San Diego State running back Rashaad Penny is remaining calm about his chances of being a Heisman Trophy finalist. His coaches are not. They are irate.
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Penny enters the regular-season finale vs. New Mexico as the nation's leading rusher (1,824 yards) thanks to a 7.2 yards-per-carry average (first among players with at least 200 carries). The 5-foot-11, 220-pound senior has four 200-yard games, including three straight that have produced a staggering 700 yards.
Despite the video-game-like production, he's buried in most Heisman projections, sitting well behind Baker Mayfield, Bryce Love and others.
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"I mean, I don't know. It's a dream come true. I don't know what they're going to do. It's up to them," Penny said on Monday of potentially being a Heisman finalist. "I think my teammates are more excited about me just trying to get invited or get a table at the Heisman. I think that would be fun but I mean we'll see what happens."
Odds are Penny will not be a finalist, which angers his teammates and coaches, including head coach Rocky Long, who blamed ESPN and East Coast bias.
"I think the Heisman campaign is handled by ESPN. … I sure hope he will be [invited to New York], but I don’t think he will be because of East Coast prejudice and I think there’s a Power Five prejudice. It doesn’t matter how good the guy is.”
Offensive coordinator Jeff Horton, who along with Long watched last year's FBS-leading rusher Donnel Pumphrey finish tied for 10th in Heisman voting, says Penny is different than any other player in the country.
“I think it’s a joke. I think it’s a disgrace. How you can have the leading rusher in the nation and leading all-purpose yardage guy, and what’s he second in touchdowns in the nation? To not have him as one of the finalists, to me it discredits the award. … The kid’s done more than anybody else on the field at that position.”
Only three Group of Five players have finished in the top five since 2008. Northern Illinois quarterback Jordan Lynch (third, 2013) is the only one to finish in the top three.
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