Edwards Among Final Three for Payton Award
PHILADELPHIA ? Appalachian State University quarterback Armanti Edwards (Greenwood, S.C./Greenwood) is one of the final three candidates for the 2009 Walter Payton Award, The Sports Network announced on Monday. Edwards will be joined by Elon wide receiver Terrell Hudgins and Southern Illinois running back Deji Karim for the 2009 Payton Award announcement on Dec. 17 in Chattanooga, Tenn.
Edwards, who won the 2008 Payton Award in a landslide, is looking to become the first two-time winner in the 23-year history of the award that honors the nation’s top NCAA Division I FCS player.
In nine regular-season games (he missed the season opener at East Carolina and the finale versus Western Carolina due to injury), Edwards accounted for 3,079 yards of offense (2,504 passing, 575 rushing) and 26 touchdowns (10 passing, 16 rushing). He ranked among the nation’s top 15 in eight statistical categories, including completion percentage (2nd ? .724), scoring (2nd ? 10.7 ppg), rushing touchdowns (t-2nd ? 16), total offense (3rd ? 342.1 ypg) and passing efficiency (5th ? 163.35 passer rating). The 2009 Southern Conference Offensive Player of the Year threw for 300 or more yards four times in nine games and amassed at least 400 yards of total offense three times.
The senior from Greenwood, S.C. engineered an ASU offense that ranked among the nation’s top 10 in scoring, rushing, passing efficiency and total offense while becoming the first starting quarterback in the 77-year history of the SoCon to lead his team to four league championships.
In the process, Edwards became the first player in NCAA Division I history (FCS or FBS) to pass for 9,000 yards and rush for 4,000 yards in a career with a 461-yard effort in Appalachian’s 52-27 win at Furman on Oct. 31. In the previous week’s 52-16 win over Georgia Southern, he became the first FCS player to amass 8,000 passing yards and 4,000 rushing yards.
Voting for the Payton, Buck Buchanan (top FCS defensive player) and Eddie Robinson (top FCS coach) awards was conducted last week among national FCS media and sports information directors. ASU defensive back Mark LeGree (Columbus, Ga./Pacelli Catholic) was one of 20 players on the Buchanan Award ballot and head coach Jerry Moore was among the 20 names on the ballot for the Robinson Award. The Sports Network does not announce top-three finalists for the Buchanan and Robinson awards. The winners are unveiled along with the Payton Award honoree on Dec. 17 in a ceremony at the Chattanooga Marriott.
Elon’s Hudgins Named Finalist for Walter Payton Award
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. ? Elon University senior receiver Terrell Hudgins has been named as one of three finalists for the 2009 Walter Payton Award which is presented annually to the top offensive player in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). Hudgins is joined by 2008 winner Armanti Edwards of Appalachian State and Southern Illinois’ Deji Karim. Hudgins has finished among the top-15 in the Payton Award voting each of the last two seasons, placing 11th in 2007 and 15th a year ago and is the first finalist from Elon.
“It’s an honor to be nominated,” said Hudgins. “I wouldn’t be in this position without my teammates. I’m extremely grateful to the Elon community for the support they’ve given me over the past four years.”
The Walter Payton Award was established in 1987 by The Sports Network. Several previous winners have gone on to outstanding professional careers in football, including Tony Romo (Eastern Illinois), Brian Westbrook (Villanova), Steve McNair (Alcorn State), Adrian Peterson (Georgia Southern), Jerry Azumah (New Hampshire), Brian Finneran (Villanova), Dave Dickenson (Montana), and Dave Meggett (Towson).
Elon head coach Pete Lembo added, “I’m very proud of Terrell, in large part because of the tremendous effort, leadership and consistent play that he brought with him every Saturday this fall. He really raised his game to a new level in his senior year.”
In 2009, Hudgins led Elon to a 9-3 overall record and its first-ever appearance in the FCS playoffs. Along the way the standout receiver caught a FCS-record 123 passes for a Southern Conference-record 1,633 yards. He led the nation in receiving yards per game (136.1) and receptions per game (10.3) this season. He picked up one SoCon Player of the Week accolade and was named a first-team All-SoCon member by both the coaches and media in 2009. Hudgins also collected two national player of the week honors during the campaign.
Hudgins concluded his career with the Phoenix as the holder of 10 FCS records, including nine set during the 2009 season. Four of the records were held by the legendary Jerry Rice who played at Mississippi Valley State from 1981-84. He also holds numerous Elon and SoCon marks.
Elon quarterback Scott Riddle received one write-in vote for third-place in the voting.
Voting for the award was conducted prior to the playoffs by a panel of FCS sports information directors, writers, broadcasters and other football experts. The three finalists are invited to the 23rd annual Sports Network Awards banquet on December 17 in Chattanooga, Tenn., the night prior to the NCAA Division I championship game. The Buck Buchanan Award (top FCS defensive player) and Eddie Robinson Award (top FCS coach) will also be presented that night.
A LOOK AT TERRELL HUDGINS’ RECORDS
NCAA Records
? 207 ? combined receptions in one season (FCS record with former teammate Michael Mayers in 2007)
? 395 ? career receptions (all NCAA Division I record)
? 123 ? receptions in a season (done in 2009; FCS record)
? 8.8 ? career receptions per game (FCS record)
? 5,250 ? career receiving yards (all NCAA Division I record)
? 116.7 ? career average yards gained receiving per game (FCS record)
? 28 ? career games gaining 100 or more yards receiving (all NCAA Division I record)
? 1.2 ? career touchdown passes caught per game (ties FCS record)
? 34 ? career games with a touchdown catch (FCS record)
? 4 ? career 1,000-yard receiving seasons (all NCAA Division I record)
SoCon Records
? 10 ? games in a season with 100 or more receiving yards (done in 2009)
? 5 ? consecutive games with 100 or more receiving yards (done once in 2006 and twice in 2009)
? 2,538 ? combined receiving yards in a season (with former teammate Michael Mayers in 2007)
? 3 ? career 200 or more receiving yard games (tied)
? 52 ? career receiving touchdowns
? 1,633 ? receiving yards in a season (done in 2009)
Elon Records
? 16 ? receptions in a game (vs. Liberty and at Furman in 2007; at Furman in 2009)
? 4 ? touchdown receptions in a game (vs. Liberty in 2007)
? 18 ? touchdown receptions in a season (2007)
2009 WALTER PAYTON AWARD VOTING - Top-three in alphabetical order
NAME (SCHOOL)...........................1st..2nd..3rd..4th..5th...Total
Armanti Edwards (Appalachian State)
Terrell Hudgins (Elon)
Deji Karim (Southern Illinois)
Matt Nichols (Eastern Washington)...... 12...16....9...12....13....188
Dominic Randolph (Holy Cross)............8...16...14....8....12....174
Ryan Perrilloux (Jacksonville State).....9....9...11....5....18....142
Jeremy Moses (Stephen F. Austin).........4....7....9...13.....8....109
William Ford (South Carolina State)......3....3....2....2.....2.....39
Michael Herrick (Northern Arizona).......1....2....3....3.....3.....31
Cameron Higgins (Weber State)............0....3....3....2.....5.....30
Toddrick Penland (McNeese State).........0....2....4....2.....5.....29
Curtis Pulley (Florida A&M)..............0....2....3....3.....3.....26
Chase Reynolds (Montana).................0....1....3....3.....5.....24
Bryant Lee (Southern)....................2....0....2....2.....0.....20
Pat Grace (Northern Iowa)................0....2....2....1.....2.....18
David Sinisi (Monmouth)..................0....0....1....3.....8.....17
Pat Devlin (Delaware)....................1....1....1....0.....4.....16
Andre Roberts (The Citadel)..............0....1....0....2.....5.....13
Trevyn Smith (Weber State)...............0....2....1....0.....1.....12
James Mallory (Central Connecticut St)...0....0....0....4.....2.....10
*Matt Szczur (Villanova).................0....2....0....0.....1......9
*Eric Ward (Richmond)....................0....0....1....1.....1......6
*Scott Riddle (Elon).....................0....0....1....0.....0......3
*Tim Toone (Weber State).................0....0....0....0.....1......1
* - Write-in votes.