Texas Tech’s Head Coach, Joey McGuire, ensured that the world knew that Jacob Rodriguez made history despite being snubbed from the Heisman Trophy contendership.

McGuire is fully aware of Rodriguez’s potential. Jacob Rodriguez losing the Heisman trophy didn’t shake the head coach’s belief in him. After all, there’s no reason it should, especially since the linebacker won the Bronko Nagurski Award. On Monday, the 6-foot-1, 230-pound LB received the award at the Charlotte Convention Center.

“Lets goooooooooooo! So proud of you!!!! #WreckEm,” wrote McGuire.

While Rodriguez’s win of this award edged out finalists like Notre Dame’s Leonard Moore, OSU’s Caleb Downs, and Texas A&M’s Cashius Howell, it’s by no means a lesser achievement. Now, with this honor, Rodriguez joins an elite group of previous winners, including 2019’s Chase Young, 2021’s Will Anderson Jr., 2017’s Bradley Chubb, and more.

More importantly, he has etched his name into Red Raider history. Adding to the Bronko Nagurski Award and banking $250,000, he is also the first-ever Red Raider to recieve the prestigious Butkus Award, which is given to the nation’s top linebacker. And now, his head coach’s trust in him seems to boost his confidence, pushing him to give even more in the Raiders’ CFP run.

In fact, these awards are backed by his season-long stunning performance as a Red Raider.

He carried the team’s defense all season, helping the Red Raiders claim their first outright Big 12 title since 1955, finishing 12-1. To cap it off, the Minnesota native was a one-man wrecking crew, leading the nation with seven forced fumbles, recording 117 tackles (60 solo), scoring a defensive TD, and even adding two rushing touchdowns.

Considering these numbers, his Heisman snub is shocking. Undoubtedly, the four finalists have plenty of talent to merit their spots, but Jacob Rodriguez’s case cannot be ignored. The Red Raiders’ No. 10 dominated every snap, a nightmare for opposing offenses. Moreover, his stats even surpass former Heisman runner-up Manti Te’o, making his exclusion from the finalist list a real head-scratcher.

What makes matters worse for the Raiders’ fans is remembering that he struck the iconic Heisman Trophy pose after a dominant 29–7 win over BYU.  And the moment didn’t go unnoticed. Texas Tech alum Patrick Mahomes was in attendance, and he later tweeted, “Get him to New York! @HeismanTrophy.”

But that chance won’t come again, as Rodriguez is in his final season with the Raiders. But still, why did this snub happen? Was it simply Heisman tradition, or something more?

What could be the reason behind Jacob Rodriguez’s snub?

Jacob Rodriguez spent the entire season wrecking offenses, so the belief that he might crash the Heisman conversation didn’t come out of thin air. But CFB’s most glamorous award has long been a QB’s playground. Once again, the trend held with QBs like Diego Pavia, Fernando Mendoza, and Julian Sayin. But there’s RB Jeremiyah Love, too. Still, a defensive star crashing New York’s biggest stage is rare.

The Heisman Trust’s voting system is a tough mountain for defenders to climb. Since 2021, only the top four vote-getters make the trip to New York, and linebackers rarely break the offensive ceiling.

Now, Rodriguez delivered a season for the ages, but the award stayed loyal to tradition. While his snub wasn’t about a lack of impact, it was about an award that still hasn’t evolved. That’s where the frustration boils.

Top Stories

Lane Kiffin to Poach Ole Miss QB & Replace Garrett Nussmeier – Report

‘NASCAR on Sale’: Team Owners Interested to Buy Out France Family With $5B Price Tag

J. J. Watt Confirms Stance on Controversial R. J. Mickens Incident in Chargers vs Eagles

Notre Dame Captains Refused to Take Field as AD Announces Consequences With ACC

Jalen Hurts’ Double Turnover Has Unforeseen Consequences for MNF Broadcast vs Chargers

Eagles Might Have Asked Jason Kelce to Unretire Amid Jalen Hurts’ Struggles, Says Troy Aikman

Through 13 games, the Raiders LB stuffed the stat sheet with 11 tackles for loss, two fumble recoveries, and six pass breakups. While he snagged Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, he did everything short of kicking the extra points. But maybe destiny had other plans, and that’s why his performance didn’t go unnoticed.

Now we’ll see what he delivers in the CFP. Do you think Rodriguez’s snub was justified? Sound off in the comments.