The Paul Hornung Award

Award Presented Annually Since 2010 to Most Versatile Player in Major College Football

Louisville, Ky. – December 11, 2019 – University of Kentucky junior Lynn Bowden Jr., a prolific all-purpose receiver and return specialist who led the Wildcats to a 5-2 record while filling in at quarterback, has been named winner of the 10th annual Paul Hornung Award presented by Texas Roadhouse. The Louisville Sports Commission and Paul Hornung present the award to the most versatile player in major college football.

Bowden and his family will be honored on March 4, 2020, at the annual Paul Hornung Award Dinner presented by UofL Health at the Galt House Hotel in downtown Louisville.Bowden was named Midseason All-America as an all-purpose player by the Associated Press and ESPN, and after moving to quarterback was named SEC Offensive Player of the Week three times and Manning Award Quarterback of the Week two times.

“I’m just very thankful to everybody involved with this award,” Bowden said. “I want to thank God, my teammates and my coaches for putting me in this position.”

For the first five games of the year, Bowden averaged 11.6 yards per reception, 13.3 yards per punt return and 25 yards per kickoff return. When injuries decimated UK’s quarterback ranks, he moved to quarterback, learned a read-option offense during an open week in the schedule, and with record-setting performances led the Wildcats to five wins in the next seven games.

At quarterback, Bowden rushed for 1,136 yards / 8.2 yards per carry, scored 11 touchdowns, including four scores in a 45-13 victory over rival Louisville to close out the regular season where he earned the Howard Schnellenberger Most Valuable Player Award. For the season, Bowden recorded 2,166 total yards, and accounted for two touchdowns passing, one receiving and 11 rushing, including scoring runs of 64, 46, 33, 32 and 24 yards.

“I am extremely happy for Lynn because he is so deserving of the Paul Hornung Award,” said Kentucky Head Coach Mark Stoops. “What he was able to do this year – begin the season with three different responsibilities, then move to quarterback in midseason – is what the Hornung Award is all about. Lynn’s exceptional ability, competitive nature, high football IQ and his willingness to sacrifice for the team were all on display and make him a perfect winner of the award.”

Bowden set the UK single-season record for most rushing yards by a quarterback (1,136) and most 100-yard rushing games by a quarterback (6); in the win over Louisville, set the UK and SEC single-game rushing record by a quarterback (284) and a school record for most yards per carry (12.4), and tied the school record for most rushing touchdowns in a game (4). He finished year as the SEC leader and 8th nationally in all-purpose yards per game (153) and the SEC leader and 2nd nationally in average yards per carry (8.2).

“Lynn Bowden plays the game the same way I did,” Hornung said. “He does whatever he can to help his team win games.”

Bowden was chosen as the Paul Hornung Award winner from among four finalists by a 17-member national selection committee comprised of sports journalists, coaches and retired NFL players; online fan voting accounted for the 18th vote. All votes were independently tabulated by accounting firm Dean Dorton, one of the region’s largest accounting and advisory firms.