Tyler Crowe doesn’t have a vote in the Heisman Trophy race, but he knows who should win the biggest individual prize in college football.
His workout buddy.
His film room guru.
His summer fun companion.
His Thursday dinner date.
His touchdown dance partner.
His teammate.
His close friend.
Mike Prater
Crowe, a Boise State running back, is a former walk-on from Nampa with 395 rushing yards and three TDs in a college career that started in 2019.
Ashton Jeanty, a Boise State running back, is a Heisman Trophy candidate and likely NFL first-round draft pick from Texas with 4,456 rushing yards and 55 TDs in a college career that started in 2022.
In the past, two completely different people from different parts of the planet.
Today, brothers for life.
“Oh yeah, 100 percent, me and Ashton are locked in,’’ said Crowe, who’s playing a super-sweet sidekick role in one of the most enjoyable, heart-warming, feel-good stories of the college football season.
“We’ll be friends forever and it’s been awesome.’’
That kind of relationship comes with responsibility – like promoting your buddy for a Heisman Trophy.
The deadline for voting in the race between Jeanty and Colorado’s Travis Hunter is Monday. The Heisman ceremony is Dec. 14 in New York City.
Crowe says he tries to do his part every day.
“Absolutely, it’s pretty crazy what he’s doing … and he’s done it banged up,’’ Crowe said. “You can talk about the whole snapcount thing and whatnot, but getting the ball 30 times as a running back is brutal. It’s really impressive what he’s doing. He definitely deserves to win it.’’
The Crowe-Jeanty relationship began in 2022 when Jeanty “made our seniors on defense look foolish and he was probably only 180 (pounds) back then,’’ Crowe said.
Crowe was already a veteran of the program, and the new teammates instantly clicked. A bond between teammates soon became a bond between friends.
They’re both gym rats and two of the strongest players on the team. Naturally, their bond took off during workouts. Intense workouts.
“We’ve built our relationship through competition,’’ Crowe said. “Hitting the decks. Seven-hundred pounds on the squat bar. … He’s definitely faster and squats more, but I got him on the bench. … That part of our relationship has been really awesome.’’
They’ve become college football-smart through countless hours of watching film – sometimes just the two of them – but this is a relationship that goes far beyond football.
They hang together in the summer, doing Boise things like floating the Boise River.
Crowe has turned Jeanty onto country music, like Morgan Wallen and Chris Stapleton, and Jeanty has turned Crowe onto rap, like BigXthaPlug.
Jeanty, Crowe, other running backs and RB coach James Montgomery gather every Thursday night at a different restaurant for dinner. Crowe said he and Jeanty pick the place – Montgomery picks up the tab.
The two running backs have met each other’s families, and Jeanty made an NIL appearance for Crowe’s dad, Ron, at his fitness gym in Boise. Their girlfriends have become good friends and hang out together during home games.
Both players are super serious about practice reps, leadership and winning.
Crowe says he’s the old guy in the running back room, so he can hold Jeanty accountable. “Slap his helmet if he messes up in practice. … Sometimes we horseplay, wrestle. Sire (Gaines) gets in on that.’’
They’ve even worked together on a touchdown dance or two – with a few glorious examples of choreography showing up on social media. They practice dance moves on Thursdays when the team works on its goal-line packages.
Dance moves aside, the most inspiring part of the Jeanty-Crowe brotherhood is boiled down to one word: Support.
“I obviously root for him and he roots for me a bunch,’’ Crowe said. “He’s always super excited when I go in and do something good. If I mess something up, he’s the first guy on the sideline to go, ‘Bro, cmon, you’re better than that. You need to get the job done.’ It’s awesome to have someone like that.
“It’s been a special year for the Broncos and I’m enjoying every minute of it.’’
Jeanty’s Heisman hopes are cloudy, but his future is clear: NFL millions.
Crowe’s future isn’t as defined. He might give pro ball a shot during campus Pro Day with NFL scouts this spring. One of the strongest leaders on the team might go into coaching. He’s already earned his undergraduate degree in business, and will finish his MBA in February.
Crowe’s future is bright, regardless of what he does.
His future might even include a few trips to Texas, where Jeanty played high school football.
“Maybe if Ash got drafted by the Cowboys, go catch a game. That would be awesome. Spend the weekend with him.’’
For now, the focus is on one final game inside Albertsons Stadium – the Mountain West Championship Game against UNLV on Friday night. The winner advances into the CFP national tournament.
It’s Crowe’s final game on his favorite hometown field.
It’s Jeanty’s final chance to put on a show for local fans.
Two former strangers. Two close friends. One Last Dance on The Blue.
Mike Prater is the Bronco Nation News columnist who co-hosts Idaho Sports Talk (KTIK 95.3 FM on Monday-Friday from 3-6 p.m.) and the Boise State football postgame show (KBOI 670 AM). He is on Twitter @MikeFPrater and can be reached at mikefprater@gmail.com
