Dec. 10, 2010
LOUISIVLLE, KY (Dec. 10, 2010) – The Louisville Sports Commission (“LSC”) today announced three finalists for the inaugural Paul Hornung Award that will be presented to the most versatile player in major college football. The finalists are: fullback/linebacker Owen Marecic of Stanford, wide receiver/kick return specialist Jeremy Kerley of TCU, and wide receiver/quarterback
Randall Cobb of Kentucky.
The announcement was made at the Sports Commission’s annual breakfast held in downtown Louisville at the KFC Yum! Center.
The LSC created the Paul Hornung Award in January 2010 in an effort to recognize the distinctive talents of college football’s most versatile student-athlete and to preserve the legacy of Hornung, a native and lifelong resident of Louisville who is enshrined in both the College Football and National Football League Halls of Fame.
“Each finalist demonstrated his desire to do whatever his coaches asked to help win football games,” said Hornung, 1956 Heisman Trophy winner at Notre Dame and a four-time NFL champion with the Green Bay Packers in the early 1960s. “These guys can run, catch, pass, block, play defense or anchor special teams, and they do it in the big games against the best teams. I am a big fan of all three.”
Marecic, a true throwback that started both ways for nearly the entire 2010 season, logged an average of 110 plays per game in the rugged Pacific 10 – equivalent to nearly two full seasons. The Cardinal will play Virginia Tech in the January 3 Orange Bowl.
Kerley, a game changer as a wide receiver and returning kickoffs and punt returns, was named 2010 Mountain West Conference Special Teams Player of the Year and helped lead the Horned Frogs to their second consecutive unbeaten regular season. TCU will face Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day.
Cobb, one of the most prolific offensive and special teams threats in the history of the Southeastern Conference, accounted for touchdowns this season catching, running, throwing and returning punts – and held for field goals and PATs. The Wildcats take on Pittsburgh in the BBVA Compass Bowl on January 8 in Birmingham.
A national selection committee comprised of 16 sports journalists and former NFL stars cast their votes for three candidates using a 5-3-1 point system (1st place – 5 points; 2nd place – 3 points; 3rd place – 1 point). The three finalists accumulated 72% of the overall points; a total of 15 players, including the finalists, received votes. Votes were tabulated by Kentucky-based accounting firm Dean Dorton Allen Ford. The Selection Committee will choose the winner from among the Finalists in early January following the conclusion of the college football bowl schedule.
Other players receiving votes for the inaugural Paul Hornung Award were (in alphabetical order): Dwayne Harris – East Carolina; Jerrel Jernigan – Troy, Damaris Johnson – Tulsa, Julio Jones – Alabama, Colin Kaepernick – Nevada, Cam Newton – Auburn, Eric Page – Toledo, Patrick Peterson – LSU, Trent Richardson – Alabama, Denard Robinson – Michigan, Mohamed Sanu – Rutgers, and Patrick Shed – UAB.
