Trio From Pac 12, ACC Earn Honor Roll for Second Consecutive Week
Louisville, Ky. – November 16, 2015 – Christian McCaffrey (Stanford), Charles Nelson (Oregon) and Jordan Whitehead (Pitt) earned the Paul Hornung Award Honor Role for the second consecutive week following tough conference games with post-season implications. Whitehead made the list for the second time overall, Nelson for the third time while McCaffrey made the list for the seventh time. Also, Michigan’s Jabrill Peppers was awarded Honor Role status for his performances in several games earlier in the season.
The Paul Hornung Award, presented by Texas Roadhouse, is awarded annually to the most versatile player in major college football. The winner and his family will be honored on February 25, 2016, at a banquet presented by KentuckyOne Health at the Galt House Hotel in downtown Louisville, Ky.
Stanford offensive back / return man Christian McCaffrey, who leads the nation in all-purpose yards, touched the ball a total of 44 times four different ways on offense and special teams in a tough loss to Oregon in Palo Alto. McCaffrey’s 244 all-purpose yards mark his seventh 200+ yard game this season and his eighth consecutive 100-yard plus rushing game. He rushed 33 times for 147 yards and a touchdown, caught five passes for 42 yards, threw a pass, returned two kickoffs for 60 yards, returned one punt and fair caught two punts. He lined up at running back, Wildcat QB, slot and wide receiver.
Oregon wire receiver / kick returner / defensive back Charles Nelson put in another stellar effort playing defensive back, offense and kick returner in the Ducks’ huge road win over Stanford, 38-36. Nelson recorded four tackles from his safety spot, took a handoff in the backfield, turned the corner and blazed 75 yards down the sideline for a second quarter touchdown. He also returned three kickoffs for 59 yards. This marks the third consecutive week Nelson has been named to the Honor Role.
Pitt safety / running back Jordan Whitehead again produced on both sides of the ball in the Panthers’ convincing 31-13 road win over ACC Coastal Division rival Duke. At safety, Whitehead recorded a team-high nine tackles, broke up a potential touchdown pass with a jarring hit in the end zone and snuffed out Duke’s final scoring threat with a fourth quarter interception at the seven yard line. At running back, he recorded 38 rushing yards on four carries, including an 18-yard jaunt to the Duke one-yard line that set up Pitt’s final touchdown.
Jabrill Peppers, Michigan. Safety / RB / Punt Return / KO Return. (Honored for body of work during the season) A three-way player who averages 80 snaps a game, Peppers has lined up at numerous different positions this season for the resurgent Wolverines. He started the year at safety then saw time at corner, nickel back and linebacker while handling punt and KO returns. A second year sophomore, Peppers made his offensive debut against Michigan State at wide receiver then had a breakout game in Michigan’s hard-fought, 29-23 road win against Minnesota: he logged 92 snaps while playing safety, receiver, wildcat QB, running back and return man; recorded four carries for 16 yards and a touchdown; returned a kickoff 43 yards and punt 41-yards that set up short touchdown drives; made three tackles and two PBUs. Peppers leads the team in punt and KO return yards, and is fifth in all-purpose yards, fifth in tackles and tackles for loss and second in PBUs.
Past Paul Hornung Award Honor Roll Selections
Week One: William Likely (Maryland), Myles Jack (UCLA), Braxton Miller (Ohio State), Robert Nkemdiche (Ole Miss)
Week Two: Kenyan Drake (Alabama), Janarion Grant (Rutgers), Jahad Thomas (Temple), Brandon Wilson (Houston)
Week Three: William Likely (Maryland), Christian McCaffrey (Stanford), Jakeem Grant (Texas Tech), Ryan Switzer (North Carolina)
Week Four: Trevone Boykin (TCU), Adoree’ Jackson (USC), Christian Kirk (Texas A&M), Christian McCaffrey (Stanford), Robert Nkemdiche (Ole Miss)
Week Five: Christian McCaffrey (Stanford), KaVontae Turpin (TCU)
Week Six: Tyler Ervin (San Jose State), Reggie Davis (Georgia)
Week Seven: Bralon Addison (Oregon), Tyler Boyd (Pittsburgh), Adoree’ Jackson (USC), Christian Kirk (Texas A&M), Christian McCaffrey (Stanford)
Week Eight: Tyler Boyd (Pittsburgh), Tyler Ervin (San Jose State), Christian McCaffrey (Stanford)
Week Nine: Jakeem Grant (Texas Tech), Adoree’ Jackson (USC), Charles Nelson (Oregon)
Week Ten: Adoree’ Jackson (USC), Charles Nelson (Oregon), Christian McCaffrey (Stanford), KaVontae Turpin (TCU), Jordan Whitehead (Pittsburgh)
The Louisville Sports Commission successfully launched the Paul Hornung Award in 2010 to honor its namesake and native son, and to recognize and reward high-level achievers in college football whose performances and contributions as versatile players often go unnoticed. Owen Marecic of Stanford, a two-way starter and All Pac-10 performer at fullback and linebacker, won the inaugural Paul Hornung Award in 2010; Brandon Boykin of Georgia won the award in 2011 after excelling on defense, offense and special teams; Tavon Austin of West Virginia won the award in 2012 as one of two players in the nation with more than 500 yards in three different categories (rushing, receiving and kick returns); Odell Beckham Jr. of LSU won the award in 2013 after finishing 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; and Shaq Thompson of Washington won the award in 2014 as a two-way player, earning first team All-America honors at linebacker and finishing as the Husky’s second-leading rusher at tailback.