WEEK 9: Five Players Earn Paul Hornung Award Honor Roll in College Football Week Nine
Award Present by Texas Roadhouse to Nation’s Most Versatile Player
Louisville, Ky. – Oct. 31, 2023 – Five players earned the Paul Hornung Award Honor Roll in Week Nine of the college football season. Making the list are Coco Azema, Northwestern; Jabre Barber, Troy; Jared Brown, Coastal Carolina; Travis Hunter, Colorado; and Cameron Skattebo, Arizona State.
For his performance in Arizona State’s win over Washington State, Skattebo will be honored by the National College Football Awards Association as the Paul Hornung Award National Player-of-the-Week.
Northwestern senior defensive back/return specialist Coco Azema’s interception in the closing minutes sealed the Wildcats’ 33-27 home win over Maryland. The Terrapins had cut Northwestern’s lead to six points late in the game and were driving for the winning score when Azema made a diving interception at the eight-yard line with 1:25 to play. Azema also returned three kickoffs for 94 yards, including a 66-yard return in the third quarter that led to a Northwestern field goal. He made four tackles and had one pass deflection.
Troy junior wide receiver/return specialist Jabre Barber touched the ball 12 times three different ways and scored what proved to be the winning touchdown in the Trojans’ 31-13 road win over Texas State. Barber caught 10 passes for 160 yards, including a 29-yard scoring strike early in the third quarter that gave Troy a lead it would not relinquish. He also returned a punt 35 yards, had one carry for eight yards and accounted for five first downs.
Coastal Carolina sophomore wide receiver/return specialist Jared Brown touched the ball nine times three different ways and scored twice in the Chanticleers’ 34-6 home win over Marshall. Brown caught five passes for 117 yards and two touchdowns, including a 20-yard score in the second quarter that proved to be the game-winner. He added three carries for 26 yards, returned one punt and accounted for four first downs from scrimmage.
Colorado sophomore defensive back/wide receiver Travis Hunter played more than 100 snaps on offense, defense and special teams and recorded two interceptions and four tackles in the Buffaloes’ 28-16 road loss to UCLA. Hunter’s first interception led to a Colorado field goal in the second quarter and his second pick gave the Buffaloes the ball near midfield. Hunter caught three passes against the Bruins’ stout defense that was bracketing him the entire game.
Arizona State junior running back / punter Cameron Skattebo touched the ball 13 times three different ways and scored once in the Sun Devils’ hard-fought, 38-27 home win over Washington State. Skattebo lined up at several positions in the backfield, carried the ball 11 times for 121 yards, including a 66-yard scamper that set up his two-yard rushing touchdown. He caught one pass for three yards and had a 39-yard punt from the Wildcat quarterback position. Skattebo accounted for five first downs receiving.
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