1 2 WELCOME TABLE OF CONTENTS To say that the 2020-21 FCS season has been like no other Page would be akin to saying North Dakota State has a decent football program. In other words, a massive understatement. Walter Payton Award Finalists 4 Yet as college athletics – and, more generally, the world – fought Buck Buchanan Award Finalists 6 through a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic that affected every facet of life, we were reminded that extreme circumstances Jerry Rice Award Finalists 8 have a tendency to bring out the best in people. Don’t be distracted by the unorthodox nature of a season that Eddie Robinson Award Finalists 10 began in late August with a scattershot fall schedule and Doris Robinson Award Finalists 12 will conclude in mid-May following a 16-team spring playoff. Focus instead on the patience, resilience and passion of a Stats Perform FCS Awards Namesakes 14-15 group that, against all odds, fought through unprecedented 2020-21 FCS Award Results 16 challenges to ultimately crown a champion while still bearing witness to stellar performances from student-athletes across Past FCS Awards Recipients 18 the subdivision. The past year also resulted in an incredible expansion to the exposure Stats Perform provides for the FCS Awards Host Gary Reasons 20 FCS. In addition to our typical unparalleled coverage which FCS Awards Voting Panel 20 we ported over to a broader and upgraded platform called The Analyst (theanalyst.com), we pushed into the realm of broadcast by producing “NDSQBU: The Emergence of Trey Lance in an Unlikely College Football Dynasty,” the first installment of our new FCS docuseries. Similarly, Bally Sports Regional Networks will air our annual awards show featuring the handout of our esteemed Payton, Buchanan, Rice and Robinson Awards. As we hope for a return to normalcy this summer, we are happy to report that not only did we just get through the last 14 months, but we found creative ways to thrive and push the ball forward. Just like Stats Perform, there is little doubt the FCS will come out of this pandemic stronger than ever, and we are thrilled to continue to collaboratively drive that partnership forward. Brian Orefice Vice President, Global Operations STATS PERFORM FCS AWARDS BANQUET FCS AWARDS SUPPORTERS Awards Committee: Steve Xeller, Brian Orefice, Dennis Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Front Inside Dougherty, Charles Lucterhand, Lori Xeller, Kevin Southland Conference 2 Chroust, Wendy Lucas, Gary Reasons, Philip Sokol, Craig Haley, Mary-Kate House and Juliet Sigmann Big Sky Conference 5 National Awards Show Host: Gary Reasons Northeast Conference 5 Awards Program Editor/Writer: Craig Haley Pioneer Football League 7 Awards Program Graphic Designer: Jeffrey Reitzes Awards Designers: Vicki Davila, Don Dyen and Katie Southwestern Athletic Conference 7 Fogel University of the Incarnate Word 9 Advertising: Mike McNamara Southern Conference 11 Stats Perform FCS Coverage: www.theanalyst.com Virginia Military Institute 11 Missouri Valley Football Conference 13 For future FCS business and advertising inquiries, Stats Perform 17 please contact Lori Xeller at lori.xeller@statsperform. global. CAA Football 19 Eastern Washington University 19 Stats Perform Global Headquarters Big South Conference 20 203 North LaSalle St. Suite 2200 Sacred Heart University Back Inside Chicago, IL 60601 The Analyst Back 1-847-583-2100 www.statsperform.com www.theanalyst.com (FCS) 3 WALTER PAYTON AWARD FINALISTS The Stats Perform FCS Walter Payton Award, in its 34th season, is presented to the national offensive player of the year in college football’s Division I subdivision Percy Agyei-Obese Walter Payton Award Top-3 Finalist Walter Payton Award Top-3 Finalist Tim DeMorat James Madison (CAA) Eric Barriere Julius Chestnut Fordham (Patriot) Running Back, Senior Eastern Washington (Big Sky) Sacred Heart (Northeast) Quarterback, Junior Quarterback, Senior Running Back, Junior Juwon Farri Aqeel Glass Jakob Herres Quay Holmes Monmouth (Big South) Alabama A&M (SWAC) VMI ETSU (Southern) Running Back, Junior Quarterback, Senior Wide Receiver, Junior Running Back, Junior Tyler Hudson Walter Payton Award Top-3 Finalist Dejoun Lee Keith Pearson Central Arkansas (Southland) Cole Kelley Delaware (CAA) Presbyterian (Pioneer) Wide Receiver, Sophomore S. Louisiana (Southland) Running Back, Senior Wide Receiver, Senior Quarterback, Senior Pierre Strong Jr. Otis Weah Liam Welch DeAngelo Wilson South Dakota State (Missouri North Dakota (Missouri Valley) Samford (Southern) Austin Peay (Ohio Valley) Valley) Running Back, Sophomore Quarterback, Grad Wide Receiver, Senior Running Back, Junior 4 5 BUCK BUCHANAN AWARD FINALISTS The Stats Perform FCS Buck Buchanan Award, in its 26th season, is presented to the national defensive player of the year in college football’s Division I subdivision. Bryson Armstrong Jared Brinkman Buchanan Award Top-3 Finalist Isaiah Chambers Kennesaw State (Big South) Northern Iowa (Missouri Valley) Colby Campbell McNeese (Southland) Linebacker, Senior Nose Tackle, Senior Presbyterian (Pioneer) Defensive End, Grad Linebacker, Senior Chris Edmonds Mike Greene Ryan Greenhagen Nicario Harper Samford (Southern) James Madison (CAA) Fordham (Patriot) Jacksonville State (Ohio Valley) Free Safety, Sophomore Defensive End, Senior Linebacker, Junior Free Safety, Sophomore Kordell Jackson Storey Jackson La’akea Kaho’ohanohano-Davis Jahari Kay Titus Leo Austin Peay (Ohio Valley) Prairie View A&M (SWAC) Southern Utah (Big Sky) Sam Houston (Southland) Wagner (Northeast) Nickelback, Senior Linebacker, Senior Linebacker, Junior Defensive End, Senior Linebacker, Junior Buchanan Award Top-3 Finalist Robert Rochell Buchanan Award Top-3 Finalist Tre Walker Tristan Wheeler Jordan Lewis Central Arkansas Stone Snyder Idaho (Big Sky) Richmond (CAA) Southern (SWAC) (Southland) VMI (Southern) Linebacker, Junior Linebacker, Sophomore Defensive End, Junior Cornerback, Senior Linebacker, Sophomore 6 7 JERRY RICE AWARD FINALISTS The Stats Perform FCS Jerry Rice Award, in its 10th season, is presented to the national freshman player of the year in college football’s Division I subdivision. Bronson Barron Quinton “Pig” Cage Isaac Dowling Draylen Ellis Weber State (Big Sky) Nicholls (Southland) Mercer (Southern) Austin Peay (Ohio Valley) Quarterback Nickelback Linebacker Quarterback Ty French Mark Gronowski Billy Lucas Seth Morgan Gardner-Webb (Big South) South Dakota State (Missouri Duquesne (Northeast) VMI (Southern) Defensive End Valley) Running Back Quarterback Quarterback Tony Muskett Ryan Nettles Tommy Schuster Matthew Sluka Monmouth (Big South) Alabama State (SWAC) North Dakota (Missouri Valley) Holy Cross (Patriot) Quarterback Quarterback Quarterback Quarterback Devon Starling Keyon Turner Jared Verse Jerry Rice Award Recipient Tennessee State (Ohio Valley) Valparaiso (Pioneer) Albany (CAA) Cameron Ward Running Back Cornerback Defensive End UIW (Southland) Quarterback 8 9 EDDIE ROBINSON AWARD FINALISTS The Stats Perform FCS Eddie Robinson Award, in its 34th season, is presented to the national coach of the year in college football’s Division I subdivision. Scott Abell Kevin Callahan Dave Cecchini Curt Cignetti Davidson (Pioneer) Monmouth (Big South) Bucknell (Patriot) James Madison (CAA) Bryan Collins Landon Fox Charles “Doc” Gamble Jay Hill LIU (Northeast) Valparaiso (Pioneer) Arkansas-Pine Bluff (SWAC) Weber State (Big Sky) Dean Hood K.C. Keeler Connell Maynor Rod Milstead Murray State (Ohio Valley) Sam Houston (Southland) Alabama A&M (SWAC) Delaware State (MEAC) Bobby Petrino Danny Rocco Kyle “Bubba” Schweigert Eddie Robinson Award Recipient Missouri State (Missouri Valley) Delaware (CAA) North Dakota (Missouri Valley) Scott Wachenheim VMI (Southern) 10 11 DORIS ROBINSON AWARD FINALISTS The Stats Perform FCS Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete Award, in its sixth season, is presented to a student-athlete in college football’s Division I subdivision who excels in the classroom as well as in the community and beyond. Drayton Arnold Justin Covington Spencer DeMedal Chattanooga (Southern) Villanova (CAA) Duquesne (Northeast) Quarterback, Senior Running Back, Senior Strong Safety, Senior Bennett Dondoyano ZeVeyon Furcron Ezra Gray San Diego (Pioneer) Southern Illinois (Missouri Valley) Alabama State (SWAC) Wide Receiver, Junior Offensive Lineman, Senior Running Back, Senior Gavin Landry Doris Robinson Award Selection Rick Mottram Northwestern State (Southland) Jessie Malit Bucknell (Patriot) Wide Receiver, Senior North Carolina Central (MEAC) Linebacker, Senior Defensive End, Senior Dean Sise K.J. Smith Jamaal Thompson Eric Wilson Eastern Washington (Big Sky) North Alabama (Big South) Tennessee Tech (Ohio Valley) Harvard (Ivy) Defensive Back, Junior Quarterback, Senior Defensive Back, Junio Offensive Lineman, Senior 12 13 STATS PERFORM FCS AWARDS NAMESAKES WALTER PAYTON AWARD information and media relations directors, broadcasters, FCS OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR writers and other dignitaries. JACKSON STATE UNIVERSITY, 1971-74 At 6-foot-7, 287 pounds, Junious “Buck” Buchanan was the CHICAGO BEARS, 1975-87 prototype for future NFL defensive linemen. He combined size, PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME, 1993 speed and outstanding strength, along with an intense work COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME, 1996 ethic, to become one of the great defensive tackles of all time. The Walter Payton Award, established by The Sports Network He entered Grambling State on an “if” scholarship, which in 1987 and now presented by Stats Perform, honors the meant he would receive financial