courtesy of STATS FCS
CHICAGO, Ill. (STATS) - Voting for the 2018 STATS FCS legacy awards, which honor the national players and coach of the year, began on Monday.
A watch list of nominees was pared to finalists with the STATS FCS Walter Payton Award (FCS offensive player of the year), STATS FCS Buck Buchanan Award (FCS defensive player of the year), STATS FCS Jerry Rice Award (FCS freshman player of the year) and STATS FCS Eddie Robinson Award (FCS coach of the year). Arkansas-Pine Bluff freshman quarterback Skyler Perry was one of 20 finalists for the Jerry Rice Award for Freshman of the Year. He currently sits at fifth best in the Southwestern Athletic Conference in passing yards per game at 174.8.
A national panel of over 150 sports information and media relations directors, broadcasters, writers and other dignitaries will select the winners. Voting is based on the regular season.
All four awards plus the STATS FCS Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete of the Year will be celebrated at the STATS FCS Awards Banquet and Presentation, scheduled for Jan. 4 in Frisco, Texas, on the eve of the national championship game.
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2018 STATS FCS AWARDS FINALISTS
WALTER PAYTON AWARD
FCS Offensive Player of the Year - 25 Finalists
Tyrie Adams, QB, Jr. - Western Carolina
Michael Bandy, WR, Jr. - San Diego
Chandler Burks, QB, Sr. - Kennesaw State
Taryn Christion, QB, Sr. - South Dakota State
Ra'Quanne Dickens, RB, Sr. - Incarnate Word
Keelan Doss, WR, Sr. - UC Davis
Tom Flacco, QB, Jr. - Towson
Ryan Fulse, RB, Sr. - Wagner
A.J. Hines, RB, Jr. - Duquesne
Devlin Hodges, QB, Sr. - Samford
James Holland Jr., RB, Sr. - Colgate
Alexander Hollins, WR, Sr. - Eastern Illinois
Noah Johnson, QB, Jr. - Alcorn State
Anthony Lawrence, QB, Sr. - San Diego
John Lovett, QB, Sr. - Princeton
Jake Maier, QB, Jr. - UC Davis
Kelvin McKnight, WR, Sr. - Samford
Caylin Newton, QB, So. - Howard
Donald Parham, TE, Sr. - Stetson
Josh Pearson, WR, Jr. - Jacksonville State
Joe Protheroe, FB, Sr. - Cal Poly
James Robinson, RB, Jr. - Illinois State
Easton Stick, QB, Sr. - North Dakota State
Marquis Terry, RB, Sr. - Southeast Missouri
Reggie White Jr., WR, Sr. - Monmouth
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BUCK BUCHANAN AWARD
FCS Defensive Player of the Year - 25 Finalists
Nasir Adderley, S, Sr. - Delaware
B.J. Blunt, LB, Sr. - McNeese
De'Arius Christmas, LB, Sr. - Grambling State
Thomas Costigan, LB, Sr. - Bryant
Jabril Cox, LB, So. - North Dakota State
Cam Gill, LB, Jr. - Wagner
Ahmad Gooden, DE, Sr. - Samford
Anthony Gore Jr., LB, Sr. - Kennesaw State
Darin Greenfield, DE, Jr. - South Dakota
Robbie Grimsley, S, Sr. - North Dakota State
Zach Hall, LB, Jr. - Southeast Missouri
Darryl Johnson Jr., DE, Jr. - North Carolina A&T
Isaiah Mack, DT, Sr. - Chattanooga, DT
Nick Miller, LB, Sr. - Penn
Mason Moe, LB, Sr. - UC Davis
Jimmy Moreland, CB, Sr. - James Madison
Dante Olson, LB, Jr. - Montana
Nasir Player, DL, Jr. - ETSU
Troy Reeder, LB, Sr. - Delaware
Derick Roberson, LB, Sr. - Sam Houston State
Khalen Saunders, DT, Sr. - Western Illinois
Sterling Sheffield, LB, Sr. - Maine
Isiah Swann, CB, Jr. - Dartmouth
Will Warner, S, Jr. - Drake
Nick Wheeler, LB, Jr. - Colgate
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JERRY RICE AWARD
FCS Freshman Player of the Year - 20 Finalists
Christian Benford, CB - Villanova
Ty Brock, QB - Sam Houston State
Julius Chestnut, RB - Sacred Heart
Jack Cook, QB - Dayton
Jon Copeland, QB - UIW
Josh Davis, RB - Weber State
Mohammed Diakite, CB, Penn
Andrew Edgar, WR - Illinois State
Juwon Farri, RB - Monmouth
Bailey Fisher, QB - Tennessee Tech
Ulonzo Gilliam, RB - UC Davis
Malik Hamm, DE - Lafayette
Robby Hauck, S - Montana
Quay Holmes, RB - ETSU
Adrian Hope, LB - Furman
Noah Larson, LB - North Dakota
Skyler Perry, QB - Arkansas-Pine Bluff
Xavier Smith, WR - Florida A&M
Caleb Snead, WR - Campbell
Jareem Westcott, RB - Stetson
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EDDIE ROBINSON AWARD
FCS Coach of the Year - 15 Finalists
Brian Bohannon - Kennesaw State
Joe Harasymiak - Maine
Dan Hawkins - UC Davis
Roger Hughes - Stetson
Dan Hunt - Colgate
Chris Klieman - North Dakota State
Dale Lindsey - San Diego
Curt Mallory, Indiana State
Tom Matukewicz - Southeast Missouri
Fred McNair - Alcorn State
Eric Morris - UIW
Randy Sanders - ETSU
Jerry Schmitt - Duquesne
Bob Surace - Princeton
Sam Washington - North Carolina A&T
