1 2 WELCOME TABLE OF CONTENTS Passion. Precision. Velocity. A few months ago, STATS tweaked its logo Page and added a tagline. It consisted of just three words, meant to simply Welcoming Letters 4-5 reflect our love of sport, the detail we embed into our products and FCS Awards Finalists 7 the momentum of our creative process. Such a motto could easily be Jeremiah Briscoe – Walter Payton Award Finalist 8 transferred to the FCS. The ingredients for team success are rooted in Gage Gubrud – Walter Payton Award Finalist 10 a passion for the game; precision shows itself in every play as 11 work Cooper Kupp – Walter Payton Award Finalist 12 as one; and velocity can be found as easily in a quarterback’s strike as a linebacker’s hit. In the summer of 2015, STATS took on a significant Dylan Cole – Buck Buchanan Award Finalist 14 initiative to shine a light on the subdivision’s best and brightest, and, P.J. Hall – Buck Buchanan Award Finalist 16 with over 2.5 million page views over the past year on www.fcs.football, Karter Schult – Buck Buchanan Award Finalist 18 it’s safe to say we’ve found an audience. Of course, tonight also marks A.J. Hines – Jerry Rice Award Recipient 20 a noteworthy milestone in FCS history. Thirty seasons ago, Colgate’s Tyler Swafford – Doris Robinson Award Recipient 22 Kenny Gamble walked away with the first Walter Payton Award, given to K.C. Keeler – Eddie Robinson Award Recipient 24 the FCS’ top player, and Holy Cross’ Mark Duffner took home the initial Eddie Robinson Award, handed out to its top coach. Those honors were 2016 FCS Season in Review 26 the brainchild of Mickey Charles, who graciously worked with STATS 2016 FCS Playoff Bracket 27 to allow us to take over custodianship of such incredible hardware and STATS FCS Awards Namesakes 30-31 history. Along with the Buck Buchanan, Jerry Rice and Doris Robinson FCS Past Awards Winners 32 Awards, it’s an absolute honor to be associated with such esteemed Past NCAA Division I FCS Championship Game Results 33 namesakes. Just as importantly, it’s been a privilege to cover you. Here’s 2016 STATS FCS All-America First Team 34 to the continued success of STATS and the FCS working together - with Master of Ceremonies and FCS Awards Voters 35 passion, precision and velocity. Autographs 36 Brian Orefice STATS News Director 2016 FCS AWARDS BANQUET FCS SUPPORTERS Banquet Coordinators: Brian Orefice, Justin Einhorn, Brett Huston, Page Philip Sokol and Craig Haley Southland Conference Inside Cover Big South Conference 2 Graphic Designer: Jeffrey Reitzes Colonial Athletic Association 6 Sam Houston State University 9 Awards Program Writers: Taylor Bechtold, Matt Becker, Paul Eastern Washington University 11 DiGiacomo, Justin Einhorn, Scott Garbarini, Craig Haley, Brett Huston, Big Sky Conference 13 Jeff Mezydlo and Jon Palmieri Missouri State University 15 Northeast Conference 17 STATS FCS Website: www.fcs.football University of Northern Iowa 19 Duquesne University 21 For future FCS business and advertising inquiries, please contact Eastern Kentucky University 23 Brian Orefice at [email protected]. Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference 25 Missouri Valley Football Conference 27 STATS LLC Global Headquarters Ohio Valley Conference 28 203 North LaSalle St. Pioneer Football League 28 Suite 2200 Patriot League 29 Chicago, IL 60601 Southern Conference 29 1-847-583-2100 Southwestern Athletic Conference Back Inside www.stats.com STATS LLC. Back Cover 3 4 5 6 2016 STATS FCS AWARDS FINALISTS WALTER PAYTON AWARD FINALISTS BUCK BUCHANAN AWARD FINALISTS (FCS Offensive Player of the Year) (FCS Defensive Player of the Year) Khalid Abdullah RB James Madison Pat Afriyie DE Colgate Jeremiah Briscoe QB Sam Houston State Darien Anderson LB Alcorn State Dillon Buechel QB Duquesne Mike Basile S Monmouth Taryn Christion QB South Dakota State Christopher Beaschler LB Dayton Tarik Cohen RB North Carolina A&T Dylan Cole LB Missouri State Julie’n Davenport LT Bucknell Winston Craig DE Richmond Chase Edmonds RB Fordham Keionta Davis DE Chattanooga Austin Gahafer QB Morehead State Dee Delaney CB The Citadel Dallas Goedert TE South Dakota State Garrett Dolan LB Houston Baptist Gage Gubrud QB Eastern Washington Anthony Ellis DE Charleston Southern Karel Hamilton WR Samford Chad Geter LB Gardner-Webb De’Angelo Henderson RB Coastal Carolina P.J. Hall DE Sam Houston State Devlin Hodges QB Samford Darius Jackson DE Jacksonville State KD Humphries QB Murray State Lorenzo Jerome S Saint Francis Eli Jenkins QB Jacksonville State Javancy Jones DE Jackson State DeVante Kincade QB Grambling State Tanoh Kpassagnon DE Villanova Cooper Kupp WR Eastern Washington Christian Kuntz LB Duquesne Kyle Lauletta QB Richmond Darius Leonard LB South Carolina State Kamron Lewis WR Saint Francis Folarin Orimolade LB Dartmouth Tyrell Maxwell QB Gardner-Webb Donald Payne S Stetson Troy Pelletier WR Lehigh Cole Reyes S North Dakota Bryan Schor QB James Madison Derek Rivers DE Youngstown State Lenard Tillery RB Southern Karter Schult DE Northern Iowa Justin Watson WR Penn Alex Searce LB Coastal Carolina Jake Wieneke WR South Dakota State Brett Taylor LB Western Illinois JERRY RICE AWARD FINALISTS EDDIE ROBINSON AWARD FINALISTS (FCS Freshman Player of the Year) (FCS Coach of the Year) Tyrie Adams QB Western Carolina Jordan Bentley RB Alabama A&M Brian Bohannon Kennesaw State Big South Conference Marlon Bridges S Jacksonville State Rod Broadway North Carolina A&T Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Elijah Burress QB Campbell Stephen Calvert QB Liberty Steve Campbell Central Arkansas Southland Conference Jaylan Foster CB Gardner-Webb Andy Coen Lehigh Patriot League Chase Fourcade QB Nicholls A.J. Hines RB Duquesne Broderick Fobbs Grambling State Southwestern Athletic Conference Torrey Hunt CB North Dakota Mike Houston James Madison CAA Football Pop Lacey S New Hampshire Sully Laiche DE Nicholls K.C. Keeler Sam Houston State Southland Conference Joe Logan RB Northern Arizona Chris Klieman North Dakota State Missouri Valley Football Conference Jerry Louie-McGee WR Montana Steven Newbold WR Tennessee State Dale Lindsey San Diego Pioneer Football League Corey Parker S William & Mary Jerry Mack North Carolina Central Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Alex Probert PK Liberty Max Roberts LB Fordham Bubba Schweigert North Dakota Big Sky Conference Christian Rozeboom LB South Dakota State Jason Simpson UT Martin Ohio Valley Conference Shane Simpson RB/RS Towson Prince Smith Jr. CB New Hampshire Bob Surace Princeton Ivy League Gee Stanley LB Robert Morris Ryan Stanley QB Florida A&M Brent Thompson The Citadel Southern Conference Nathan Stewart WR Sam Houston State Chris Villarrial Saint Francis Northeast Conference DORIS ROBINSON AWARD FINALISTS (FCS Scholar-Athlete of the Year) Christopher Beaschler LB Dayton Ernest Mengoni OL Delaware State Casey DeAndrade CB New Hampshire Karter Schult DE Northern Iowa Lance Geesey PK Saint Francis Tyler Swafford QB Eastern Kentucky Lucas Holder OL Liberty Marlon Walls S Stephen F. Austin Michael Hurns LB Alcorn State Justin Watson WR Penn Brian Labat LB North Dakota Jake Wieczorek WR/RS Holy Cross David Marvin PK Wofford 7 All Jeremiah Briscoe asked for was a chance to K.C. Keeler, the STATS FCS Eddie Robinson Award compete. Well, he got it, and now his name could winner. “His whole thing was really simple, ‘you be in the record books for quite some time. give me a chance to compete, this is where I want to be.’ There’s a high percentage of Division There was no shortage of interest in Briscoe when I transfers that would’ve stayed away from our UAB shut down its football program in December situation. He didn’t and we’re all blessed that he’s 2014, but he found exactly what he was looking here.” for at Sam Houston State despite a situation that others may have shied away from. Briscoe was Making Briscoe’s accomplishments even more nothing short of phenomenal during a 2016 season impressive - if that’s possible – were most of his that has made him a finalist for the STATS FCS statistics came without the benefit of a full game. Walter Payton Award as Offensive Player of the He often sat the fourth quarter because so many Year. of Sam Houston’s games were decided by that point. All the rifle-armed quarterback did was set the FCS single-season record with 57 touchdown “It was just a matter of getting the opportunity,” passes, pile up 4,096 passing yards in the regular Briscoe said. “I knew that if I got the opportunity, I season to lead the nation’s top-ranked offense and would make the most of it.” direct the unbeaten Bearkats to the No. 1 ranking in the STATS FCS Top 25 and the No. 5 seed in the Future generations have proof that he did. FCSplayoffs. - Jon Palmieri “We had a starting QB in place and Jeremiah came anyway,” said Sam Houston State coach 8 9 Heading into his first career start in Eastern After not receiving a scholarship offer from a Washington’s 2016 opener, Gage Gubrud’s goal Division I program, Eastern Washington said he was simply to keep his starting job. could walk on. He redshirted his first season and as a freshman last year attempted just 12 His breakout performance left little doubt passes. he should be the Eagles’ QB. The redshirt sophomore racked up a school-record 551 He entered last spring buried on the depth chart offensive yards, threw five touchdowns and and was frustrated. ran in a 30-yard score in the closing minutes to help EWU upset Washington State. “I remember calling my parents and was, ‘Hey, I’m not getting a shot,’” he said. “And after our That was just the beginning for Gubrud, who first scrimmage, I played really well.