A total of 12 MVFC student-athletes and coaches are on the list for the Payton (3), Buchanan (5), Rice (2) or Robinson (2) awards.


2017 STATS FCS Awards
Monday, Nov. 20, 2017
FCS Coverage: http://www.fcs.football/fcsfront.asp
 
STATS Announces 2017 FCS Awards Finalists
(STATS) - A national panel of voters on Monday began to select the STATS FCS legacy awards, which honor the players and coach of the year.  The lists of nominees were pared to finalists for the STATS FCS Walter Payton Award (FCS offensive player of the year), STATS FCS Buck Buchanan Award (FCS defensive player of the year), STATS FCS Jerry Rice Award (FCS freshman player of the year) and STATS FCS Eddie Robinson Award (FCS coach of the year).  All four awards and the STATS FCS Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete of the Year will be celebrated at the STATS FCS Awards Banquet and Presentation, scheduled for Jan. 5 in Frisco, Texas, on the eve of the national championship game.

The voting panel consists of over 150 sports information and media relations directors, broadcasters, writers and other dignitaries. Voting is based on the regular season.

2017 STATS FCS AWARDS
WALTER PAYTON AWARD FINALISTS
(FCS Offensive Player of the Year)
Dominick Bragalone, RB, Jr. - Lehigh; Jeremiah Briscoe, QB, Sr. - Sam Houston State; Chandler Burks, QB, Jr. - Kennesaw State; Taryn Christion, QB, Jr. - South Dakota State; Case Cookus, QB, So. - Northern Arizona; Keelan Doss, WR, Jr. - UC Davis; Dallas Goedert, TE, Sr. - South Dakota State; Gage Gubrud, QB, Jr. - Eastern Washington; Hayden Hildebrand, QB, Sr. - Central Arkansas; Devlin Hodges, QB, Jr. - Samford; Chad Kanoff, QB, Sr. - Princeton; DeVante Kincade, QB, Sr. - Grambling State; Kyle Lauletta, QB, Sr. - Richmond; Anthony Lawrence, QB, Jr. - San Diego; Josh Mack, RB, So. - Maine; Detrez Newsome, RB, Sr. - Western Carolina; Neil O'Connor, WR, Jr. - New Hampshire; Brandon Parker, OT, Sr. - North Carolina A&T; Troy Pelletier, WR, Sr. - Lehigh; Lamar Raynard, QB, Jr. - North Carolina A&T; Bryan Schor, QB, Sr. - James Madison; Chris Streveler, QB, Sr. - South Dakota, QB; Tommy Stuart, QB, Grad - Duquesne; Roc Thomas, RB, Sr. - Jacksonville State; Justin Watson, WR, Sr. - Penn

#3 QB Taryn Christion, South Dakota State, 6-2, 225, Jr., Sioux Falls, S.D. (Roosevelt H.S.)
Completed 199-of-332 passes (59.9 percent) for 2,854 yards … threw 28 touchdown passes against only seven interceptions … threw for at least one touchdown pass in all eight league games and topped the 300-yard mark three times … also rushed for 429 yards and seven touchdowns, including 84-yarder in win over Illinois State … 2016 MVFC Offensive Player of the Year and first-team all-MVFC … has tied school career record for touchdown passes with 65 

#86 TE Dallas Goedert, South Dakota State, 6-5, 260, Sr., Britton, S.D. (Britton-Hecla H.S.)
Led team in receptions (60) and receiving yards (966) with five touchdowns … leads all Division I tight ends in receiving yards this season … topped the 100-yard mark five times in league games and six times total in 2017 … twice caught 11 passes in a game – at Montana State and at South Dakota … high yardage total was 170 yards on eight catches with a touchdown at Missouri State … two-time first-team all-MVFC honoree (2015, 2016) and a unanimous All-America selection in 2016 … has been selected to play in the Senior Bowl

#15 QB Chris Streveler, USD, 6-3, 215, Sr., Crystal Lake (Ill.), Univ. of Minnesota
Team captain … finalist for National Player of the Year … broke USD single-season records for total offense (3,871 yds) and passing yards (3,236) … accounted for 33 touchdowns against five turnovers in 10 games … leads the Valley in completion pct.., passing yards per game, and total offense … is also the eighth-leading rusher in the league with the third-most rushing TDs … attempted 195 passes before throwing an interception … twice passed for more than 400 yards … passed for 306, ran for 119, and had four touchdowns in a win vs. Bowling Green


BUCK BUCHANAN AWARD FINALISTS
(FCS Defensive Player of the Year)
Andrew Ankrah, DE, Sr. - James Madison; Mike Basile, SS, Sr. - Monmouth; Marlon Bridges, FS, So. - Jacksonville State; Brandon Bryant, LB, Sr. - Lafayette; Josh Buss, LB, Jr. - Montana; De'Arius Christmas, LB, Jr. - Grambling State; Nick DeLuca, LB, Sr. - North Dakota State; Garrett Dolan, LB, Sr. - Houston Baptist; Malik Duncan, CB, Sr. - Saint Francis; Anthony Ellis, DE, Sr. - Charleston Southern; Jared Farley, LB, Sr. - Northern Iowa; Ahmad Gooden, DE, Jr. - Samford; P.J. Hall, DL, Sr. - Sam Houston State; Davontae Harris, CB, Sr. - Illinois State; Darius Jackson, DE, Sr. - Jacksonville State; Mario Jenkins, LB, Sr. - Idaho State; Darius Leonard, LB, Sr. - South Carolina State; Warren Messer, LB, Jr. - Elon; Matthew Oplinger, OLB, Sr. - Yale; Jonathan Peterson, DE, Sr. - San Diego; Christian Rozeboom, LB, So. - South Dakota State; Tremon Smith, CB, Sr. - Central Arkansas; Brett Taylor, LB, Sr. - Western Illinois; Sione Teuhema, LB, Sr. - Southeastern Louisiana; Jaison Williams, DE, So. - Austin Peay

#49 LB Nick DeLuca, NDSU, 6-3, 245, Sr., Omaha (Neb.)
Two-time Butkus Award nominee…Buck Buchanan Award finalist…2015 All-MVFC first team…Back for fifth season after a season-ending injury in 2016…Has 51 tackles, 6.0 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks nearly all in conference play…Missed two non-conference games due to injury and played sparingly in lopsided season-opening win…Season-high 12 tackles including 10 solos in the win at Youngstown State…Two forced fumbles in the win over UNI…Also has two pass breakups...Career totals include 306 tackles, 21.5 TFLs, 5.5 sacks, six INTs, 10 PBUs and four fumbles forced in 55 games.

#46 LB Jared Farley UNI, 5-11, 224, Sr., Cedar Falls, Iowa
Started all 11 games this season, for a total of 36 total for his career at UNI… Farley’s 109 total tackles this season rank 16th in the FCS and are second overall in the MVFC…Has also recorded one sack, one QB hurry, one interception and two fumble recoveries… His fumble recovery against Cal Poly was returned 48 yards for a touchdown… Following his performance against Cal Poly, was named the MVFC Co-Def. POW… Preseason All-MVFC First Team, STATS FCS Preseason All-American Second Team… Buck Buchanan Award Watch List… William V. Campbell Trophy Semifinalist… Co-captain.

#10 DB Davontae Harris, Illinois State, 6-0, 205, Sr., Wichita, Kan., South HS
Started all 11 games at cornerback for the Redbirds … led the team and tied for second in the MVFC with 14 passes defended (12 PBU, 2 INT) … ranked third on the team with 57 tackles, including two sacks and 4.5 TFLs … also credited with three quarterback hurries … recorded a season-high 11 tackles in win over South Dakota … had seven tackles and 2 TFLs vs. Western Illinois … had a career-high four PBUs at South Dakota State.

#2 LB Christian Rozeboom, SDSU, 6-2, 225, So., Sioux Center, Iowa (Sioux Center H.S.)
Team’s leading tackler for second year in a row, tallying 103 stops in 11 games … also led team with seven tackles for loss, including a sack … recorded 10 or more tackles in a game seven times, highlighted by 18-tackle performance at Missouri State … MVFC Defensive Player of the Week after 10-tackle performance with interception and fumble recovery at Western Illinois … also broke up three passes and blocked a kick this season … first-team all-MVFC in 2016

#44 Brett Taylor, Western Illinois, 6-2, 230, Sr., Macomb (Ill.) High 
Leads FCS with 150 tackles, 13.6 per game and 90 assisted stops... 13.0 TFLs, 1.5 sacks, four breakups, two FF and a QB hurry... MVFC Defensive Player of the Week after matching program-record with 28 tackles (fifth in MVFC history) vs. USD. His 18 assisted stops were the second-most in a single game in program history... Recorded double-digit tackles in all but three games in 2017, compiling 17, one for a loss, at North Dakota State, 16 with two for a loss, one sack and two breakups against Missouri State (MVFC Defensive Player of the Week), 16 with one for a loss against Southern Illinois, 14, 0.5 for a loss, against South Dakota State and 13 with 1.5 for a loss and a half-sack at Northern Iowa... Also earned MVFC Defensive Player of the Week after making eight tackles, two for a loss, at Coastal Carolina... Has led Western Illinois in stops in 15 of the last 16 games, including all but one contest this year... Team Captain... Has made 38 straight starts... 2016 First Team All-America (STATS, Walter Camp Football Foundation, College Sports Madness), 2016 Second Team All-America (AP)... Finished seventh in the Buck Buchanan Award voting in 2016.... 2016 First Team All-MVFC... 2016 First Team Academic All-MVFC... 2015 Second Team All-MVFC... 2015 Second Team Academic All-MVFC... Won three MVFC Defensive Player of the Week awards between 2015 and 2016. 


JERRY RICE AWARD FINALISTS
(FCS Freshman Player of the Year)
Troy Anderson, RB/LB - Montana State; Bryson Armstrong, LB - Kennesaw State; Grant Breneman, QB - Colgate; Davis Cheek, QB - Elon; Jabril Cox, LB - North Dakota State; Kierre Crossley, RB - Central Arkansas; Glenn Cunningham, LB - Fordham; Zane Dudek, RB - Yale; Wesley Dugger, RB - Davidson; Reynard Ellis, LB - Furman; Jaron Grayer, LB - Maine; Pete Guerriero, RB - Monmouth; Gresch Jensen, QB - Montana; Anthony Knighton, DE - Southern Illinois; Torrance Marable, RB - Presbyterian; Franklin "Mac" McCain III, CB - North Carolina A&T; Caylin Newton, QB - Howard; Kaelan Riley, QB - Mercer, QB; Vincent Sellers, S - Tennessee State; Daniel Smith, QB - Campbell

#42 LB Jabril Cox, NDSU, 6-3, 227, RFr., Kansas City (Mo.) Raytown South HS
Jerry Rice Award finalist…Two-time MVFC Newcomer of the Week…Leads NDSU with 52 tackles and 9.0 tackles for loss…Also has 4.0 sacks, one interception, two breakups, three QB hurries, one forced fumble and one recovery…NDSU’s leading tackler on special teams…Played all 11 games and made four of the last five starts after being thrust into the lineup for the second half at Youngstown State…STATS FCS National Freshman of the Week after making a season-high eight tackles including two sacks and a key TFL in overtime of the win at YSU…His 32-yard INT return at Illinois State set up a four-play scoring drive.

#95 DL Anthony Knighton, Southern Illinois, 6-2, 246, r-Fr., Fort Pierce (Fla.) Central HS
Jerry Rice Award Finalist ... Led all MVFC freshmen in sacks, tackles for loss, and tackle for loss yardage ... Southern Illinois freshmen records for sacks and tackles for loss ... Third nationally among freshmen in tackles for loss (11.0) and fourth in sacks (6.5) ... Led Southern Illinois in sacks, tackles for loss, and QB hurries ... Second on the team in forced fumbles (2) ... 39 tackles (27 solo) and started all 11 games.


EDDIE ROBINSON AWARD FINALISTS
(FCS Coach of the Year)
Mike Ayers, Wofford; Al Bagnoli, Columbia; Brian Bohannon, Kennesaw State; Rod Broadway, North Carolina A&T; Kevin Callahan, Monmouth; Dave Cecchini, Valparaiso; Curt Cignetti, Elon; Charlie Fisher, Western Illinois; John Grass, Jacksonville State; Will Healy, Austin Peay; Mike Houston, James Madison; Dan Hunt, Colgate; Chris Klieman, North Dakota State; Mike London, Howard; Fred McNair, Alcorn State; Tim Rebowe, Nicholls; Pete Rossomando, Central Connecticut State; Demario Warren, Southern Utah

CHARLIE FISHER
Fisher has led the Leathernecks to an 8-3 record and a berth in the FCS Playoffs, where Western Illinois will travel to Weber State for a first round matchup at 3 p.m. on Saturday (Nov. 25). The Leathernecks have recorded eight regular season wins for the first time since 2003.  The second-year head coach at Western Illinois has thrived on the road, posting a 10-3 record away from Macomb. The Leathernecks' six road wins this season is a program record, and Western Illinois began this campaign with three road wins in their first three contests for the very first time in program history.   One of those away victories was a 52-10 throttling of Coastal Carolina on Sept. 23, which thanks to a 28-23 triumph at Northern Illinois last year, gave the Leathernecks back-to-back FBS wins for the first time since 2002-03.  Western Illinois is the second head-coaching stop for Fisher, who is 14-8 during his tenure with the Leathernecks. From 1993-97, Fisher was the head coach at West Georgia, where he posted a 36-17 record with a share of the 1997 Gulf South Conference Championship and two postseason appearances.   With more than 30 years of college coaching experience, Fisher has also spent time as an assistant at Richmond, Penn State, Miami (Ohio), Vanderbilt, Temple, North Carolina State, West Georgia, Lenoir-Rhyne, Ole Miss and Eastern Kentucky. He was a graduate assistant on the 1982 Eastern Kentucky team that won the FCS National Championship.

CHRIS KLIEMAN
Klieman, who won his 50th game as NDSU head coach last week at Illinois State, is just the fifth Bison coach to reach that mark and the second fastest to 50 wins behind Ron Erhardt.  He has a 50-6 record at NDSU and has guided the Bison to their seventh straight Missouri Valley Football Conference championship.  Klieman was a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award in 2014 and 2016.  The Bison are 28-4 in the Missouri Valley Football Conference the past four seasons, have gone 30-5 against FCS Top 25 teams, and have an FBS Top 25 win over No. 11 Iowa.  North Dakota State is 10-1 this season and has an FCS-best six Top 25 victories.  The Bison earned the No. 2 overall seed for the FCS playoffs and will host a second round game Saturday, Dec. 2, against the winner of this week's first round game between Northern Arizona and San Diego.  Named for the legendary coach of Grambling State, past winners of the Eddie Robinson Award include Mark Duffner, Erk Russell, Chris Ault, Jim Tressel, Houston Nutt, Andy Talley, Paul Johnson, Joe Glenn, Jerry Kill, Jerry Moore and two-time winners Mickey Matthews, Sean McDonnell and Craig Bohl.