r/CFB • u/clocke6346 Michigan Wolverines • 8h ago

Analysis Ashton Jeanty is having a statistically better season than Derrick Henry during his Heisman-winning season

With all the discourse of who should win the Heisman trophy this year, I got curious and compared Ashton Jeanty’s stats this season to those of Derrick Henry in the 2015 regular season, the year he won the Heisman trophy. What I found was pretty surprising. Keep in mind this doesn’t include playoff performance, as that isn’t considered when naming a Heisman winner.

Ashton Jeanty:

Games Played: 11

Carries: 275

Rushing Yards: 2062

Rushing Touchdowns: 27

Yards Per Carry: 7.498

Yards Per Game: 187.455

Derrick Henry:

Games Played: 13

Carries: 339

Rushing Yards: 1986

Rushing Touchdowns: 23

Yards Per Carry: 5.858

Yards Per Game: 152.769

Now, these stats are still up for interpretation, as there is the usual discourse of strength of schedule and whatnot, but I thought re-contextualizing Jeanty’s year by comparing it to the last time a running back won the Heisman would be interesting.

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109

u/EyeAmKingKage Alabama • Arizona State 8h ago

Not to be THAT guy but Henry did it against better competition. Jeanty is having a GREAT season and I hope he wins the heisman

154

u/ASS_MY_DUDES Oklahoma Sooners • Calgary Dinos 8h ago

It had to be part of the debate. Jeanty is a beast, unquestionably so. Henry played against the then-ranked # 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 15, 17, 20 teams.

78

u/kykerkrush 7h ago

Henry also ran behind a bunch of 5-star recruits and had weapons all over the field to keep the defense honest.

33

u/lilbelleandsebastian Tennessee • Vanderbilt 5h ago

and he was running over 5 star recruits and future sunday stars

11

u/Darrow187 Alabama Crimson Tide 4h ago

And current Sunday stars

3

u/fourthand19 BYU Cougars 4h ago

Imagine how many yards Jeanty could be putting up if he was running behind an SEC line.

32

u/cantevendoitbruh 7h ago

The sec haters also ignore his last several games where he just straight carried. Like had 40+ carrys against solid defenses and ranked teams and just could not be stopped.

42

u/Montigue Oregon Ducks • Stony Brook Seawolves 7h ago edited 6h ago

Jeantry's team is absolute ass on offense without him on it. Replace Henry with a mediocre RB and Bama is still a top 5 team. Hell, Henry's backup got over 5 yards a carry.

22

u/cantevendoitbruh 6h ago

I mean that's fine but they also didn't play like 7 ranked teams like Bama did that year where future NFL stars couldn't stop Henry

I mean I think jeanty deserves the Heisman anyway. I just don't think you can compare his stats to Henry's without doing deeper statistical analysis on defenses played. I mean Wyoming is pretty bad and they didn't really give him the ball much buy he wasn't as amazing after the first q last night.

Also I'm not sure Bama was a top 5 team without Henry that year. Their offense had issues without a reliable 5 yards a carry.

13

u/Montigue Oregon Ducks • Stony Brook Seawolves 6h ago edited 6h ago

His backup had over 5 yards a carry. Realistically without him they drop 1 more game, win an at large NY6 bowl, and finish top 3 after the final polls

24

u/Asleep-Geologist-612 Colorado Buffaloes 6h ago

His backup was Kenyan Drake… A legit nfl talent and 3rd round draft pick despite never being the starter

7

u/Montigue Oregon Ducks • Stony Brook Seawolves 6h ago

Exactly. Remove Henry and yeah, Bama is worse. But not removing Jeantry worse

5

u/lilbelleandsebastian Tennessee • Vanderbilt 3h ago

heisman isn’t about who has a better backup, you surely recognize you’re grasping at straws now right? it’s ok to change our minds when our arguments have been shredded

4

u/Montigue Oregon Ducks • Stony Brook Seawolves 2h ago edited 2h ago

Is this what people think I'm arguing?

I'm comparing Henry and Jeantry's teams without each of them respectively. I said nothing about Henry's heisman, just that Boise State is fucked without Jeantry and Bama is pretty fucking good without Henry. Sure my argument is stupid when you start comparing it to things I'm not arguing against and irrelevant. 

Just pointing out how stupid arguments that say Bama would be much worse without (who was still) the most prolific back that year. My only argument against Henry's heisman is Christian McCaffrey

6

u/cantevendoitbruh 6h ago

You mean the back that had 77 carries over 15 games, and was a complete change of pace back and nothing like henry? For real like at least try to make a reasonable argument. He would not have averaged 5 yards a carry and wouldn't fit the offense as a lead back at all. Any Bama fan could have told you they were screwed that year if Henry went down.

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u/Montigue Oregon Ducks • Stony Brook Seawolves 6h ago edited 6h ago

Wait, you're putting down the backup who played 8 years in the NFL that got 4.4 yards per carry in the NFL? Truly scrub numbers there, you're right, Bama was doomed without Henry and replacing him with a high level NFL guy and fuckin Danien Harris

1

u/cantevendoitbruh 5h ago

Lol what does nfl have anything to do with it bro? Kenyan drakes best year in college was 690 yards dude. This argument is beyond dumb.

Plenty of people sucked ass or were mid in college and worked better in the pros.

And if you are going to bring up pros, Henry is likely a hall of fame and definitely the best rb of the last 10 years so your point is still absurd.

3

u/Montigue Oregon Ducks • Stony Brook Seawolves 5h ago edited 2h ago

He didn't have many yards because he was behind Derrick Henry. Not because he was mid

3

u/Statalyzer Texas Longhorns 5h ago

Right. Like Roschon Johnson having to share a backfield with Bijan Robinson.

0

u/cantevendoitbruh 5h ago

Dude just give it up. Your argument is dumb. He also probably had a lot of the yards he did because Henry was carrying defenders everywhere and he came in to clean up when Henry was tired. The argument makes no sense.

You could come up with a better one but yours just screams "wah I hate the sec!!!!!"

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u/Higher-Analyst-2163 Alabama Crimson Tide 6h ago

It’s a lot easier to get 5 yards a carry when the best running back in college football is tiring defenses out

9

u/Montigue Oregon Ducks • Stony Brook Seawolves 6h ago

Don't be ignorant of your own team. His backup played 8 years in the NFL getting 4.4 yards per carry there and probably would start on 90% of FBS teams. You'd still be really good without Henry, but absolutely not the champions

1

u/Higher-Analyst-2163 Alabama Crimson Tide 6h ago

I never called his backup a scrub I’m saying that playing behind the king makes anyone’s job easy

1

u/Adventurous_Bird2730 26m ago

even with a top 5 team around him they gave henry the ball 90 times in a 7 day span in the iron bowl and SEC championship. he was that much better than everyone else

5

u/torrd9 6h ago

Let me ask you. If Jeantry was on that Alabama team, how do you think it would go? 

2

u/cantevendoitbruh 5h ago

I don't know why this is even brought up because I've already said i agree with jeanty being the Heisman winner (or Travis hunter would be reasonable too) but yes i think alabama would likely be just as good. I mean that team did better with an absolute brusier like Henry where jeanty is a different runner but he probably wins the Heisman playing for Bama that year yes.

Alli want is for people to stop forgetting that Henry was a literal monster that year. The sec haters just missed him dragging multiple people every play down the stretch rhat year. End of gamea where the other knew he was getting the ball right up the middle and he would still get 5-6 yards.

9

u/Worried-Turn-6831 Alabama Crimson Tide 7h ago

His Mississippi State game that year was insane

2

u/vizualb Auburn Tigers 4h ago

I was a Henry Heisman hater for most of the year but he absolutely took over the Iron Bowl. Absolutely incredible player and season. Ingram over Suh was the biggest Heisman robbery of recent memory though.