Colorado coach Deion Sanders criticizes Travis Hunter's failure to receive the award

Colorado football coach Deion Sanders on Tuesday criticized the fact that Travis Hunter was not selected as a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award, saying the omission was “idiotic” and degraded the integrity of the award.

The Thorpe Award is presented annually to the country’s best defensive back. Hunter plays cornerback and receiver for Colorado and is the favorite to win the Heisman Trophy, according to BetMGM. But he was not among the three finalists for the Thorpe Award released Tuesday: Jahdae Barron of Texas, Caleb Downs of Ohio State and Malaki Starks of Georgia.

Sanders himself won the award in 1988 at Florida State.

“How does Travis Hunter get snubbed by the Thorpe Award?” Sanders said at his weekly news conference Tuesday in Boulder. “You can have my award. You can have it back. In fact, I’ll give him mine. I don’t use it. It just sits up there collecting dust. So Travis can get my Thorpe Award because if that isn’t the most idiotic thing in college football that he isn’t a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award, and he is, I guess I would say, but I don’t think he really is is in dispute that this young man is the best defensive back in college football.”

Who runs the Thorpe Award and how do they respond to Sanders?

The Thorpe Award is presented by the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame. A selection committee of Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame members narrows the field of candidates to 10 to 15 semifinalists midway through the season and then meets again in late November to select three finalists, the organization’s website says.

Hall of Fame executive director Mike James said in an email to USA TODAY Sports Tuesday, “We have no criticism of Coach Sanders and wish our former honoree well.”

He also made a statement:

“Since 1986, the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame and Jim Thorpe Association selection committee has done their due diligence to identify the best defensive backs across the college football landscape,” the statement said. “Although it is not an easy task, committee members invest an immense amount of time, energy and resources into this very task. Every year presents our committee with numerous challenges and this year was no different. Numerous young men competed for the coveted finalist spot; Be that as it may, the committee was tasked with the difficult task of selecting our top three. I applaud all coaches who believe their players deserve more recognition. We look forward to announcing our winner and welcoming this deserving young man to the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award fraternity.”

“He rarely gets attacked.”

In contrast, Hunter was named one of three finalists for the Biletnikoff Award, given to the best receiver in major college football.

He caught 82 passes for 1,036 yards and 11 touchdowns on offense. On defense, he has three interceptions, nine pass breakups and 30 tackles, but much of what he does on that side of the ball doesn’t show up statistically. For example, opposing quarterbacks avoid his side of the field because of his skills and football skills.

“He rarely gets attacked,” Sanders said, adding, “They just messed up the entire integrity of the award and he can get mine.” Whoever votes down there, whoever brings it home, thank you. Because I don’t want mine anymore. God bless you.”

Colorado (8-3) ends the regular season at home on Friday against Oklahoma State (3-8) and still has an outside chance of playing in the Big 12 championship game on December 7. The Buffaloes would have to face at least two other Big 12 teams on Saturday -Teams lose certain games to get to the Big 12 title game.

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