They say running backs are going out of fashion. Try telling that to Ashton Jeanty and his Boise State Broncos’ (8-1) fans. The consensus best RB in college football is only getting better each week. As events in Week 12 unfolded, the Heisman pecking order underwent quite the makeover. The Broncos’ #2 is now firmly back in the mix. Speaking of fashion, his girlfriend found a stylish answer to support the substance her man conjures on the gridiron.

As the focal point of the most potent rush attack in the country, Ashton’s dissipating Heisman case is catching steam once again. He put up 208 yards and 3 TDs on a career-high 34 carries against Nevada on Saturday. His coaches kept feeding him the football, but the defense had no answer. Moreover, Cam Ward and the Hurricanes’ loss put him on the back burner of the discourse. Just the perfect storm for Ashton Jeanty’s contention. Perhaps a new lucky charm set things in motion? His girlfriend Gabriella would certainly take the credit for that, as she debuted a custom “HEI2MAN” jacket on the sidelines. 

Gabriella, herself a collegiate track athlete, has never been shy of pushing the Heisman agenda for her beau. This is the latest wrinkle in a long series of events under the “HEI2MAN” campaign, named aptly after Ashton’s jersey number. In fact, it is even construed as a direct dig at Ashton’s biggest competitor in the race, Travis Hunter, and his similarly spawned “HE12MAN” moniker. Travis leads the pack for the trophy, and with good reason. However, Ashton Jeanty is not just battling his peers, but some preconceptions as well.

Boise State is ranked 13th by the CFP committee. On the surface, this comes across as a fair placement. However, what works against the team, and by extension Ashton, is their sub-standard competition in the eyes of the powers that be. Competing in the Mountain West, outside of the Power 5 conferences, inhibits the program. Their performances don’t quite have the sheen shining off them that an SEC or B1G school does.

CFB analyst and broadcaster Joel Klatt echoed these sentiments recently, speaking about how the system will not allow Ashton to receive his well-earned flowers. “A Mountain West running back is not winning the Heisman Trophy over a guy who’s in the Big 12”, he remarked. Travis is himself not absolved from certain notions which affect both him and Ashton. The Mountain West isn’t the only sticking point for his “HEI2MAN” aspirations.

Ashton Jeanty is on pace to eclipse previous winners’ campaign

Let’s get one thing straight- a non-QB winning the Heisman is quite rare, let alone one from a non-traditional powerhouse program. Only 4 such players have broken the figurative glass ceiling since the turn of the century. The most recent running back to fetch the award was Derrick Henry in 2015. Fans don’t need an introduction to King Henry- but even the future HOFer didn’t do what Ashton Jeanty is doing, at least statistically.

Henry accumulated 2,219 rush yards and 28 TDs during his winning campaign. Ashton currently sits on 1,734 and 23, respectively. With 3 regular season games and a Conference Championship game remaining at the very least, Ashton is tracking to go way past those figures. “But he’s doing it in the Mountain West”. 

Whether he manages to win the award or not, Ashton’s future prospects in the sport look great. The aforementioned Derrick Henry has showcased what a special running back is capable of doing for your offense in the pros. With many franchises in dire need of an RB (Looking at you, Cowboys!), Ashton Jeanty will be a hot commodity on the draft board come April.