After 150 Kentucky Derbys, Louisville Knows Sports

Award for Most Versatile Player in Major College Football Presented by Texas Roadhouse

Louisville, Ky. – Dec. 11, 2024 – Colorado junior cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter, perhaps the most prolific and accomplished two-way player at the FBS level since the advent of the two-platoon system, was named the winner of the 2024 Paul Hornung Award given annually to the most versatile player in major college football. Hunter also earned the Award in 2023 and is the first-ever repeat winner.

The Louisville Sports Commission (LSC) successfully launched the Paul Hornung Award in 2010 to honor its namesake and native son and to promote outstanding performances by versatile college football players who often go unnoticed. The Award is owned and operated by the LSC and presented by Texas Roadhouse. The announcement of the winner was made today by LSC President and CEO Greg Fante.

In 2024, Hunter accomplished what amounts to two full seasons of all-star football, one of each side of the ball. He played 57.3 snaps a game on defense at four different positions in the secondary, played 56 snaps a game on offense at four skill positions and saw spot duty on special teams. He was named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, honorable mention Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year and first-team All-Big 12 receiver and defensive back, the first player in conference history to earn first-team honors on offense and defense.

“I’d like to thank all of my teammates and believe the awards I’m winning are team awards,” said Travis Hunter. “Especially the Paul Hornung Award for the most versatile player. I couldn’t do it without each of my teammates. I want to thank the Louisville Sports Commission and the Paul Hornung Award voters for blessing me with this award twice. I’d also like to thank Coach Prime for allowing me to do what I do and all the coaches and staff surrounding the CU football team. This is for all of us.”

“Travis is HIM. A one-of-a-kind, once-in-a-lifetime player,” said Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders. “Thank you to the selection committee because they saw how special he was last year. This year he took it to another level and the rest of the nation is taking notice, but the Hornung Award and its selectors will be remembered for recognizing it before others. God bless you all.”

Hunter led the nation with 21 offensive plays of 20 yards or more, led the Big 12 and was second nationally in touchdown receptions, led the Big 12 and was eighth nationally in passes defended and was second in the Big 12 in receiving yards per game. He had six games with 100+ receiving yards, four games with multiple touchdowns, led the Buffaloes in interceptions and pass breakups, was eighth in tackles and forced a fumble against Baylor in overtime to seal a win. Through week 10 of the regular season, Hunter made the Paul Hornung Award Honor Roll six times; he had two standout performances in the final four weeks of the season when the Honor Roll was no longer in play – caught eight passes for 125 yards and two scores against Kansas, against Oklahoma State he caught 10 passes for 116 yards and three touchdowns and picked off a pass.

Travis Hunter Season Stats:

• All-purpose: 1,222 yards, 101.8 per game
• Rushes: Two rushes, five yards, one touchdown
• Receiving: 92 receptions, 1,152 yards, 14 touchdowns
• Tackles: 32 tackles, 21 solo, 11 assisted, one tackle for loss, four quarterback hits, one forced fumble
• Coverage: four interceptions, 65 yards, 11 pass breakups
• Number of positions played: 10 (backfield, slot, wide, box, slot corner, wide corner, free safety, kick returner, punt returner, field goal/extra point block)

The Paul Hornung Award Selection Committee, comprised of 17 sports journalists and football experts from across the country, picked Hunter from among the three finalists announced on Nov. 7. An online vote powered by Texas Roadhouse accounted for the 18^th vote.

All votes for the Paul Hornung Award are independently tabulated by regional accounting firm Dean Dorton, one of Kentucky’s largest accounting and financial advisory firms, with offices in Louisville and Lexington, Ky., and Raleigh, N.C.

Previous Paul Hornung Award winners by year:

• 2023: Travis Hunter of Colorado was a two-way player and consensus All-Purpose All-American who averaged 62 snaps on defense as a lockdown cornerback and 60 snaps on offense as a wide receiver. He caught 57 passes for 721 yards and five touchdowns; made three interceptions, 31 tackles, five pass deflections and two tackles for loss.
• 2022: Jack Colletto of Oregon State played fullback, quarterback and receiver on offense; linebacker and defensive back on defense; and was on all special teams. He scored six touchdowns rushing, completed two passes, made 28 tackles, caused a fumble and recovered a fumble.
• 2021: Marcus Jones of Houston was an All-American return specialist and lockdown corner who saw duty on offense. He recorded 48 tackles and five interceptions; returned a pair of kickoffs and punts for touchdowns; and caught 10 passes for 109 yards.
• 2020: DeVonta Smith of Alabama topped the nation in receiving yards and yards after catch, and averaged 24 yards per punt return leading the Crimson Tide to the national championship. He scored touchdowns rushing, receiving and returning punts and was a gunner on punt coverage.
• 2019: Lynn Bowden Jr. of Kentucky made the move from all-purpose receiver/wildcat quarterback/return specialist to quarterback in midseason and led the Wildcats to a 5-2 record and Belk Bowl win over Virginia Tech.
• 2018: Rondale Moore of Purdue was a dynamic All-American freshman sensation who broke the school record for all-purpose yards in a season and a game with 2,215 and 313, respectively.
• 2017: Saquon Barkley of Penn State was an electrifying All-American running back who lined up at slot and wildcat quarterback, and returned kicks and punts;
• 2016: Jabrill Peppers of Michigan played 15 different positions on defense, offense and special teams, and earned first-team All-America at linebacker;
• 2015: Christian McCaffrey of Stanford was a workhorse on offense and special teams who broke the NCAA record for all-purpose yards, finishing with 3,864;
• 2014: Shaq Thompson of Washington was a two-way player, earning first-team All-American honors at linebacker and finished as the Husky’s second-leading rusher at tailback;
• 2013: Odell Beckham Jr. of LSU finished the season ranked second in the nation and first in the Southeastern Conference with 2,222 all-purpose yards and 185.2 average yards per game;
• 2012: Tavon Austin of West Virginia earned All-American by scoring 17 touchdowns receiving, rushing, returning kicks and punts; and amassing 2,272 all-purpose yards, including 572 yards versus Oklahoma.
• 2011: Brandon Boykin of Georgia was a lockdown cornerback on defense; scored three touchdowns playing quarterback, running back and slot on offense; and led the SEC in punt and kick returns.
• 2010: Owen Marecic of Stanford was a two-way starter who averaged 110 snaps per game and earned first-team All-Pac-10 at fullback and honorable mention at linebacker.