Travis Hunter could be basking in the glow of his historic Heisman season or peacefully focusing on Colorado’s upcoming Alamo Bowl matchup with BYU.
Instead, the two-way college football sensation is facing questions about his controversial fiancée, Leanna Lenee, who has become a target on social media following her performance at the Heisman ceremony earlier this month.
Amid intense speculation about his own future, Buffaloes coach Deion Sanders focused on blocking out the noise during a recent practice in Colorado.
“I want you to know this in front of everyone,” Sanders told Hunter. “You know we love you, we have you. We appreciate you. You are him.’
We then see Buffaloes players surrounding Hunter before interrupting training with a chant of “blessed!”
Things took a sour turn earlier this month, when Hunter received college football’s highest individual honor in front of his seemingly disinterested fiancée. Additionally, Coach Prime appeared to push Lenee in an apparent attempt to get her to stand up for Hunter, although she later blamed the incident on a moment of confusion.
Both Travis Hunter and his partner Leanna Lenee appeared to delete their Instagrams this week
Travis Hunter (near right) was praised during practice by coach Deion Sanders (left, far right).
Since then, Lenee has become the center of intense hate on social media. And after Hunter deleted his own Instagram this week, Lenee appears to have joined him as her profile is no longer available.
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Hunter’s rise on the NFL mock drafts is now overshadowed by his relationship with Lenee.
After a game against Oklahoma State, she and Hunter appeared to get into an argument, with Lenee seemingly rebuffing Hunter’s attempt to kiss her on the cheek.
And during the lead-up to the Heisman ceremony, Lenee appeared upset with Hunter as he took photos with female fans at a planned event.
Lenee was seen sitting just a few feet away from Hunter as he took photos with a female fan. He looked angry before asking, “What do you want me to do… Then I’ll just sit here.”
Hunter then appears to suggest that she could leave if she felt like it, with the video catching him saying, “You could go to the hotel, you could walk around…”
However, Hunter defended Lenee after the incident.
“When we were sitting and I was in my pop-up shop, we were talking about my family,” he said in an online stream of sorts.
‘What were they going to do’ while I was there signing things. I had my whole family there, so she said she was going to stay there so they can get stuff… (and) have fun there. Some wanted to go back to the hotel, others didn’t.’
He added: “I know what I got, I know my girl. My girl has been with me for five years, you guys are just starting to talk about me and just starting to be with me.”
Lenee initially stayed put after Travis Hunter was announced as the Heisman winner
A video also surfaced of Lenee saying Hunter wasn’t her “type” before they started dating, leading to more vitriol from fans.
Coach Prime has remained relentlessly positive about the defensive back-turned receiver.
“Everything is great, he has the Heisman Trophy in the cradle,” Sanders recently told reporters.
‘It is expected that he will be the first or second choice, and no later than the third. I don’t know where all this bulljunk comes from. I think it’s all a blessing, the things that you might consider stress are still a blessing.
‘I think he’s going in the right direction. He loves the game of football. I’m always focused on the positives, not the negatives. It’s so easy to see the negative when the positive is right in front of you.”
Hunter and Colorado conclude their season Saturday at 7:30 PM ET.