Heavy Metal - News Of ALL the College Football Awards (Nov. 13)

November 13, 2020 by Scott Farell of CollegePressBox.com

NOTE: CollegeFootballPoll.com's Dave Congrove is a voting member for the FWAA-NFF Super 16 Football Poll, as well as the College Football Hall Of Fame, Fred Biletnikoff Award, Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award, the Ray Guy Award, the Bednarik Award, the Maxwell Award and George Munger Award. He is a nominating member for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Outland Trophy, and the FWAA All-America Team. Congrove is also a voter of the Greasy Neale NFL Coach Of the Year Award, and the Bert Bell NFL Player of the Year Award.

Additionally, Congrove is a member of the Football Writers Association of America, the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame, the Maxwell Football Club, and the International Football Researchers Association. CollegeFootballPoll.com is a proud partner of USATODAY Sports Digital Properties.

The National College Football Awards Association encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. Founded in 1997, the NCFAA and its 25 awards now boast over 800 recipients, dating to 1935. Visit ncfaa.org to learn more about our story.

Farewell to The Golden Boy: Paul Hornung (1935-2020)

Paul Vernon Hornung, one of the all-time great college and pro football players from the 1950s and 60s, passed away today in his hometown of Louisville, Ky., at age 84 after a long battle with dementia.

Hornung is survived by his wife of 41 years, Angela Hornung.

Legendary Green Bay Packer Football Coach Vince Lombardi once called Hornung, “The most versatile man ever to play the game.” Nicknamed “The Golden Boy” due to his blond hair and handsome features, Hornung won the 1956 Heisman Trophy at Notre Dame as a quarterback, then was a star halfback and placekicker for the Green Bay Packers team that ruled the NFL in the 1960s. Hornung is a member of the college and pro football halls of fame and the namesake of the Paul Hornung Award, presented annually to the most versatile player in major college football.

The number one pick by the Green Bay Packers in the 1957 NFL Draft, Hornung became an all-pro halfback in the 1960s who could run, pass, catch, block and kick. The zenith of his colorful NFL tenure came during three exceptional seasons in 1959, 1960 and 1961 when Hornung led the NFL in scoring two of those years and finished second the other year by one point. In 1960, he capped by a stellar season when he scored a record 176 points in 12 games on 15 touchdowns, 15 field goals and 41 extra points – a mark that would stand for nearly 46 years. He was the NFL’s MVP in 1961, and his Packers earned NFL titles in 1961, 1962 and 1965, and won Super Bowl I in 1967. Those years included a 1961 stretch in which Hornung was called to active duty in the Army to fulfill ROTC requirements from Notre Dame. He obtained weekend passes to play in Packers games, including the 37-0 rout of the New York Giants in the 1961 Championship in which he scored a record 19 points. Hornung scored the winning touchdown in the 1965 NFL championship game against the Cleveland Browns, and suited up for Super Bowl I, but did not play because of a neck injury. He was the first player selected by the New Orleans Saints in the 1967 expansion draft, but never played due to injury.

A two-time All-American at quarterback for Notre Dame, Hornung played every position in the backfield during his three-year varsity career with the Fighting Irish. A sequence of plays in a win over Iowa his junior year provided a glimpse of Hornung’s versatility and willingness to play any position on the football field to help his team succeed. With the Irish trailing 14-7 late in the game, he returned a kickoff into scoring position, threw a long touchdown pass, kicked the extra point, kicked off and made the tackle on the two yard line. Hornung played defense to hold Iowa, then drove the Irish down the field as the quarterback and kicked the winning field goal for the final 17-14 margin. As a senior, Hornung led the Irish in passing, rushing, scoring, kickoff and punt returns, punting, field goal extra points, and passes broken up, and ranked second in interceptions and tackles. In 1956, although he and his Irish teammates won only two of 10 games, Hornung became the 22nd winner of the Heisman Trophy and remains the only player to win the coveted award in its 85 years while playing for a team with a losing record.

Hornung rose from humble beginnings in Louisville’s Portland neighborhood, where he was a three-sport star at Flaget High School. He then went on to attend Notre Dame at the suggestion of his mother and Sherrill Sipes, his best friend from high school who became his teammate with the Irish. To this day, Hornung and Sipes are the only two players from the same high school to start in the Notre Dame backfield at the same time. In 1956, Hornung graduated with a business degree and continues to be recognized as one of the top players in Notre Dame’s storied football history.

Upon retirement from football, Hornung resumed a successful real estate and investment career with hometown friend and mentor Frank Metts, and launched a career as a sports radio and TV commentator and speaker. He was a college and pro football analyst for CBS, TBS, ABC Radio; a color analyst on radio for the Minnesota Vikings and Notre Dame; and along with Lindsay Nelson, in 1966 did tape delay broadcasts of Notre Dame games that aired Sundays. Hornung has authored multiple books, including, “My Private Collection: The Paul Hornung Scrapbook” published in 2014; and “Lombardi and Me: Players, Coaches and Colleagues Talk about the Man and the Myth,” published in 2006. Hornung was inducted into the Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame in 1975, National Football Foundation College Football Hall of Fame in 1985, Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1986, National High School Hall of Fame in 1989 and the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame in 1990. In 2012, he was inducted in the inaugural class of the Louisville Catholic Sports Hall of Fame.

Due to COVID restrictions, there will be a private funeral mass at St. Louis Bertrand Church in Louisville followed by a private burial in Cave Hill Cemetery. Owen Funeral Home-Jeffersontown will oversee services. A public celebration of his life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Norton Sports Health Athletics and Learning Complex via the Louisville Urban League, 1535 West Broadway, Louisville, KY 40203; or the Sister Visitor Center via Catholic Charities of Louisville, 2911 South Fourth Street, Louisville, KY 40208.

Bednarik Award – nation’s defensive player of the year
The Maxwell Football Club honored Notre Dame linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah with its Player of the Week award. Owusu-Koramoah (#6, Sr., Hampton, Va.) posted nine tackles (seven solo), a half-sack and 2.0 TFL (for minus-6 yards) in the win over Clemson. He recovered a Clemson fumble and returned it 23 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter, marking the only fumble returned for a touchdown this week in the ACC. It was the first touchdown of the senior’s career and the third fumble recovery of his career. Three plays later, he forced a Clemson fumble, which was recovered by cornerback Nick McCloud and led to an Irish field goal. Owusu-Koramoah is tied for the team lead in tackles with nine and ranks 14th overall in the ACC in total TFL’s with 8.0 this season.

Biletnikoff Award – nation’s outstanding receiver regardless of position
Biletnikoff Watch List member Elijah Moore of Ole Miss (#8, Jr., Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) is second in the nation in receptions per game (10.2) and third in receiving yards (829) coming off a game in which his broke or tied school records for receptions (14), yards (238) and touchdowns (three) at Vanderbilt. Moore’s 33 explosive plays of more than 10 yards is third in the country and second among SEC wideouts, and he currently sits third in the SEC in all-purpose yards per game with 140.8. Ole Miss faces a South Carolina pass defense that is seventh in the SEC on Saturday. A surging wide receiver nationally is Miami wide receiver Michael Harley (#3, Sr., Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), who had a big game at N.C. State with a game-high eight receptions for 153 yards and two TD’s, including the game-winning score late in the fourth quarter on a 54-yard sprint to the end zone. Over his last two games, Harley has 18 catches for 323 yards and three TD’s. The TQCF has opened its 2020 FanVote at biletnikoffaward.com/fan-vote. The aggregate fan tally will be counted as one official vote to determine semi-finalists (10), finalists (three) and the winner.

Bronko Nagurski Trophy – nation’s top defensive player
The FWAA honored Notre Dame linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah for his nine tackles, two tackles for losses, a half-sack and a scoop-and-score as the No. 4 Irish stopped No. 1 Clemson’s 36-game regular-season win streak, 47-40 in overtime, with its National Defensive Player of the Week nod. Owusu-Koramoah (#6, Sr., Hampton, Va.) returned a fumble 23 yards for the first touchdown of his career, forced another fumble that led to an Irish field goal and later had a second-down sack on Clemson’s second overtime possession that helped seal the game. He is second on the team with 35 total tackles, 24 of them solos, to go with 1.5 sacks, the fumble recovery, two quarterback hurries and an interception. The two TFL’s against Clemson pushed Owusu-Koramoah into a tie for 18th nationally with 8.5 tackles for loss and just short of the top 10, which all have 10.0 or more.

Burlsworth Trophy – most outstanding player who started his career as a walk-on
Hunter Renfrow, the 2018 Burlsworth Trophy winner, was the leading receiver for the Las Vegas Raiders in Sunday’s 31-26 win over the Los Angeles Chargers. A 2019 Burlsworth Trophy finalist, Ashtyn Davis recorded a season high four unassisted tackles in the New York Jets’ Monday night game against the Patriots. The Burlsworth Trophy has pushed the dates forward for all nominations to next Wed., Nov. 18. The 10 semifinalists will be announced Dec. 1 and the three finalists will be announced Tues., Dec. 8. The 2020 Burlsworth Trophy ceremony will be a virtual event on Mon., Dec. 21.

Butkus Award – nation’s best linebacker
Three linebackers are among the national leaders in interceptions to date with three. Butkus Award Watch List member Mike Rose of Iowa State (#23, Jr., Brecksville, Ohio) is one of three LB’s who is tied for second nationally with three interceptions. The two-time honorable mention All-Big 12 player has started every game of his career and leads the Cyclones with 56 tackles, third in the Big 12. Rose tied his career high last week with 11 tackles (seven solo) against Baylor and had 1.5 TFL’s. His third interception of the season came in his own end zone with under a minute left to give Iowa State the win. He has led Iowa State in tackles in three of their seven games. Among the country’s top takeaway artists is Syracuse linebacker Mikel Jones (#13, So.., Miami, Fla.), who leads the Orange with three interceptions and two fumble recoveries. He is in the top 11 nationally in all three takeaway statistics, adding two fumble recoveries (tied for second) and two forced fumbles (tied for 11th). He is Syracuse’s tackles leader with 56, tied for 33 in the nation. App State linebacker Brendan Harrington (#29, So., Pittsboro, N.C.) also has three interceptions and is tied for fifth in the country with 95 return yards that includes a 49-yard TD return at Texas State last week. Harrington is tied for 13th in the nation in passes defended with eight.

Davey O’Brien Award – nation’s best quarterback
The Davey O’Brien Foundation announced Florida QB Kyle Trask (#11, Sr., Manvel, Texas) as its National Quarterback of the Week. It’s the third time for Trask, a Watch List member, to appear on the Davey O’Brien Great 8. Trask was 30-of-43 for 474 yards and four TD’s against Georgia. Trask threw for 300-plus yards against an SEC opponent for the sixth time in his career. Trask is the fifth different SEC QB to earn the weekly award in the last seven weeks. Other members of the Great 8 this week were Ian Book of Notre Dame, Justin Fields of Ohio State, D’Eriq King of Miami, Kellen Mond of Texas A&M, Michael Penix Jr. of Indiana, Kedon Slovis of USC and Carson Strong of Nevada.

Doak Walker Award – nation’s premier running back
Minnesota RB Mohamed Ibrahim took over the national rushing lead following a career-high 224-yard game last week at Illinois. Ibrahim (#24, Jr., Baltimore, Md.) carried 30 times and added 31 yards receiving and 27 kickoff return yards to register 282 all-purpose yards. It was the second consecutive 200-yard, four-TD game for him, and he is now tops nationally at 190.33 yards per game. His 32.3 carries per game also leads the nation and his 10 rushing TD’s already tie for fifth nationally despite playing only three games. He is the second Minnesota player to record two straight 200-yard game and the first since Terry Jackson II in 2002.

Heisman Trophy – nation’s most outstanding player
No. 9 BYU remains undefeated and is 8-0 for the first time since 2001. The Cougars’ passing offense reeled off 51 points and three TD’s through the air in a 51-17 win at No. 21 Boise State last week behind QB Zach Wilson (#1, Junior, Draper, Utah). Wilson completed 22 of 28 passes for 360 yards, three TD’s and ran for another TD to post his fourth 300-yard game this year and seventh of his career. His pass efficiency rating topped 200 (221.9) for the sixth time in eight games this year. Wilson has extended BYU’s streak of 23 consecutive games with at least 200 passing yards, and the Cougars scored more than 40 points for the seventh time this season and 50 points for the third time. In two games at Boise State in his career, Wilson is 58 of 73 for 929 yards with seven passing TD’s and three rushing TD’s.

John Mackey Award – nation’s most outstanding tight end
Miami has created a two-headed beast at its tight end position. Will Mallory earned this week’s Tight End of the Week nod after catching six passes for 78 yards and a TD in a comeback win at N.C. State. Mallory (#85, Jr., Jacksonville, Fla.) and All-ACC tight end Brevin Jordan were listed as co-starters on the depth chart for the first six games. While an injury shelved Jordan, a Mackey Award finalist last year, three weeks ago, Mallory has more than filled in, totaling 10 catches for 187 yards and three TDs the last three games. Mallory started the season with just three catches for 32 yards and a TD in the Canes’ first four games but is now on pace to shatter his sophomore numbers, when he had 16 catches, 293 yards and two TD’s. Honorable mention for Tight End of the Week went to Austin Stogner of Oklahoma, who had three receptions for 75 yards and a TD, and Trey McBride of Colorado State, who had five catches for 90 yards and two TD’s.

Lou Groza Award – nation’s top placekicker
The Palm Beach County Sports Commission recognized three kickers as its Stars of the Week. Notre Dame kicker Jonathan Doerer (#39, Sr., Charlotte, N.C.) scored a career-high 17 points as the Irish topped No. 1 Clemson in overtime, 47-40. Doerer hit field goals of 45, 44, 27 and 24 yards and made five PAT’s and leads Notre Dame with 63 points, ninth nationally. Florida kicker Evan McPherson (#19, Jr., Fort Payne, Ala.) hit field goals from 51 and 50 yards out as the Gators beat Georgia for the first time since 2016, extending his perfect mark for field goals from 50-plus yards to 4-for-4, the most makes in the nation from beyond that distance. He also hit a 34-yarder and made five PAT’s and is 8-for-9 on field goals this season. USF kicker Spencer Shrader (#32, So., Lithia, Fla.) made a career-long 49-yard field goal and added other makes from 47, 46 and 41 yards in a 34-33 loss at Memphis. The four field goals were a career high for one game and is now 4-of-5 on field goals this season.

Maxwell Award – nation’s player of the year
The award’s Player of the Week is Florida quarterback Kyle Trask (#11, Sr., Manvel, Texas), who was 30-of-43 with 474 yards passing and four TD’s, continuing his record-breaking season against a Georgia defense that was No. 12 in scoring defense and No. 13 in total defense nationally coming into the game. Trask’s 474 passing yards is the second-highest total in school history and just eight yards shy of Tim Tebow’s single-game record of 482 set in the 2010 Sugar Bowl. He had set Florida’s record for passing yards against Georgia by the end of the third quarter with 412 passing yards. Trask posted the eighth 300-yard passing game of his career, passing Doug Johnson (1996-99) and Chris Leak (2003-06) for the fourth-most 300-yard passing games in school history.

Outland Trophy – nation’s most outstanding interior lineman
Look to the interior of the offensive line for Minnesota’s scoring surge in the last two weeks. Right tackle Blaise Andries (#77, Jr., Marshall, Minn.), an Outland Trophy Watch List member, and the rest of the Gophers’ line has its primary running back, Mohamed Ibrahim leading the nation in rushing at 190.3 yards per game coming off back-to-back 200-yard games. Andries (pronounced AN-dreez) and the Gophers are 14th nationally in rushing at 238.67 ypg. If you’re going to score on Minnesota, you better do it fast – Minnesota is fourth nationally in time of possession, keeping the ball 35:18 per game. The Gophers are running the ball well enough they throw when they want to, but still snag 200.7 yards per game (92nd nationally). If quarterback Tanner Morgan, who has thrown a TD pass in a school-record 17 straight games, and Rashod Bateman, a former All-America receiver, continue surging in addition to Ibrahim, more attention will go to those up front.

Paul Hornung Award – most versatile player in college football
The finalists for the Paul Hornung Award presented by Texas Roadhouse will be announced on Wed., Dec. 23 and the winner announced on Jan. 6, 2021. The dates were changed from Nov. 11 and Dec. 9, respectively, due to the massive scheduling adjustments in college football, according to Karl F. Schmitt Jr., president and CEO of the Louisville Sports Commission, owners and operators of the Award. Voting for finalists by the 17-member national selection committee will take place after the completion of all conference games and conference championships games. Voting for the winner will take place after all bowl games. Fan voting at paulhornungaward.com will continue through the Jan. 2, 2021.

Four offensive players and return specialists who accounted for 10 TD’s three different ways earned the Paul Hornung Award Honor Roll. North Carolina RB and return specialist Michael Carter (#8, Sr., Navarre, Fla.) had 21 touches three different ways and scored twice in a 56-24 win at Duke. Carter ran 17 times for 85 yards with a TD, caught three passes for 46 yards with a TD, and returned a kickoff. He accounted for six first downs. ULM wide receiver and return specialist Perry Carter Jr. (#14, Jr., Houston, Texas) had eight touches and scored three TD’s in a 52-34 loss at Georgia State. Carter caught four passes for 124 yards and two TD’s, ran twice for 20 yards and returned punts and kickoffs. Minnesota running back and return specialist Mohamed Ibrahim (#24, Jr., Baltimore, Md.) was a workhorse in a 41-13 win at Illinois with 33 touches for 282 all-purpose yards and three TD’s. He ran 30 times for 224 yards with nine carries of 10 or more yards, and also handled a kickoff return. N.C. State running back and return specialist Zonovan Knight (#7, So., Bailey, N.C.) had 15 touches and scored twice in a close 44-41 loss to Miami. He scored twice in the third quarter, both times giving N.C. State a seven-point lead, the second one on a 100-yard kickoff return. Knight also had one reception.

Paycom Jim Thorpe Award – nation’s best defensive back
Arkansas redshirt freshman safety Jalen Catalon (#1, Fr., Mansfield, Texas) earned the Player of the Week recognition after making 12 tackles with an interception and a forced fumble in the Razorbacks’ 24-13 win over Tennessee. On Tennessee’s final offensive play, Catalon registered his second interception of the season by picking off Harrison Bailey’s throw in the end zone. Catalon registered 10 of his 12 tackles in the first quarter while also forcing a fumble. He was part of a defense that held Tennessee to 107 passing yards, the Vols’ lowest mark since 2017. Catalon has posted three 10-plus tackle performances this season and leads the team with 36 solo tackles and is third in total tackles (58). He is the only FBS freshman to record 50-plus tackles and multiple interceptions this season. Also of note was the award’s honorable mention player, safety Tre Jenkins (#22, So., Stockton, Calif.) of San Jose State. In a 28-17 win over San Diego State, Jenkins was in on a career-best nine tackles and had a tackle for loss, a sack and forced a fumble that led to a San Jose State TD that gave them their first lead, 21-17. His interception in the Spartans’ end zone preserved that lead.

Ray Guy Award – nation’s best punter
The Augusta Sports Council announced Pitt punter Kirk Christodoulou as its Punter of the Week for Week 10 games. Christodoulou averaged 51.0 yards (gross and net) on five punts with a long of 58 yards and placed two inside the Seminoles’ 15-yard line while not allowing a punt return in the game. His high, arching punts prevented Florida State from registering a single return yard. On the season, Christodoulou is averaging 44.7 yards on 38 punts to rank fifth in the ACC and 19th nationally. He has placed 17 inside the 20-yard line with only one touchback. The other members of Ray’s 4 this week were Paxton Brooks of Tennessee, Matthew Hayball of FAU and Jordy Sandy of TCU.

Rimington Trophy – nation’s premier center
Coastal Carolina center Sam Thompson (#51, Sr., Spartanburg, S.C.) was named to the Rimington Trophy Watch List on Oct. 14. He has started 17 of CCU’s last 18 games and witnessed quite a rise in the Chanticleers’ program as a key part of the offense that leads the Sun Belt and is 23rd nationally at 37.9 points per game. Together the offensive line has allowed just 6.0 sacks all season, and Thompson has helped guide the line to the tops of the Sun Belt in nine offensive categories. CCU, which can move to 6-0 in SBC play for the first time, has outscored its conference foes by 114 points (184-70) and is averaging 36.8 points per game in SBC games.

Walter Camp Award – nation’s most outstanding player
The National Defensive Player of the Week went to Coastal Carolina defensive end Tarron Jackson (#9, Sr., Aiken, S.C.), who recorded 10 tackles, 2.5 sacks, two QB hurries and forced a fumble as Coastal Carolina beat South Alabama, 23-6. Jackson has been the key to a defense that has not allowed a TD in 10 quarters and one that totaled five sacks and eight TFL’s against South Alabama. Jackson is the first Coastal Carolina player to earn Walter Camp National Player of the Week honors since 2004. Miami QB D’Eriq King (#1, Sr., Manvel, Texas) earned the Offensive Player of the Week honor after becoming only the third player in ACC history with a 400-yard passing, 100-yard rushing game in a come-from-behind 44-41 win at N.C. State. King completed 31-of-41 passes for 430 yards and five TD’s while rushing for 105 yards – the 535 total yards rank seventh in ACC single-game history. It was the 13th 400-yard passing game in Miami history and he is the first Hurricanes quarterback to rush for 100 yards in a game.

William V. Campbell Trophy – nation’s premier scholar-athlete
The National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame announced its 12 finalists for the 2020 William V. Campbell Trophy Presented by Mazda, each of which will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship as a member of the 2020 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class Presented by Fidelity Investments. The eventual winner’s postgraduate scholarship will be increased to $25,000. Selected from a record 199 semifinalists from among all NCAA divisions and the NAIA, the 12 finalists are: Tyler Bradfield (LB, Grand Valley State), Sam Ehlinger (QB, Texas), Jack Gibbens (LB, Abilene Christian), Ezra Gray (RB, Alabama State), Tyriq Harris (DE, Charlotte), Drew Himmelman (OT, Illinois State), Tyler Howerton (OL, Hampden-Sydney), Kekaula Kaniho (DB, Boise State), Brando Kennedy (OL, Tennessee), Cameron Kinley (CB, Navy), Elijah Molden (DB, Washington) and Brady White (QB, Memphis).

Wuerffel Trophy – exemplary community service and academic achievement
The Wuerffel Trophy announced its 2020 nomination list from college football’s Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). Some of the notable returning nominees include 2019 semifinalists Teton Saltes, an offensive tackle at New Mexico, and Sam Ehlinger, a quarterback at Texas. Also back on the list are 2019 nominees Michael Saffell (C, California), Tyriq Harris (DE, Charlotte), Brady White (QB, Memphis), Zach McCloud (LB, Miami), Mac Brown (P, Ole Miss), Kobe Jones (DE, Mississippi State), Ben Stille (DL, Nebraska) and Brian Ankerson (C, South Alabama). “It is so uplifting to see that we’ve received 97 nominations for the 2020 Wuerffel Trophy, especially during these uncertain times,” said Danny Wuerffel. “College football is filled with high quality, high character student-athletes and our mission is to shine a spotlight on them and the work they do in their communities and around the world.”

The complete list of the nominees is at wuerffeltrophy.org. Semifinalists for the award will be announced Sun., Nov. 29, with the finalists announced Tue., Dec. 8. The formal announcement of the 2020 recipient is anticipated to be made the week of Dec. 26-Jan. 2. The presentation of the 2020 Wuerffel Trophy is scheduled for the 52nd All Sports Association Awards Banquet on Feb. 20, 2021, in Niceville, Fla.