The Paul Hornung Award

Big Ten, Big 12, Conference USA, Mountain West Represented

Louisville, Ky. – October 22, 2018 – Three wide receivers and a defensive back, all of whom return kicks, combined for nearly 900 all-purpose yards and five touchdowns to earn the Paul Hornung Award Honor Roll for week eight of the college football season. Named to the weekly honor are Isaiah Harper (Old Dominion), Rondale Moore (Purdue), Kavontae Turpin (TCU) and Avery Williams (Boise State).

The Paul Hornung Award, now in its ninth season, is given annually to the most versatile player in major college football by the Louisville Sports Commission and football legend and Louisville native Paul Hornung. The winner and his family will be honored at the annual Paul Hornung Award dinner presented by Jewish Hospital Sports Medicine, to be held at the Galt House Hotel in downtown Louisville in March 2019. This will be the Paul Hornung Award’s third year as an associate member of the National College Football Awards Association.

Old Dominion senior wide receiver / return specialist Isaiah Harper returned a Western Kentucky missed field goal 83-yards to set up an ODU field goal with no time left to give the Monarchs a 37-34 win at WKU. Harper caught three passes for 81-yards, including a 44-yarder to set up the tying score at 27 and a 31-yarder to set up the tying the score at 34. He also returned six kickoffs for 136 yards and finished the game with 300 all-purpose yards.

Purdue true freshman wide receiver / return specialist Rondale Moore touched the ball receiving, rushing and returning kicks and punts; amassed 252 all-purpose yards; and scored twice in the Boilermakers’ 49-20 upset win over no. 2 Ohio State at home. Moore caught a nine-yard scoring pass in the second quarter that gave Purdue a 14-3 halftime lead, then broke several tackles on a 43-yard scoring reception in the fourth quarter to help seal the win.

TCU senior wide receiver / return specialist Kavontae Turner scored a pair of touchdowns and generated 212 all-purpose yards in TCU’s 53-28 loss to Oklahoma in Fort Worth. Turner returned a kickoff 99 yards for a score in the first quarter to tie the score at seven, and then hauled in a 41-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter when the Horned Frogs made a comeback run at OU. He caught five passes total and returned a punt 25 yards

Boise State sophomore defensive back / return specialist Avery Williams returned a kickoff for a touchdown, intercepted a pass and made five tackles in the Broncos’ 56-28 home win over Colorado State. Williams’ 34-yard interception return in the second quarter set up what proved to be Boise’s winning touchdown; his 44-yard kickoff return for a touchdown closed out the scoring. He was the second-leading tackler for the Broncos.

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.

Previous Paul Hornung Award winners by year:

• 2017: Saquon Barkley of Penn State won the award as an electrifying All-American running back who lined up at slot and wildcat quarterback, and returned kicks and punts;
• 2016: Jabrill Peppers of Michigan won the award by playing 15 different positions on defense, offense and special teams, and earning first team All-America at linebacker;
• 2015: Christian McCaffrey of Stanford won the award after breaking the NCAA record for all-purpose yards, finishing with 3,864;
• 2014: Shaq Thompson of Washington won the award as a two-way player, earning first team All-American honors at linebacker and finishing as the Husky’s second-leading rusher at tailback;
• 2013: Odell Beckham Jr. of LSU won the award 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;
• 2012: Tavon Austin of West Virginia won the award as one of two players in the nation with more than 500 yards in three different categories (rushing, receiving and kick returns);
• 2011: Brandon Boykin of Georgia won the award after excelling on defense, offense and special teams; and
• 2010: Owen Marecic of Stanford won the inaugural Paul Hornung Award as a two-way starter and All Pac-10 performer at fullback and linebacker.

Texas Roadhouse signed on as presenting sponsor of the Paul Hornung Award in 2011 and will team with the Louisville Sports Commission to power fan voting again this season. College football fans nationwide will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite player during the regular season and again during the bowl season. For more information and to vote, go to www.louisvillesports.org/paul-hornung/award-poll/