The Heisman Hopefuls Podcast
The Heisman Hopefuls Podcast, hosted by Heisman historian Chris Huston, features year round interviews with top Heisman contenders, insider stories from Heisman history, hard-hitting discussion of the latest college football news plus updates on the Heisman Trophy Trust’s charitable work. New episodes every Thursday. Follow @HeismanTrophy on all platforms and watch clips on YouTube and TikTok. Contact: pod@heisman.com
Episodes
Oklahoma State quarterback Drew Mestemaker joins the pod after leading his team to a huge upset of No. 6 Oregon. Find out how he went from a backup high school quarterback to walk on quarterback to one of the best players in college football. Next up is Duke running back Nate Sheppard, who leads the nation in rushing after two weeks. His versatility and toughness make him an intriguing player to watch as the season ...
Anchors aweigh, there's a new star Navy quarterback, Braxton Woodson, and he's fresh off a 200-yard rushing outing in week one. He joins this week's pod to talk about his development as a triple option QB and life at the Naval Academy. He's followed by Heisman CEO Jeff Price, who shares his vision for the Heisman, highlighted by the new Heisman Hopefuls platform and the exciting Heisman fan vote. W...
It's big man versus big man on the latest Heisman Hopefuls Podcast, as Houston Cougars preseason All-American guard Shadre Hurst and Minnesota preseason All-American defensive end Anthony Smith discuss the ins and outs and the ups and downs of the battle to win the line of scrimmage. As good as these guys are on the field, they are even more interesting off of it! We also check in with the offensive star of We...
Welcome to episode 2 of the Heisman Hopefuls Podcast! Notre Dame QB CJ Carr joins Chris Huston to talk about a big season ahead for the Fighting Irish. Then, UCLA running back Wayne Knight explains his decision to follow Bob Chesney from James Madison to Los Angeles. Next, Toledo DE Andrew Zock speaks on the jump from FCS Mercer to the MAC. Finally, Chris and ESPN's Bill Connelly break down what changes we can...
Welcome to Episode 1 of the Heisman Hopefuls Podcast! Join Chris Huston as he explores the history of Heisman Campaigns. Ole Miss Assistant AD Kyle Campbell joins the show to talk Trinidad Chambliss and Kewan Lacy, and SMU assistant AD Clark Williams joins to talk Kevin Jennings.
The Heisman Hopefules Podcast streams every Thursday during the college football season and is hosted by Chris Huston. The ...
Last December, Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza pulled off a twelve-yard touchdown with a national title on the line — and he looked calm. That calm became the question of the offseason: why him? What separates the athlete who rises in that moment from the thousands of talented athletes who don't?
This finale is the answer, drawn from every interview we ran this offseason. Olympic gold medalists Joey Chee...
The Heisman Trophy Podcast's off-season search for the origins of elite athleticism continues with Quincy Watts, who won two gold medals at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics and now directs the track and field program at USC.
Watts grew up in Detroit, a basketball player who happened to be fast. He traces the spark to the 1984 Olympics, when he watched Carl Lewis win four golds, pointed at the television, and told his fath...
The Heisman Trophy Podcast continues its quest to explore the origins of elite athleticism, this time by delving into the mental habits and routines that distinguish elite athletes from the rest. Elise Devlin, who writes about these topics for The Athletic, joins us toprovide key insights as we discover the ways mental performance, routines, and vulnerability contribute to athletic excellence and how these lessons c...
This month's Heisman Trophy Podcast is a mega-episode as we take a journey into the realm of neuroscience and what it tells us about brain development in elite athletes. How much do we know about the brain as it pertains to athleticism? What factors help determine which athletes becomes great and which do not? Are elite athletes wired differently? Is their development due primarily to nature or nurture?&...
What separates greatness from good? This episode puts that question to three people who have lived the answer. Curt Cignetti, who coached Fernando Mendoza from overlooked transfer to Heisman winner and national champion, breaks down what he saw on tape and what he watched develop once Mendoza arrived in Bloomington. Lincoln Riley — the only active coach to have guided three Heisman winners — traces the c...
The Heisman Trophy Podcast is now available in the offseason, starting with this month's episode featuring, Joey Cheek, a 2006 Olympic speed skating gold medalist and original Heisman Humanitarian. Cheek shares insights on athletic excellence, mental toughness, the impact of social media, and his humanitarian work with the organizations Right to Play and Team Darfur. Discover how elite athletes prepare, handle press...
Newly-crowned Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza of Indiana returns to the Heisman Trophy Podcast to share what it was like to win the most prestigious individual award in American sports. Mendoza reflects on the achievement, the significance of the Heisman name, and the responsibilities that come with it. He shares insights about his journey, the support from teammates and family, and how he plans to navigate f...
It's beginning to to look a lot like Heisman and the trophy's official podcast is here to ring in the season proper. We've got four finalists set to come to New York City for the 2025 Heisman Trophy ceremony: Notre Dame's Jeremiyah Love, Indiana's Fernando Mendoza, Vanderbilt's Diego Pavia and Ohio State's Julian Sayin. Kick off the festivities by taking a walk down memory lane as we tell the history of the Heisman ...
In this week's episode, we talk to 2025 Heisman Humanitarian Award winner Larry Fitzgerald, a legendary wide out for Pittsburgh who finished as Heisman runner up in 2003 before going on to a storied NFL career with the Arizona Cardinals.
Fitzgerald shares insights into his philanthropic efforts through his Larry Fitzgerald Foundation, which focuses on youth education and breast cancer awareness. He emphasizes the imp...
This week's pod takes a trip down memory lane with former Florida State quarterback Chris Weinke on the 25th anniversary of his Heisman-winning season. Learn how the late-1980s three-sport high school prodigy out of Minnesota transformed into the improbable and unflappable late-1990s Seminole field general who -- at age 28! -- helped cap one of college football's great dynastic runs. Now the offensive coordina...
Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza joins the Heisman Trophy Podcast as the Hoosiers sit at 11-0, eyeing a Big Ten title and potential playoff berth. He reflects on pivotal moments of the season—like the last-second touchdown vs. Penn State—and shares how his transfer from Cal paid off thanks to Indiana’s leadership, team culture, and offensive scheme. In this classic long-form interview, Mendoza ...
On the 50th episode of the Heisman Trophy Podcast, Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin, a.k.a. "Mr. 80%", drops by to talk about his football journey, including how he learned the fine art of completing passes at an absurdly-high rate. The redshirt freshman has the No. 1 Buckeyes in position to possibly repeat as national champs, and a trip to New York City could be his just reward. Regardless, can someone find this...
Midshipmen quarterback Blake Horvath returns for his second deployment on the Heisman Trophy Podcast, showcasing his whistling skills while providing insight on Academy life, the Army-Navy game and even Marine culture. The senior from Hilliard, Ohio, leads one of the nation's most exciting offenses and is a big reason Navy is off to a 7-1 start. Later, Stewart Mandel, of The Athletic.com, joins the show to talk abou...
This Halloween enjoy some bonus pod coverage: USC's Makai Lemon, one of the best receivers in the country, if not THE best. The junior has 48 catches for 758 yards and 6 TDs and is a prime candidate for the Biletnikoff Award that goes to college football's top wide out. And for good reason: He can do it all.
The Heisman Hopefules Podcast streams every Thursday during the college football season ...
Fresh off a four-touchdown performance in a resounding 49-25 victory over LSU in Death Valley, Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reeddrops by the pod to give an inside peek at his remarkable season. The sophomore from Nashville has the Aggies at 8-0 (their best start since 1992!) and ranked third in the AP poll (their best ranking since 1995!). Of course, the talented Reed has a lot to do with that, blistering opposi...
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