Meet Travis Hunter, The Two-Way Threat Heisman Winner
College football fans: rejoice! After much speculation about which of the four finalists would get the distinction, the 2024 Heisman Trophy was awarded to the University of Colorado's Travis Hunter this weekend. The win isn't surprising if we consider his impressive track record and tremendous displays of skills, as he has excelled both as a defensive and an offensive player.
Travis Hunter is officially the Heisman! (The Athletic)
The prestigious accolade honors the best player of the year in college football, which can also be considered an omen of a bright future in the professional league. Past recipients include Reggie Bush, Derrick Henry, Lamar Jackson, and, more recently, Joe Burrow, so it's safe to say Travis is joining some of the greatest ever.
The Heisman winners are usually running backs or quarterbacks, yet Travis is neither of those. Other than those positions, the only other offensive players who have won it have been two tight ends and four wide receivers; Travis is one of the latter. On the side of primarily defensive players, only two of them have won it; Travis–you guessed it!–is also one of them. These facts are further proof of how remarkable a player he is on either side of the field and how well-deserved his win was.
Travis's path to success has been marked by a series of wise decisions and an exceptional support system around him that allowed him to stay on the right track. He was born and raised in Florida but moved to Georgia just before he started high school, a move he thanked his mom for in his acceptance speech: "She took me out of Florida, a bad area. I'm always getting in trouble, to now, look where I'm at. It's crazy, thank you."
He credited her for choosing to help her sons pursue a better future and thanked his fiancée for sticking by his side through everything, including surgery in his first year of college.
Travis Hunter with his Heisman Trophy (Getty Images)
He started his collegiate career at Jackson State, a decision that shocked everyone since he was the first five-star recruit to choose an HBCU program. However, once again, it proved to be the right one, as he began playing under the guidance of coach Deion Sanders. When Coach Prime moved on to Colorado, Travis didn't hesitate to follow him and become a Buff. Under his guidance and alongside a team that has been a fierce rival all season, Travis has become a two-way threat that excels in whatever position he is required to fill.
After crediting his mom for the successful move and his fiancée for all the support, Hunter's acceptance speech also included words of appreciation towards his father and siblings as inspiration to keep going and achieve his dreams. However, one of the most essential praises he gave during the night was to his grandma, who–unknowingly–might be the one who set his whole future in motion.
“And my grandma, you’re the person who got me to start playing football, that means so much to me. You seen the vision before I seen the vision. At 4 years old, you told me to ‘go put on some pads, go out in the front yard and play with your cousins.”
With a double-threat talent and several new accolades under his belt, Travis Hunter's football future is only getting started, and it's looking as bright as ever. A first-round pick is imminent, which makes it exciting for football fans everywhere to continue following his path to success in the years to come. However, his achievements aren't only a delight to watch; they also serve as an inspiration to kids and young athletes to keep going after their dreams, no matter how out of reach they might seem. As Travis said it best: "Never let nobody tell you what you can't do. Always do it and keep your feet on the gas."