Video: Deion Sanders Explains Why Travis Hunter’s Thorpe Award Snub Made Him ‘Crazy’ | News, scores, highlights, stats and rumors

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BOULDER, CO - NOVEMBER 16: Travis Hunter #12 of the Colorado Buffaloes celebrates with head coach Deion Sanders after scoring a touchdown in the fourth quarter against the Utah Utes at Folsom Field on November 16, 2024 in Boulder, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)

Dustin Bradford/Getty Images

Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders was quite shocked that two-time star Travis Hunter was not a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award, given annually to the nation’s best defensive backs, calling the omission the “most idiotic thing in college football,” while speaking to reporters on Tuesday.

In a behind-the-scenes video from Well Off Media on Wednesday, Sanders further explained why he was so frustrated by the criticism.

“How in the world can you be considered for player of the year, defensive player of the year, but (not Thorpe)? How does that make sense?” he said in his office during a meeting with Hunter… “This is my theory. I figured it out because I’ve been thinking about it all night. Look, this is what they think. They think you’re going to win other prizes, and you wouldn’t be among them. So guess what I did? I have checked the dates of the awards ceremonies. See, this awards ceremony is on the same date. So they think you’re going to win this award and don’t want to come get it That award.”

He added: “When you look at the statistics, it really made me angry. That really made me angry. That really made me angry. But statistics shouldn’t matter because it’s the threat, like the threat. The threat, like I’m not going to throw it here because I know.”

When Sanders refers to the Heisman Trophy presentation, his timeline is a bit off as it takes place on Saturday, December 14. Jim Thorpe’s winner, meanwhile, will be announced at the Home Depot College Football Awards on Thursday, December 14. 12.

Hunter is already in the running for the Chuck Bednarik Award (Defensive Player of the Year), Biletnikoff Award (outstanding recipient) and Maxwell Award (Player of the Year) during the same award ceremony. He will almost certainly also be a finalist for the Heisman.

Then Patrick Show @dpshow

“He has a very fatherly approach to his players, like a fatherly figure. There’s tough love, it’s important to have their back, especially in college. I don’t know if it would work in the NFL, but this fatherly figure does work.”
-DP on Deion Sanders’ defense of Travis Hunter pic.twitter.com/2aMpAxi7yo

Another theory, of course, is that while Hunter’s offensive stats jump off the page (82 catches for 1,036 yards and 11 interceptions) – and his Player of the Year candidacies are bolstered by the fact that he’s playing at a high level, both on offense as in attack. defense – his stats at cornerback aren’t that impressive.

This season, he posted 30 tackles, nine passes defended, three interceptions and a forced fumble.

However, that argument fails on two fronts. First, consider the defensive stats of the Thorpe finalists. Texas defensive back Jahdae Barron has recorded 41 tackles, eight passes defended, four interceptions and a sack. Ohio State safety Caleb Downs has 50 tackles, three passes defensed and zero interceptions. And Georgian defender Malaki Starks has 55 tackles, two passes defended and an interception.

Unless you really value tackles, those statistical profiles for defensive backs are no more impressive than what Hunter posted.

Robert Griffin III @RGIII

Voters need to stop punishing Travis Hunter just because they don’t like Deion Sanders. Travis Hunter is not a product of hype. He should have been a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award.@TravisHunterJr versus Jim Thorpe Award finalists
1st in passes defended
2nd in Int
4th in… pic.twitter.com/41ztDfSP66

Joel Klatt @whooplat

It’s crazy not to have Travis Hunter as a FINALIST for the Thorpe Award… It devalues ​​the award… He’s the best CB in CFB and his numbers reflect that all his opponents know it.

Furthermore, as Sanders noted, Hunter has put up his numbers despite teams avoiding his side of the field.

“He rarely gets thrown at him,” he says told reporters. “They just ruined the integrity of the prize and he can have mine. Whoever votes there, whoever takes it home, thank you. Because I don’t even want mine right now. God bless you.’

So you can understand why Sanders – himself a former Jim Thorpe Prize winner – is standing up for his man. And while he may be a bit biased, he is also a Hall of Fame cornerback and his evaluation of the cornerback position is very credible. And honestly, even from an outside perspective, it’s hard to find a logical basis for Thorpe not naming Hunter as a finalist.