“It looks bad on them,” Travis Hunter remains unfazed by Jim Thorpe Award snub
Despite having a good season as a defensive back, Travis Hunter was not considered for the Jim Thorpe Award.
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Travis Hunter (Image via ESPN)
2024 will be an unforgettable year for Travis Hunter for the rest of his life. Apart from winning the Heisman Award, he has won the Biletnikoff Award for the best receiver, the Bednarik receiver for the best defensive player, the Hornung Award for the most versatile player, and the AP Player of the Year award.
However, there was one award that did not take him into consideration. That is the Jim Thorpe Award, which is awarded to the best defensive back. This one snub made him fall short of a clear sweep of the top honors in college football. However, he is not sweating over this snub.
After winning the Heisman Trophy, Hunter was asked about what he thought of the Jim Thorpe snub. The Buffaloes player gave a seemingly calm response.
I don’t want to talk about the Thorpe. They made their decision…I have the best trophy in college football, so it doesn’t look bad on me; it looks bad on them.
Travis Hunter said
After winning the highest trophy handed to the best college player, Hunter believes losing out on the Thorpe is irrelevant.
Travis Hunter was not in the running for the Jim Thorpe Award
The dual-position player was not even in the running to win the award, which was surprising. The nominees for 2024 were Malaki Starks of Georgia, Caleb Downs of Ohio, and Jahdae Barron of Texas who wound up winning the award.
Jahdae Barron ended the year with 47 tackles, 1 sack, and 5 interceptions this year. The Longhorns’ defensive back led the SEC in interceptions and played a big part in the success of the team.
Travis Hunter was asked about his Thorpe Award snub: “I don’t want to talk about the Thorpe. They made their decision.
— Scott Procter (@ScottProcter_) December 15, 2024
“I have the best trophy in college football so it doesn’t look bad on me, it looks bad on them.”
The selection committee for the Jim Thorpe Award comprises Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame in-house award committee, past winners of the award, and members of the National College Football Awards Association, along with reputed college journalists.
Despite not being considered for this award, Travis Hunter still had a great season. His feat is unlikely to be replicated anytime soon. This was a decision beyond his control and he has the right mindset as he won the award that truly mattered.
Related: Calling Travis Hunter winning Heisman Trophy over Ashton Jeanty ‘undeserved’ is unfair
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Sumedh Joshi
(2196 Articles Published)