was able to do a lot of great things,” said Jeanty of his gridiron time in Italy. “I remember long bus rides around Europe, sometimes 18 hours all the way to Germany.”

Playing as a freshman against teams from other military bases across the continent with the Naples Middle/High School Wildcats is one thing; doing so in American football’s native home is another.

After reaching the decision with his family to return stateside to facilitate his development, Jeanty showed up practically unannounced at preseason workouts for a powerhouse program in the state’s highest classification on the outskirts of Dallas. Almost as impressive as the former expatriate seamlessly navigating the dynamics of a new high school halfway around the world was that he didn’t look out of place when it was time to put on pads.

“5A Texas football is different from a lot of other levels, even from some of the smaller divisions here or in other states, it’s just different. It’s a livelihood here for these kids to train and prepare to play football,” says Jeff Rayburn, Jeanty’s head coach at Lone Star High in Frisco, Texas. “He had a Hudl highlight film and we were impressed, but we also didn’t know the type of competition that he was playing against because you see that sometimes in these smaller schools, a really good athlete playing against lesser athletes makes them look even better than they actually are.

“That wasn’t the case with Ashton—he was as good as advertised.”

So good, actually, that coaches moved him to defense despite understanding his future belonged in the backfield. Playing under the Friday night lights initially, Jeanty rushed the passer from the defensive line, was a dependable tackler at linebacker and roamed the back end as a starter in the secondary.

“You could see it in our first scrimmage. We had him at safety, and he came downhill on the sideline and had one of those wow moments with a big hit that made everybody in the stands ohh and ahh,” Rayburn recalls.

Jeanty was named District 5-5A Defensive Newcomer of the Year during his first season at Lone Star before flipping to offense, where he slotted in as a replacement at receiver for eventual Denver Broncos second-round pick Marvin Mims Jr. The junior earned first-team all-district catching passes, too, and played understudy at tailback to Jaden Nixon, who is averaging 7.23 yards per carry at Western Michigan to lead the MAC in rushing this season.

The selflessness and versatility Jeanty displayed his first two seasons in high school was unsurprising coming from the son of a Naval officer, but played a role in dampening high-level recruiting interest. Boise State had connections to the area dating back to former Super Bowl champion Jay Ajayi playing in the same city. The Broncos were one of the few programs to keep in regular contact with Jeanty, pursuing him heavily after he impressed the coaching staff at a summer camp on the blue turf prior to a breakout senior season.

Still, despite averaging more than 150 yards rushing per game and scoring 41 times as the bell cow tailback, the only major programs that extended scholarship offers were the California Golden Bears and Kansas Jayhawks. 

Danielson celebrates with Jeanty winning the Mountain West championship last season. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

“I just remember how consistent [Boise State coaches] were, every week just reaching out then,” said Jeanty of his recruitment. “I think they gave me a sense of family because they weren’t just trying to learn more about me in person, but they were trying to learn more about, you know, my mom, my dad, my brothers and sisters, even aunties and uncles, whoever was around me. They really wanted to connect with them and build that family atmosphere.”

Much like his initial foray in Texas, it didn’t take long for Jeanty to establish himself in the Pacific Northwest despite another step up in competition. He played in every game as a true freshman and finished the season strong, scoring in the four final games before rushing for a then-career-high 178 yards in the Frisco Bowl just a few miles from his house. 

All-America buzz followed and Jeanty assumed the full-time starting role in the backfield as a sophomore for a team widely tapped to win the conference. The Broncos won the Mountain West, but after a 5–5 start that led to the dismissal of head coach Andy Avalos midseason. 

Defensive coordinator Spencer Danielson took over as interim coach and the change suited the team, sparking a four-game winning streak fueled by Jeanty’s exploits (7.4 yards a carry on the way to the title). Athletic director Jeramiah Dickey initially didn’t consider an internal hire and conducted an extensive search to find Avalos’s replacement. 

But the winning, and the reaction from team leaders like Jeanty and fellow captain Alexander Teubner, spoke louder than any interview did. Boise State blew out UNLV to win the conference and took off Danielson’s interim tag a day later. 

The first order of business for the coach and AD? Making sure the reigning Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year stood pat and remained there, too. 

“This place is a special place, it’s like nowhere else I’ve ever been,” said Jeanty, who never tested the waters of the transfer portal last year despite several major schools making it known behind the scenes that there were opportunities for more money and a bigger stage elsewhere. “This whole community has embraced me from the first day I stepped on campus. Money doesn’t change a lot, just the numbers in your bank account.”

Jeanty still has a reported six figures worth of NIL deals at Boise State, including a slew of endorsements for local businesses around the Treasure Valley. After going viral in recent weeks for his unique upright stance, in addition to the on-field exploits, the tailback’s merchandise has also fueled record-setting sales numbers. Impressively, Jeanty is paying it forward and recently launched an endowed scholarship campaign at the school that he made a significant contribution toward.

If he keeps playing like he has been, stardom won’t be limited to the Gem State. Jeanty needed just seven games to surpass his rushing total from last season and remains on pace to top Barry Sanders’s legendary single-season rushing record of 2,628 yards. Scouts don’t just believe he’ll be the first running back taken in next spring’s NFL draft, but a first-rounder, too.

“Ashton’s the best player in the country,” quarterback Maddux Madsen adds. “Everyone’s whole game plan is, how can we stop Ashton?”

UNLV offered up a bit of a blueprint, loading the box to an impressive degree to limit Jeanty to six fewer yards per carry than he averaged coming in. He was hit in the backfield often, injured his elbow and didn’t break off any of his normal highlight-reel runs. According to BetMGM, Jeanty’s odds dropped from being the Heisman favorite at +200 to fourth-best among Gabriel, Hunter and Ward at +450 coming into Week 10.

Still, when Boise State needs a play, there’s little doubt in where they are turning—even if the opponents know it’s coming. Against the Rebels, Jeanty touched the ball eight times on the team’s final, 14-play drive that iced away the final 8:07 on the clock of a win that keeps them firmly in the conference and College Football Playoff races.

“You talk about an absolute warrior,” Danielson said. “He keeps swinging because he loves his team. He’s about the team and that’s uncommon. That’s a test about who he is as a person. He’s the best football player in the country, but he’s also the lead human being [on the team].”

Such a sentiment may not be limited to just those in and around Boise if the tailback keeps things up. Jeanty is no stranger to following an unconventional path to football success, and it appears the bus he’s pulling is headed toward making another stop off the beaten path in New York at the end of the year.

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