The Paul Hornung Award

Award Presented by Texas Roadhouse to Nation’s Most Versatile Player

Louisville, Ky. – Nov. 7, 2023 – Six players representing every time zone in the continental U.S. earned the Paul Hornung Award Honor Roll in Week 10 of the college football season. Making the list are Jermaine Brown Jr., UAB; Travis Hunter, Colorado; Malik Sherrod, Fresno State; Jacquez Stuart, Toledo; LaJohntay Wester, FAU; and Isaiah Williams, Illinois.

For his performance in Fresno State’s win over Boise State, Sherrod will be honored by the National College Football Awards Association as the Paul Hornung Award National Player-of-the-Week.

UAB senior running back/return specialist Jermaine Brown Jr. touched the ball 29 times three different ways and scored once in the Blazers’ 45-42 home win over FAU. Brown carried the ball 22 times for 69 yards; caught four passes for 72 yards, including a 46-yard scoring strike in the first quarter, and returned three kickoffs for 69 yards. He accounted for seven first downs, including one running and one receiving on UAB’s game-winning field goal drive as time expired.

Colorado sophomore cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter played 126 snaps on offense, defense and special teams in Buffaloe’s 26-19 home loss to no. 16 Oregon State. He recorded 75 snaps on offense, where he led the team with eight receptions for 98 yards, including four first downs, and scored on a 15-yard pass early in the fourth quarter that put Colorado within striking distance. Hunter played 48 snaps on defense, made two tackles and deflected a pass.

Fresno junior running back/return specialist Malik Sherrod touched the ball 26 times three different ways for 255 all-purpose yards and two scores in the Bulldogs’ 37-30 home win over Boise State. He carried the ball 21 times for 132 yards, including a 52-yard scoring run with 1:49 remaining that put the game out of reach. Sherrod returned a kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown as time expired in the first half, caught four passes for 28 yards and accounted for six first downs from scrimmage.

Toledo junior running back/return specialist Jacquez Stuart returned the opening kickoff 97 yards for a score and finished the game with 17 touches three different ways and two scores in the Rockets’ 31-13 home win over Buffalo. Stuart carried the ball 14 times, including a 12-yard scoring run in the third quarter and caught two passes. He accounted for three first downs rushing, one first down receiving and 148 all-purpose yards.

FAU junior wide receiver/return specialist LaJohntay Wester touched the ball 14 times three different ways and racked up 245 all-purpose yards and four touchdowns in the Owls’ 45-42 loss at UAB. Wester scored pass receptions of 12, 20 and 76 yards and one three-yard run.  Three of his scores came in the second half when FAU battled back from a three-touchdown deficit. He accounted for five first downs receiving and one rushing and returned two punts for 43 yards.

Illinois junior wide receiver/return specialist Isaiah Williams touched the ball 17 times three different ways and scored twice, including the game-winner, in the Illini’s dramatic, 27-28 road win over Minnesota. Williams caught 13 passes for 131 yards, with a nine-yard scoring strike in the first quarter and a 46-yard bomb to pay dirt with :50 remaining for the win. He returned a punt 10 yards and fair caught a punt, carried the ball twice and accounted for seven first downs from scrimmage.

The Louisville Sports Commission 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. Each week during the regular season, a panel of college football experts selects players for the Paul Hornung Award Honor Roll based on performance. A national selection committee comprised of 17 sports journalists and former NFL stars votes for the Hornung Award finalists and the winner, with fan voting powered by Texas Roadhouse comprising the 18th vote. Regional accounting firm Dean Dorton independently tabulates all votes.

2023 Paul Hornung Award Honor Roll

• Week 1: Zachariah Branch, USC; Erik Brooks, Fresno State; Malik Fleming, Houston; Travis Hunter, Colorado; Jayden McGowan, Vanderbilt; Jalen McMillian, Washington
• Week 2: Phillip Brooks, Kansas State; Travis Hunter, Colorado; Braden Smith, Cincinnati; Lincoln Victor, Washington State
• Week 3: Jacob De Jesus, UNLV; Tory Horton, Colorado State; Parker Kingston, BYU; DJ Lundy, FSU’ Michael Wiley, Arizona
• Week 4: Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State; Jawhar Jordan, Louisville; Will Shipley, ACC; Cameron Skattebo, Arizona State
• Week 5: Ismail Mahdi, Texas State; Cameron Skattebo, Arizona State; Jacquez Stuart, Toledo; Blake Watson, Memphis
• Week 6: Silas Bolden, Oregon State; Ron Cook, Jr., Buffalo; Jalil Farooq, Oklahoma; Keegan Jones, UCLA
• Week 7: Travis Hunter, Colorado; Brennan Presley, Oklahoma State; Sione Vaki, Utah
• Week 8: Demond Claiborne, Wake Forest; Ron Cook Jr, Buffalo; Jacob De Jesus, UNLV; Sione Vaki, Utah
• Week 9: Coco Azema, Northwestern; Jabre Barber, Troy; Jared Brown, Coastal Carolina; Travis Hunter, Colorado; Cameron Skattebo, Arizona State