Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty has put on a show every time he has stepped on the field this season and he’s done nothing but run all over what ever has stood in his way.
The junior has rushed for 2,497 yards and 29 touchdowns en route to a Heisman runner-up finish, the Doak Walker Award, Maxwell Award and a unanimous All-American selection.
Those stats and accolades are great but they don’t begin to tell the whole story of who Jeanty is both on and off the field.
“There’s probably things I could say that might get him in trouble, so I’m go keep those quiet,” Boise State quarterback Maddux Madsen joked. “No, I’m just kidding, but Ashton is just a good dude. The way he makes people laugh is something that just kind of… he brings a joy to the building, no matter what the mood, and then he could flip a switch and just be savage.”
The savagery Madsen mentioned has resulted in Jeanty running for 200+ yards in six of the 13 games the Broncos have played thus far and running over the century mark in all 13.
Jeanty’s story ends with his performance on the field but it begins with who he is off it. It’s no shock that he went to New York and was the lone Heisman finalist there who represented his program by wearing their gear.
Ashton Jeanty gained some fans today. Seeing a lot of folks loving the fact he wore Boise State gear to NYC. pic.twitter.com/uA7AIxfw8G
— Frank Sulkowski WJCL (@TheBigGuyWJCL) December 14, 2024
His humbleness seems to fly off the charts when speaking to the media and others around the program.
“He’s a 10 out of 10 human being, and I want people even watching on either side, obviously, especially Penn State that haven’t probably focused on Ashton a lot prior to this week,” Broncos head coach Spencer Danielson said. “He’s a unanimous captain. He’s one of the the best leaders and one of the hardest workers we’ve ever had here at Boise State. He’s a generational football talent, but also a generational leader and teammate here at Boise State.”
Who he is as a teammate has endeared him to guys like Madsen who has been his teammate since both arrived in Boise in 2022. It’s also what has made his performance this season not just the Ashton Jeanty Show, but rather the Boise State Show. Jeanty’s not afraid to give credit to those who surround him.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.What makes Jeanty Jeanty, though?
“A lot of people you know just talk about the humbleness, but that’s just how I was raised,” Jeanty said. “I think that’s just who I am as a person. I always want more. Obviously, I get a lot of glory, but that’s not really what drives me.”
Getting glory might seem like the normal thing for a running back like Jeanty to chase and want more than anything, but that’s simply not how Jeanty is wired. In fact, some of those wires might tend to be crossed, but in a good way for Jeanty and others.
“I’m just goofy. I like to have fun. I like to bring joy to others around me, because I feel like football, obviously college football now is turning into more of a business, but you can do hard things, and, you know, have a good time,” Jeanty said. “The biggest thing for me is just having fun, enjoying what I’m doing, and bringing others along to enjoy with me.”
Watching Jeanty play has certainly put a smile on many people’s faces and has been a long journey as he chases history and the single-season of 2,628 yards set by Barry Sanders in 1988.
“I want to break the record, but I think we just got to keep the main thing, the main thing, and that’s just winning against Penn State,” Jeanty said. “I feel like if we take care of what we need to take care of, then that will come with it, just like everything else, just like all the other awards, all the other stats, they’ll come with it.”
Will Ashton Jeanty be able to rattle off enough yards to break the record? That remains to be seen and will have to be done against a strong Nittany Lions defense which sits among the top in the country in rushing.
