CHICAGO – Oct. 18, 2018 –– The first half of the season has been memorable for the seven players who were nominated to the STATS FCS Walter Payton Award Watch List on Thursday.
The Payton Award, known as the Heisman of the FCS, honors the national offensive player of the year award in college football’s Division I subdivision. Its esteemed list of past Payton Award winners includes Steve McNair, Tony Romo, Brian Westbrook, John Friesz, Brian Finneran, Jimmy Garoppolo and Cooper Kupp.
The new nominees to the watch list:
Jequez Ezzard, Howard, WR, Jr., 5-9, 190, College Park, Georgia
Statistics: 28 receptions, 737 yards, 8 TDs; 159.4 all-purpose yards per game (4 games)
Tom Flacco, Towson, QB, R-Jr., 6-1, 208, Voorhees, New Jersey
Statistics: 135 of 197, 1,670 yards, 15 TDs, 5 INTs, 159.8 passing efficiency; 82 carries, 435 yards, 2 TDs (6 games)
Ryan Fulse, Wagner, RB, Sr., 5-11, 195, Fort Meade, Florida
Statistics: 180 carries, 1,028 yards, 6 TDs; 13 receptions, 162 yards (7 games)
James Holland Jr., Colgate, RB, Sr., 5-9, 210, Royal Palm Beach, Florida
Statistics: 98 carries, 503 yards, 6 TDs; 18 receptions, 122 yards, 2 TDs (6 games)
Alexander Hollins, Eastern Illinois, WR, Sr., 6-1, 170, Yazoo City, Mississippi
Statistics: 62 receptions, 814 yards, 12 TDs (7 games)
Kelvin McKnight, Samford, WR, Sr., 5-8, 186, Bradenton, Florida
Statistics: 63 receptions, 880 yards, 7 TDs; 109.9 all-purpose yards per game (7 games)
James Robinson, Illinois State, RB, Jr., 5-10, 220, Rockford, Illinois
Statistics: 113 carries, 783 yards, 9 TDs; 11 receptions, 122 yards, 1 TD (6 games)
Preseason nominees were quarterbacks Tyrie Adams of Western Carolina, Chandler Burks of Kennesaw State, Taryn Christion of South Dakota State, Case Cookus of Northern Arizona, Gage Gubrud of Eastern Washington, Devlin Hodges of Samford, Anthony Lawrence of San Diego, John Lovett of Princeton, Jake Maier of UC Davis, Brad Mayes of Lehigh, Lamar Raynard of North Carolina A&T, Daniel Smith of Campbell, QB and Easton Stick of North Dakota State; running backs Bruce Anderson of North Dakota State, Dominick Bragalone of Lehigh, Zane Dudek of Yale, A.J. Hines of Duquesne, Tevin McCaster of Youngstown State, P.J. Simmons of Alcorn State and Marquis Terry of Southeast Missouri; and wide receivers Davion Davis of Sam Houston State, Keelan Doss of UC Davis, Kamron Lewis of Saint Francis, Neil O’Connor of New Hampshire and Nathan Stewart of Sam Houston State.
The Payton Award, presented since 1987, has updates during the season. A national panel of over 150 sports information and media relations directors, broadcasters, writers and other dignitaries will select the winner following the regular season.
Also this season, STATS will present the Buck Buchanan Award (FCS defensive player of the year), Jerry Rice Award (FCS freshman player of the year), Eddie Robinson Award (FCS coach of the year) and Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
