Latest news with #HeismanTrophy-winning
USA Today
29-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Reggie Bush ranked No. 2 college football player of the 21st century by The Athletic
Reggie Bush ranked No. 2 college football player of the 21st century by The Athletic USC's Reggie Bush continues to receive his due from college football historians and scholars Recently, The Athletic published rankings of college football's greatest teams, players, coaches, programs, and games of the 21st century (so far). USC was well-represented in the greatest teams rankings, with the 2004 Trojans coming in at No. 5. On the top players list, USC was once again featured prominently, with star running back Reggie Bush coming in at No. 2 on the list. Bush's accolades at USC certainly made him more than worthy of inclusion. He won two national championships, a Heisman Trophy, a Doak Walker Award, was twice named the Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year, and was a two-time first-team All-American. Here is what The Athletic's Bruce Feldman had to say about Bush: "Arguably the most electrifying player in college football history, Bush helped the Trojans win national titles in his first two seasons and then won the Heisman in his third. In 2005, he averaged 223 all-purpose yards per game, including a memorable Saturday night when he went for 513 against Fresno State. His knack for game-changing plays was uncanny. 'He single-handedly won us some games,' said [Ed] Orgeron, a former USC assistant. "When I asked experts for their take on the best player of the 2000s, Bush's name came up by far the most. 'The only perfect grade I ever gave to a college player was Reggie,' Daniel Jeremiah said. 'He was a jaw-dropping college player. He was so much better than everybody else on the field, it wasn't even close. You went out of your way to watch him. He was literally must-see TV.'" Interestingly, Bush was the only USC player in the rankings, with none of USC's three Heisman Trophy-winning quarterbacks making the cut. Matt Leinart, Bush's USC teammate and one of two quarterbacks this century to win a Heisman and multiple national championships, was a particularly glaring admission. In addition, a strong case could have been made for two USC star safeties from the 2000s, Troy Polamalu and Taylor Mays, who racked up a combined five first-team All-America honors. So, while Bush certainly deserves his flowers, many USC fans will feel as though the Trojans did not get the recognition they deserved in the rankings.
USA Today
24-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Tim Tebow is the greatest Gator of the 2000s. But where does he rank among peers?
Tim Tebow is the greatest Gator of the 2000s. But where does he rank among peers? The Florida Gators football program has a storied history of producing some incredible talent on the collegiate gridiron, but the greatest ever — and certainly, the most popular ever — was quarterback Tim Tebow, who was part of two of UF's three national championship rosters. Recently, The Athletic published a series of articles ranking players, coaches and teams since the turn of the millennium, including Bruce Feldman's top 25 players of the 2000s. Among those named on his list was Tebow, who was the only member of the Orange and Blue to be mentioned. Well, not exactly. It is worth noting that the top player in these rankings was also a Gator at one point — quarterback Cam Newton. However, he was kicked out of school due to an incident involving a stolen laptop and did not become the big-time player he matured into until after leaving Gainesville. So, where does Florida's Heisman Trophy-winning gunslinger rank among his peers over the past 25 years? Feldman puts him in the top 10 at No. 8, between ninth-ranked multi-talented Travis Hunter of the Colorado Buffaloes and seventh-ranked Vince Young of the Texas Longhorns. Here is what The Athletic had to offer on Tebow. No. 8: Tim Tebow Career: 9,285 yards, 66.4%, 88 TDs, 16 INTs, 170.8 rating; 692 rushes, 2,947 yards, 57 TDs Best season: 2007; 3,286 yards, 66.9%, 32 TDs, 6 INTs, 172.5 rating; 210 rushes, 895 yards, 23 TDs "The H-back-sized quarterback was a force, bulldozing his way upfield as a runner while also spreading the field to take advantage of the Gators' speed and weapons. Tebow helped Florida win the 2006 national title as a change-up runner behind Chris Leak. The next year, it was his show. UF went 9-4, but he won the Heisman by accounting for 55 total touchdowns," Feldman notes. "In 2008, he led Florida to another national title, throwing 16 touchdowns and no picks over the final six games. He was the face and leader of a talented but volatile locker room. It made for an interesting mix, but they won a ton of games and he put up eye-popping stats. The 6-3, 235-pound lefty had one of the most prolific careers in college football history, going to New York as a Heisman finalist three times." Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
10 Games the NFL Needs to Put on the 2025 Prime-Time Schedule
The first round of the NFL Draft Thursday night wasn't even halfway through when the league announced its next big date on the calendar: The 2025 NFL schedule will be announced in prime time on May 14. The complete list of home and away opponents for all 32 teams was determined as soon as the 2024 season ended, but May 14 is the day we'll know when these games will be played. Fans can start planning their tailgates and road trips. Advertisement Here are a few things we know at this point: • The Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles will host the kickoff game on Thursday, Sept. 4 • The Los Angeles Chargers are the designated home team for the league's second-ever game in Sao Paulo, Brazil on Friday, Sept. 5 • The Brazil game is the only prime-time matchup among the seven international games on the schedule. The New York Jets, Cleveland Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars will each host a game in London; the Indianapolis Colts host a game in Berlin; the Miami Dolphins host a game in Madrid; and the Pittsburgh Steelers host a game in Dublin. Advertisement • Christmas is a Thursday this year, so in addition to the two afternoon games that will be streamed on Netflix, Amazon Prime will air a prime-time game on Christmas night. Between Thursdays, Sundays and Mondays, there will be more than 50 prime-time games that get the eyes of a national audience. Networks have no doubt lobbied the NFL schedule-makers to get the best matchups possible. Here are 10 games we think the NFL needs to put in prime time: Las Vegas Raiders at Philadelphia Eagles Philadelphia Eagles RB Saquon Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images This one would work as the season opener for a few reasons. The Eagles begin the defense of their championship while Pete Carroll makes his debut as Raiders head coach after a year off. It's also a marquee matchup of running backs: Las Vegas rookie Ashton Jeanty makes his NFL debut against 2,000-yard man Saquon Barkley. Baltimore Ravens at Buffalo Bills Josh Allen and LamarBoth of these teams will surely be featured in multiple prime-time games — and both have plenty of attractive matchups to choose from. How about another Ravens-Chiefs clash? Or Bills-Chiefs, for that matter? After Josh Allen somewhat surprisingly edged out Lamar Jackson for MVP last season, this is the one that will draw the most attention. Allen and the Bills lost to Jackson and the Ravens on a Sunday night game in Week 4 last season, then got revenge in the divisional playoffs. Los Angeles Rams at Jacksonville Jaguars The league probably wasn't all that interested in getting Jacksonville on prime time … until the Jaguars boldly traded up last week and drafted two-way star Travis Hunter. The Heisman Trophy-winning cornerback/receiver is the main attraction here, but this could also be a fun offensive explosion between Jaguars offensive-minded rookie head coach Liam Coen and the coach who gave Coen his first NFL job, Sean McVay. Chicago Bears at Washington Commanders Caleb Williams and Jayden DanielsGeoff Burke-Imagn Images (Daniels)/Kirby Lee-Imagn Images (Williams) For the second year in a row, Bears QB Caleb Williams has a homecoming. His return to D.C. last season — a battle of the first two players taken in the 2024 draft — almost ended in glory when he led a go-ahead scoring drive in the final minute. That wasn't the case, however, because moments later Jayden Daniels completed a 52-yard Hail Mary touchdown pass to Noah Brown to win it for Washington. Daniels and the Commanders would go on to the NFC title game. Williams and the Bears have improved their roster this offseason and expect big things from rookie head coach Ben Johnson, so this game could be another thriller. Green Bay Packers at Pittsburgh Steelers This matchup would be coveted by all the league's broadcast partners simply because the Packers and Steelers have two of the biggest national fanbases in the league. What would make it even more appealing is the possibility of Aaron Rodgers playing for Pittsburgh. The jury's still out on that, but I would argue it's just a matter of time. If Rodgers does land in Pittsburgh, this would be his first game against the Packers. Too bad it's not in Lambeau, but we'll take it. New England Patriots at Tennessee Titans Neither of these teams will be in great demand from the prime-time broadcast partners, but at least this matchup brings a couple of angles. First off, it's a national audience for the No. 1 draft pick, Titans QB Cam Ward. Second, it's a revenge game for Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel, who was fired in Tennessee after the 2023 season. The Titans were foolish for letting Vrabel go, and the first-year Pats coach would love some payback. Cincinnati Bengals at Minnesota Vikings This will be the third career meeting between LSU superstar wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson. When they met in 2021, it was Chase's first NFL game and he caught five passes for 101 yards and a touchdown. When they met in 2023, the starting quarterbacks were Nick Mullens for Minnesota and Jake Browning for Cincinnati. Do we expect fireworks? All these two guys did last year was combine for 230 receptions, 3,241 yards and 27 touchdowns. Philadelphia Eagles at Kansas City Chiefs After the Chiefs beat the Eagles in Super Bowl LVII, they met again in Week 11 of the 2023 season — on a Monday night (with the Eagles getting a small measure of revenge). Their next meeting was this past February in Super Bowl LIX. So this time it will be the Chiefs looking for revenge. New York Giants at Denver Broncos Unfortunately for Russell Wilson, last year's Steelers-Broncos game was scheduled too early in the season. It was Week 2, so Justin Fields was still starting as Wilson was injured. Now that Wilson is with the Giants, they better schedule this one early in the season. That way, Wilson can have his shot at revenge against Sean Payton and the Broncos before the Giants bench him in favor of rookie Jaxson Dart. Minnesota Vikings at Seattle Seahawks After he resurrected his career and helped the Vikings go 14-3 last season, Sam Darnold was not exactly treated like much of a hero. The narrative was that a bulk of the credit goes to head coach and QB whisperer Kevin O'Connell, who was ready to hand the job to 2024 first-round pick J.J. McCarthy after the Michigan alum missed his rookie season with a knee injury. So Darnold signed with Seattle, and he'd love to show the Vikings what they're missing. Related: How the Seahawks Can Turn QB Jalen Milroe Into Their Future King Related: NFL Draft Grades: Instant Analysis of Every Team's 2025 Class
New York Post
11-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
The unique first purchase Travis Hunter made after being drafted by Jaguars
Travis Hunter's first NFL purchase is not one many would expect. The Heisman Trophy-winning two-way star's first NFL contract will be worth more than $40 million after being selected No. 2 overall in last month's NFL draft. But the University of Colorado alum's first purchase was not jewelry or a fancy car or gifts for his family, as some might anticipate. Travis Hunter celebrates after being selected as the second overall pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars during the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Getty Images Hunter, who was selected by Jacksonville following a draft-day trade, revealed this weekend that the first thing he bought upon learning that news was a pair of Jaguars pajamas. He even wore the pants under his gown when he graduated from Colorado on Thursday. 'It was a blessing to be the first person in my family to walk across the stage, but I was just thinking about getting back to work and coming back and playing football,' Hunter said Saturday after reporting to the Jaguars' rookie minicamp. '[The pajamas], that's the first thing I ordered on Amazon when I got drafted. That night.' Hunter, who is projected to be among the best players from this year's draft class, starred as both a receiver and a defensive back for the Buffaloes the past two seasons after transferring from Jackson State. Travis Hunter will play offense and defense in Jacksonville. Getty Images Hunter has already been working with the Jaguars offense during camp drills, and he will receive defensive reps later this week, according to reports. He has often expressed a desire to play both offense and defense in the NFL, and the Jaguars intend to utilize him both ways. 'It definitely feels real,' Hunter, who grew up in Florida before moving to Georgia in high school, told the Florida Times-Union. 'Coming out here for this scenery, it's pretty. It's hot, it's what I remember being a little kid out here playing. I love it.'
Miami Herald
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Charlie Ward sings JUCO All-American as first HBCU recruit
Florida A&M University (FAMU) has ushered in a new era for its men's basketball program with the appointment of Charlie Ward as head coach. Ward, a former NBA veteran and Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback, brings a wealth of experience and a deep connection to the HBCU community. His first significant move in this role is the signing of Devere Palmer Jr., a standout forward from Monroe College and a 2024-25 NJCAA Division I All-American. Charlie Ward's athletic journey is remarkable. He won the Heisman Trophy in 1993 as Florida State University's quarterback. He later transitioned to professional basketball, playing 11 seasons in the NBA with teams like the New York Knicks, San Antonio Spurs, and Houston Rockets. After retiring in 2004, Ward began coaching with the Houston Rockets under Jeff Van Gundy. He then served as an assistant basketball coach and head football coach at Westbury Christian School in Houston. In 2022, he led Florida High School to its first state basketball championship since 1963. Ward's ties to FAMU are profound. His parents met at the HBCU, and he was born on the university's campus, making his return as head coach a full-circle moment. Devere Palmer Jr., a 6-foot-6 forward from Queens, New York, had an impressive sophomore season at Monroe College. He averaged 13.7 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. Shooting nearly 49% from the field and 79.2% from the free-throw line. His performance earned him a spot on the NJCAA Division I All-America Team. Palmer's high-energy play and scoring ability make him a valuable addition to the Rattlers. As FAMU aims to revitalize its program under Ward's leadership. Charlie Ward's coaching style aligns closely with HBCU values by emphasizing character development, community engagement, and holistic education. Ward is a mentor at his core, shaped by his journey through athletics, faith, and education. These qualities resonate strongly with HBCU traditions, prioritizing developing leaders on and off the field. Reflecting on his role as a coach and mentor, Ward has stated, 'You have to have coaches and teachers that will hold you accountable, and certainly be accountable to our Heavenly Father. So that's the challenge that we face as leaders and men of God or women of God.' This perspective underscores his dedication to instilling values of accountability and spiritual growth in his players. This aligns with the mission of HBCUs to develop well-rounded individuals. The post Charlie Ward sings JUCO All-American as first HBCU recruit appeared first on HBCU Gameday. Copyright HBCU Gameday 2012-2025
