Latest news with #HeismanMemorialTrophy
Fox News
20-04-2025
- Sport
- Fox News
What critics of Deion Sanders and son Shedeur don't understand
Since the day Deion Sanders named his son Shedeur the starting quarterback for his team at Jackson State four years ago, there has been no shortage of journalists, commentators and fans who have openly challenged whether the younger Sanders is good enough. That didn't change when Shedeur Sanders had his jersey retired at Folsom Field — one of just six in its history — alongside Travis Hunter during Colorado's spring game. Many, including former players at Colorado, found the decision to retire those jerseys either too soon (Hunter) or not worthy (Sanders), given some of the luminaries who have played at CU and have not had their jerseys retired. The fact is, we wouldn't much care what Colorado decided to do if Deion Sanders were not its head coach. Fewer would question how good Shedeur Sanders is as a QB if he weren't his father's son. Good enough to start at an FCS program? He became the first player to win the Jerry Rice Award, given to the nation's top freshman, at an HBCU — in history. Good enough to lead a team to a championship? He led Jackson State to back-to-back SWAC championships. Good enough to start as a Power 4 QB? He was named Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year after leading the Buffaloes to their first winning season since 2016 and passing for a school-record 4,134 yards with 37 TDs and 10 interceptions. The best player on his team, Hunter, won the Heisman Memorial Trophy in part because Sanders was throwing those passes to him. Coach Prime has been vocal about his son's achievements each step of the way. In a sport that has seen its fair number of overengaging fathers, especially to quarterbacks, Prime seems to have an uncanny way of getting under the skin of others for doing exactly what we ask fathers, particularly Black fathers, to do. I asked him if he believed it's fair that he receives negative criticism for being so engaged with his sons as head coach. "I'm present," Sanders told FOX Sports. "I'm present and not apologetic about being present." Sanders has five children, one of whom gets more headlines than the others, and each of them has received every gift he could extend to them, including his ability to stand in his confidence. Prime does not kowtow to anyone, and neither do his children. At the NFL Scouting Combine in February, Shedeur put his confidence on display. [MORE: Deion Sanders is college football's ultimate trendsetter; it's time to embrace it] "If you're not trying to change the franchise or the culture, don't get me," Shedeur said in February. "We went from Jackson State to Colorado and changed two programs back-to-back. So you don't think I can come to an NFL franchise and change the program again? It's history." And he has shrugged off what those who do not believe in that change have said since. "You think I'm worried about what critics say, what people gotta say? You know who my dad is? They hated on him, too," Shedeur said in Indianapolis. "We like adversity. We like everything that comes with the name. That's why we are who we are." Prime was not surprised by what his son said at the lectern in Indianapolis. It's what he's come to expect because that is the kind of son, the kind of children, he raised. "My kids aren't just happy to be there," Deion told FOX Sports. "They expect to be there. My kids ain't gracious because you clap. They don't give a darn if you clap or not. My kids are really good athletes, but they're really good people, and they're not looking to inflict pain. They want to bring joy, and every time you see them, they're smiling. Win or lose, they are smiling. They have the same composure, and you have never seen them out of character." So what is it? Why do many question the validity of Shedeur Sanders as a first-round draft pick? The kind of talent that can change the fortunes of a franchise like Patrick Mahomes did with the Kansas City Chiefs, C.J. Stroud has with the Houston Texans or Jayden Daniels has with the Washington Commanders? After Shedeur continued to put up numbers and wins in ways that no one at Colorado had managed in nearly a decade, I asked Prime why he thinks so many have chosen to criticize him and the star athlete his son is. "The Sanders, we've been around for a long time," Deion told me. "It's like they're tired of us, RJ. I've been successful. You had to deal with me in football, you had to deal with me in baseball and you had to deal with me on television. Now you have to deal with me as a coach. You got to deal with me as a father. Now you have to deal with my kids." Sanders continued. "It's like people are saying, 'This is enough. I'm sick of dealing with him. Can he go away? Here goes his kid, acting just like him.' We don't want to bother anybody. We won't start it, but we will finish it." It's been true. Many forgot Prime had begun talking about Hunter winning the Heisman at halftime of his first CU game against a ranked TCU in 2023. Some had forgotten that Prime said he had one of the best quarterbacks in the country at Jackson State in Shedeur. Or maybe they didn't. Maybe they never will. Maybe there is only so much any person on this earth can do or say to change a stubborn mind. What has been certain, though, is that Deion Sanders and his family have been one of the most attractive and alluring subjects in sports for nearly four decades. And that is not likely to change after the NFL Draft. If anything, we will hear and see more of them — certainly not less. RJ Young is a national college football writer and analyst for FOX Sports and the host of the podcast "The Number One College Football Show." Follow him on Twitter at @RJ_Young and subscribe to "The RJ Young Show" on YouTube. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily!
Fox Sports
20-04-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
What critics of Deion Sanders and son Shedeur don't understand
Since the day Deion Sanders named his son Shedeur the starting quarterback for his team at Jackson State four years ago, there has been no shortage of journalists, commentators and fans who have openly challenged whether the younger Sanders is good enough. That didn't change when Shedeur Sanders had his jersey retired at Folsom Field — one of just six in its history — alongside Travis Hunter during Colorado's spring game. Many, including former players at Colorado, found the decision to retire those jerseys either too soon (Hunter) or not worthy (Sanders), given some of the luminaries who have played at CU and have not had their jerseys retired. The fact is, we wouldn't much care what Colorado decided to do if Deion Sanders were not its head coach. Fewer would question how good Shedeur Sanders is as a QB if he weren't his father's son. Good enough to start at an FCS program? He became the first player to win the Jerry Rice Award, given to the nation's top freshman, at an HBCU — in history. Good enough to lead a team to a championship? He led Jackson State to back-to-back SWAC championships. Good enough to start as a Power 4 QB? He was named Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year after leading the Buffaloes to their first winning season since 2016 and passing for a school-record 4,134 yards with 37 TDs and 10 interceptions. The best player on his team, Hunter, won the Heisman Memorial Trophy in part because Sanders was throwing those passes to him. Coach Prime has been vocal about his son's achievements each step of the way. In a sport that has seen its fair number of overengaging fathers, especially to quarterbacks, Prime seems to have an uncanny way of getting under the skin of others for doing exactly what we ask fathers, particularly Black fathers, to do. I asked him if he believed it's fair that he receives negative criticism for being so engaged with his sons as head coach. "I'm present," Sanders said. "I'm present and not apologetic about being present." Sanders has five children, one of whom gets more headlines than the others, and each of them has received every gift he could extend to them, including his ability to stand in his confidence. Prime does not kowtow to anyone, and neither do his children. At the NFL Scouting Combine in February, Shedeur put his confidence on display. [MORE: Deion Sanders is college football's ultimate trendsetter; it's time to embrace it] "If you're not trying to change the franchise or the culture, don't get me," he said. "We went from Jackson State to Colorado and changed two programs back-to-back. So you don't think I can come to an NFL franchise and change the program again? It's history." And he has shrugged off what those who do not believe in that change have said since. "You think I'm worried about what critics say, what people gotta say? You know who my dad is? They hated on him, too," Shedeur said. "We like adversity. We like everything that comes with the name. That's why we are who we are." Prime was not surprised by what his son said at the lectern in Indianapolis. It's what he's come to expect because that is the kind of son, the kind of children, he raised. "My kids aren't just happy to be there," he said. "They expect to be there. My kids ain't gracious because you clap. They don't give a darn if you clap or not. My kids are really good athletes, but they're really good people, and they're not looking to inflict pain. They want to bring joy, and every time you see them, they're smiling. Win or lose, they are smiling. They have the same composure, and you have never seen them out of character." So what is it? Why do many question the validity of Shedeur Sanders as a first-round draft pick? The kind of talent that can change the fortunes of a franchise like Patrick Mahomes did with the Kansas City Chiefs, C.J. Stroud has with the Houston Texans or Jayden Daniels has with the Washington Commanders? After Shedeur continued to put up numbers and wins in ways that no one at Colorado had managed in nearly a decade, I asked Prime why he thinks so many have chosen to criticize him and the star athlete his son is. "The Sanders, we've been around for a long time," he told me. "It's like they're tired of us, RJ. I've been successful. You had to deal with me in football, you had to deal with me in baseball and you had to deal with me on television. Now you have to deal with me as a coach. You got to deal with me as a father. Now you have to deal with my kids. "It's like people are saying, 'This is enough. I'm sick of dealing with him. Can he go away? Here goes his kid, acting just like him.' We don't want to bother anybody. We won't start it, but we will finish it." It's been true. Many forgot Prime had begun talking about Hunter winning the Heisman at halftime of his first CU game against a ranked TCU in 2023. Some had forgotten that Prime said he had one of the best quarterbacks in the country at Jackson State in Shedeur. Or maybe they didn't. Maybe they never will. Maybe there is only so much any person on this earth can do or say to change a stubborn mind. What has been certain, though, is that Deion Sanders and his family have been one of the most attractive and alluring subjects in sports for nearly four decades. And that is not likely to change after the NFL Draft. If anything, we will hear and see more of them — certainly not less. RJ Young is a national college football writer and analyst for FOX Sports and the host of the podcast " The Number One College Football Show. " Follow him on Twitter at @RJ_Young and subscribe to "The RJ Young Show" on YouTube . Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily ! FOLLOW Follow your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports experience College Football NFL Draft recommended Get more from College Football Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Fox News
03-04-2025
- Sport
- Fox News
2025 UFL MVP Power Rankings: Jacob Saylors headlines list after Week 1
It's no secret that football MVP awards are mostly synonymous with the quarterback position. Just look at the NFL, where a quarterback has been named the MVP in 12 straight seasons. How about the Heisman Memorial Trophy? Same story, as 12 of the past 15 recipients have been signal-callers. Even in spring football, where KaVontae Turpin was named MVP of the 2022 USFL season, then it was a pair of quarterbacks – Alex McGough (USFL) and Adrian Martinez (UFL) – who took home MVP honors after that. Perhaps this is the year when we buck the trend, as the top standout performances in Week 1 of the 2025 UFL season belonged to the running backs. Jacob Saylors, Kalen Ballage and Jarveon Howard all had big rushing outputs in season-opening wins, but who sits atop the MVP ladder? Here's a look at my first UFL MVP power rankings of the season: [MORE: What is the UFL? Everything to know about the 2025 United Football League] 5. Arlington Renegades QB Luis Perez Week 1 stat line: 20 of 25 passing for 164 yardsWeek 1 result: 33-9 win against San AntonioNo quarterback has more consistently shown himself capable of winning in spring professional football leagues in the United States than Perez, who was characteristically meticulous and mature behind center, even in Week 1. Perez, who operates the offense like co-offensive coordinator Chuck Long, showed he was attuned to all aspects of the offense. Even while the running back room took center stage in the win, Perez quietly completed 20 of 25 passes for 164 yards. The former Division II national champion is one of just two QBs in the UFL to lead his team to a league championship, and Arlington looks ready to mount a run at winning its first UFL title. (Alex McGough led the Birmingham Stallions to the 2023 USFL title, and Perez led the Renegades to the 2023 XFL title.) 4. DC Defenders QB Jordan Ta'amu Week 1 stat line: 17 of 37 passing for 211 yards, 1 TD, 1 INTWeek 1 result: 18-11 win against BirminghamTa'amu had earned Shannon Harris' trust, and it paid dividends. After throwing the ball nearly 40 times for 211 yards with one TD and an INT, the Defenders became just the second team to defeat the Birmingham Stallions in two years and the first to accomplish that feat in Week 1. Now in his third season with the Defenders, Ta'amu has thrown for at least 1,800 yards when he's started 10 games. In his only season in the USFL as the starter for the Tampa Bay Bandits, he led the league in passing with 2,014 yards. Last season, he led the league in passing TDs with 15. If Ta'amu stays healthy, the Defenders have their best chance since 2023 to play for the league championship. 3. Michigan Panthers QB Bryce Perkins Week 1 stat line: 16 of 19 passing for 163 yards, 1 TDWeek 1 result: 26-12 win at MemphisPerkins was the most efficient and polished passer I watched all weekend and that was evident in his stat line with just three incompletions thrown all game. Though he split time with former LSU QB Danny Etling, Perkins looks like he should not only be the Panthers' full-time QB, but the best in the USFL this season. "In every play, there's going to be a throw or a run that's available to us," Perkins said on Saturday. Knowing that and articulating it in a postgame media conference underscores just how comfortable he is in Year 2 of Marcel Bellefueille's offense. Perkins left Virginia as the single-season record holder for passing yards (3,538) and had the second-most wins as a starter (17) behind former Cavalier Matt Schaub. Perkins is a winner, and that might just be an intangible trait that helps Michigan battle for the USFL conference crown. 2. Arlington Renegades RB Kalen BallageWeek 1 stat line: Nine rushes for 110 yards with a TDWeek 1 result: 33-9 win against San AntonioBallage became the first player to post a 100-yard rushing game in the UFL in Week 1. Like the running back room in St. Louis, the Arlington Renegades feasted. Ballage rushed for 110 yards on just nine carries and a TD, while De'Von Smith enjoyed a short yardage back's dream — three rushes, 3 yards, three TDs. It seems, though, Ballage is the featured tailback after playing one of his best games as a professional. In 2016, he tied the FBS record for TDs in a single game with eight in a 68-55 win for Arizona State against Texas Tech — seven rushing TDs on 13 carries. What's more? Battlehawks QB Manny Wilkins was his quarterback at ASU. "I thought Kalen was going to make a big difference, and he does," Renegades coach Bob Stoops said on Saturday. "I'm excited to watch him the rest of the year." 1. St. Louis Battlehawks RB Jacob Saylors Week 1 stat line: 16 rushes for 98 yards, four catches for 48 yardsWeek 1 result: 31-6 win at HoustonThe league's 2024 rushing leader is still a menace. As was evident last season, Saylors is one of the elite tailbacks in the UFL. He showed why in the Battlehawks' Week 1 rout with 145 total yards on 20 touches. If he can hold that pace, there's no question he'll be one of the players vying for player of the year honors in June. It helps to have what looks like the league's best offensive line unit. As the offense continues to fill out, I'll be watching to see just how much of it runs through Sayers, who looks like one of the most dynamic skill players on a formidable Battlehawks offense. Running back Jarveon Howard's 113 rushing yards on just 13 carries opened eyes, too. And the only thing better than having one great tailback is having two. St. Louis coach Anthony Becht must feel good about the prospect of mounting a challenge for the UFL title. Only seven players have rushed for 100 yards or more in the UFL, and three of them have been St. Louis Battlehawks. Running back Mateo Durant rushed for 104 against Arlington last season. RJ Young is a national college football writer and analyst for FOX Sports and the host of the podcast "The Number One College Football Show." Follow him on Twitter at @RJ_Young and subscribe to "The RJ Young Show" on YouTube. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily!
Fox Sports
02-04-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
2025 UFL MVP Power Rankings: Jacob Saylors headlines list after Week 1
It's no secret that football MVP awards are mostly synonymous with the quarterback position. Just look at the NFL, where a quarterback has been named the MVP in 12 straight seasons. How about the Heisman Memorial Trophy? Same story, as 12 of the past 15 recipients have been signal-callers. Even in spring football, where KaVontae Turpin was named MVP of the 2022 USFL season, then it was a pair of quarterbacks – Alex McGough (USFL) and Adrian Martinez (UFL) – who took home MVP honors after that. Perhaps this is the year when we buck the trend, as the top standout performances in Week 1 of the 2025 UFL season belonged to the running backs. Jacob Saylors, Kalen Ballage and Jarveon Howard all had big rushing outputs in season-opening wins, but who sits atop the MVP ladder? Here's a look at my first UFL MVP power rankings of the season: [MORE: What is the UFL? Everything to know about the 2025 United Football League ] 5. Arlington Renegades QB Luis Perez Week 1 stat line: 20 of 25 passing for 164 yards Week 1 result: 33-9 win against San Antonio No quarterback has more consistently shown himself capable of winning in spring professional football leagues in the United States than Perez, who was characteristically meticulous and mature behind center, even in Week 1. Perez, who operates the offense like co-offensive coordinator Chuck Long, showed he was attuned to all aspects of the offense. Even while the running back room took center stage in the win, Perez quietly completed 20 of 25 passes for 164 yards. The former Division II national champion is one of just two QBs in the UFL to lead his team to a league championship, and Arlington looks ready to mount a run at winning its first UFL title. (Alex McGough led the Birmingham Stallions to the 2023 USFL title, and Perez led the Renegades to the 2023 XFL title.) 4. DC Defenders QB Jordan Ta'amu Week 1 stat line: 17 of 37 passing for 211 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT Week 1 result: 18-11 win against Birmingham Ta'amu had earned Shannon Harris' trust, and it paid dividends. After throwing the ball nearly 40 times for 211 yards with one TD and an INT, the Defenders became just the second team to defeat the Birmingham Stallions in two years and the first to accomplish that feat in Week 1. Now in his third season with the Defenders, Ta'amu has thrown for at least 1,800 yards when he's started 10 games. In his only season in the USFL as the starter for the Tampa Bay Bandits, he led the league in passing with 2,014 yards. Last season, he led the league in passing TDs with 15. If Ta'amu stays healthy, the Defenders have their best chance since 2023 to play for the league championship. 3. Michigan Panthers QB Bryce Perkins Week 1 stat line: 16 of 19 passing for 163 yards, 1 TD Week 1 result: 26-12 win at Memphis Perkins was the most efficient and polished passer I watched all weekend and that was evident in his stat line with just three incompletions thrown all game. Though he split time with former LSU QB Danny Etling, Perkins looks like he should not only be the Panthers' full-time QB, but the best in the USFL this season. "In every play, there's going to be a throw or a run that's available to us," Perkins said on Saturday. Knowing that and articulating it in a postgame media conference underscores just how comfortable he is in Year 2 of Marcel Bellefueille's offense. Perkins left Virginia as the single-season record holder for passing yards (3,538) and had the second-most wins as a starter (17) behind former Cavalier Matt Schaub. Perkins is a winner, and that might just be an intangible trait that helps Michigan battle for the USFL conference crown. 2. Arlington Renegades RB Kalen Ballage Week 1 stat line: Nine rushes for 110 yards with a TD Week 1 result: 33-9 win against San Antonio Ballage became the first player to post a 100-yard rushing game in the UFL in Week 1. Like the running back room in St. Louis, the Arlington Renegades feasted. Ballage rushed for 110 yards on just nine carries and a TD, while De'Von Smith enjoyed a short yardage back's dream — three rushes, 3 yards, three TDs. It seems, though, Ballage is the featured tailback after playing one of his best games as a professional. In 2016, he tied the FBS record for TDs in a single game with eight in a 68-55 win for Arizona State against Texas Tech — seven rushing TDs on 13 carries. What's more? Battlehawks QB Manny Wilkins was his quarterback at ASU. "I thought Kalen was going to make a big difference, and he does," Renegades coach Bob Stoops said on Saturday. "I'm excited to watch him the rest of the year." 1. St. Louis Battlehawks RB Jacob Saylors Week 1 stat line: 16 rushes for 98 yards, four catches for 48 yards Week 1 result: 31-6 win at Houston The league's 2024 rushing leader is still a menace. As was evident last season, Saylors is one of the elite tailbacks in the UFL. He showed why in the Battlehawks' Week 1 rout with 145 total yards on 20 touches. If he can hold that pace, there's no question he'll be one of the players vying for player of the year honors in June. It helps to have what looks like the league's best offensive line unit. As the offense continues to fill out, I'll be watching to see just how much of it runs through Sayers, who looks like one of the most dynamic skill players on a formidable Battlehawks offense. Running back Jarveon Howard's 113 rushing yards on just 13 carries opened eyes, too. And the only thing better than having one great tailback is having two. St. Louis coach Anthony Becht must feel good about the prospect of mounting a challenge for the UFL title. Only seven players have rushed for 100 yards or more in the UFL, and three of them have been St. Louis Battlehawks. Running back Mateo Durant rushed for 104 against Arlington last season. RJ Young is a national college football writer and analyst for FOX Sports and the host of the podcast " The Number One College Football Show. " Follow him on Twitter at @RJ_Young and subscribe to "The RJ Young Show" on YouTube . Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily ! FOLLOW Follow your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports experience United Football League recommended Get more from United Football League Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Fox Sports
21-03-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Deion Sanders' latest idea brings level of intrigue that spring period lacks
Deion Sanders isn't shy — never has been. He says what he means, and he means what he says. This forces us to make decisions about accepting his word, or not, almost as soon as the words leave his mouth. When Sanders said he planned to be in Boulder, Colorado, many of us questioned that, too. We questioned such a statement because he'd only coached at the major college football level for two years, and he'd flipped a program that won just two games the year before his arrival into one that won nine, finished atop the Big 12 standings and boasted the Heisman Memorial Trophy winner just last year. We questioned such a statement because this will be the first year that he hasn't coached his sons, and in an era of college football that is almost exclusively marked not by tradition, but by change. But we sometimes fail to remember that Sanders has been one of the architects of that change. He brought new attention to an already popular sport with a program that lacked an identity until he cloaked it in his own. He's perhaps the only FBS coach in the country who looks comfortable in a cowboy hat and sunglasses indoors. Leave it to Coach Prime to inject not just excitement, but perhaps a tonic to the morose spring offseason where more news has been made by name-brand programs choosing to forgo the tradition of playing a spring football game for fans or a glorified fan appreciation day with a nod toward why we watch the sport. "I would like to actually play the spring game against another team in the spring," Sanders said on Monday. "That's what I'm trying to do right now." Any takers? As a matter of fact, yes. Mere hours after Prime made his declaration, Syracuse coach Fran Brown sent a tweet — tagging Sanders: "We will come to Boulder for three days." Whoop, there it is. And just like that, we've got the makings of not just a good idea, but the kind that can bring fans — all of us — back to stadiums at least once this season. Prime said he wanted to play a spring game against another opponent for a few reasons, but one seems to be more important than the others: to fill up the stadium. One of the mitigating factors to televising spring games, television being that invention from which money flows, is that it's not a great TV product. Turns out people like to see people, lots of people, at stadiums during sporting events. A sell-out crowd is easier to sell. Playing against another opponent, even in an intramural setting, brings a level of intrigue that the spring period lacks. Stacking up against an opponent who is as good as you feels exactly like the game fans want to see and exactly like the game Matt Rhule would avoid at all cost. The risk of injury skyrockets. If seasons of HBO's hit show "Hard Knocks" are to be believed, so is the risk of fights breaking out. But the reward might be too great to resist. That Brown was first to answer Prime's call speaks to the program he's built and continues to build. His Orangemen won 10 games in Year 1, boasted the sport's passing leader in Kyle McCord and knocked Miami out of the ACC title game and consideration for the College Football Playoff last year with a program-defining win. Moreover, Brown FaceTimed Clemson coach Dabo Swinney, told him you're welcome for putting him into the ACC title game — a game Clemson won — and followed up with a victory in the Holiday Bowl. He's as bold, innovative and charismatic as Prime is, and a game against Colorado will showcase that. This idea, if it gets done, can catch on. Even in a sport that loves its secrecy with coaches who are more conservative than a junior savings account at the local Savings and Loan, all this game has to do is work once. And the rest will follow suit. Who knows? Spring football might yet again be exciting. RJ Young is a national college football writer and analyst for FOX Sports and the host of the podcast " The Number One College Football Show. " Follow him on Twitter at @RJ_Young and subscribe to "The RJ Young Show" on YouTube . Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily . FOLLOW Follow your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports experience College Football recommended Get more from College Football Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
