Three Missouri Valley Football Conference players have been named finalists for the 2024 Stats Perform Walter Payton Award: Missouri State QB Jacob Clark; South Dakota State QB Mark Gronowski; and North Dakota State QB Cam Miller.
#12 QB Jacob Clark, Missouri State, 6-5, 220, Sr., Rockwall (Texas) High
Team captain … Four-time MVFC Offensive Player of the Week (9/16, 9/30, 10/14, 11/11) … Broke Missouri State single-season record for passing yards (3,604), completions (262) and touchdowns (26) … Leads MVFC in passing yards (3,604), total offense (300.7), passing yards per game (300.3), passing touchdowns (26), completions per game (21.83), while ranking 2nd in the MVFC in pass efficiency (169.8) and completion percentage (.697) … National leader in yards per pass attempt (9.95), and No. 4 nationally in pass efficiency, passing yards and passing yards per game, No. 5 in completion percentage, No. 7 in total offense and No. 9 in passing touchdowns … Passed for 200+ yards in 11 games and 300+ yards six times … Passed for 3 or more TDs six times … Logged career-high 431 yards passing with 4 TDs at Murray State (11/9) … Completed 28-of-33 passes in win over Lindenwood for 302 yards, 2 TDs.
#11 QB Mark Gronowski, South Dakota State, 6-3, 230, Sr., Naperville, Ill./Neuqua Valley H.S.
Four-year starter who has compiled a 47-5 career record as the Jackrabbits’ signal-caller … overall in 12 games, completed 173-of-280 passes (61.8 percent) for 2,190 yards with 17 touchdowns and 6 interceptions … 143.2 pass efficiency rating threw only one interception in eight league games … also rushed 73 times for 309 yards and 5 touchdowns … 2023 Walter Payton Award winner … two-time MVFC Offensive Player of the Year (2020-21, co-player of the year in 2023) … first-team all-league in 2020-21 and 2023; second-team selection in 2022
#7 QB Cam Miller, North Dakota State, 6-1, 212, Sr., Solon, Iowa (Solon HS)
Leads the MVFC in completion percentage (.742) and pass efficiency (179.9) and ranks second with 2,340 passing yards and 23 touchdowns...Went 190-for-256 passing with only one interception...Added 370 yards rushing and seven touchdowns...Fourth in the MVFC averaging 225.8 total offense yards per game...Two-time MVFC Offensive Player of the Week, including the season opener at Colorado where he had 358 yards of total offense and three TDs...Four-year starter with a 41-11 record as starting quarterback...NDSU career record sixteen 200-yard passing games, including five this year...School-record 8,810 career passing yards and 324 consecutive pass attempts without interception...MVFC quarterback record 43 career rushing touchdowns... 2023 Stats Perform All-America second team...2023 All-MVFC second team.
35 FCS Offensive Standouts Named Finalists for 2024 Walter Psyton Award
Stats Perform has announced a list of 35 finalists for the 2024 Walter Payton Award, which is presented to the national offensive player of the year in Division I FCS college football.
The award, in its 38th season and affectionately known as the Heisman of the FCS, is named for legendary running back Walter Payton, who starred at Jackson State as part of his Hall of Fame career. Past recipients include Steve McNair, Tony Romo, Brian Westbrook, Jimmy Garoppolo, Cooper Kupp and Trey Lance.
All 13 FCS conferences are represented by a finalist. The winner, to be selected by a national voting panel, will be announced at the Stats Perform FCS National Awards Banquet on Jan. 4 in Frisco, Texas.
2024 WALTER PAYTON AWARD FINALISTS
QUARTERBACK
Zach Calzada, UIW, Grad, 6-4, 200 (Southland Conference)
288 of 440 (65.5%), 3,351 yards, 33 TDs, 8 INTs; 222 rush yards, 4 TDs (12 games)
Jacob Clark, Missouri State, Sr., 6-5, 220 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
262 of 376 (69.7%), 3,604 yards, 26 TDs, 6 INTs; 1 rush TD (12 games)
Jaden Craig, Harvard, Jr., 6-2, 215 (Ivy League)
169 of 279 (60.6%), 2,430 yards, 23 TDs, 3 INTs; 1 rush TD (10 games)
Paxton DeLaurent, Southeast Missouri, Sr., 6-5, 229 (Big South-OVC Football Association)
320 of 533 (60.0%), 3,520 yards, 29 TDs, 10 INTs; 96 rush yards, 3 TDs (12 games)
Cole Gonzales, Western Carolina, Jr., 6-0, 195 (Southern Conference)
205 of 332 (61.7%), 2,543 yards, 12 TDs, 7 TDs; 212 rush yards, 2 TDs (8 games)
Mark Gronowski, South Dakota State, Sr., 6-3, 225 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
173 of 280 (61.8%), 2,190 yards, 17 TDs, 6 INTs; 309 rush yards, 5 TDs (12 games)
Miles Hastings, UC Davis, Sr., 6-1, 225 (Big Sky Conference)
303 of 436 (69.5%), 3,745 yards, 32 TDs, 8 INTs; 1 rush TD (12 games)
Maverick McIvor, Abilene Christian, Grad, 6-2, 210 (United Athletic Conference)
292 of 467 (62.5%), 3,675 yards, 29 yards, 5 TDs (12 games)
Tommy Mellott, Montana State, Sr., 6-0, 209 (Big Sky Conference)
149 of 217 (68.7%), 1,980 yards, 22 TDs, 1 INT; 633 rush yards, 11 TDs (12 games)
Cam Miller, North Dakota State, Sr., 6-1, 213 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
190 of 256 (74.2%), 2,340 yards, 23 TDs, 1 INT; 370 rush yards, 7 TDs (12 games)
Eric Phoenix, South Carolina State, Grad, 6-3, 210 (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference)
170 of 261 (65.1%), 2,460 yards, 20 TDs, 7 INTs; 225 rush yards, 2 TDs (11 gamea)
Daniel Richardson, Florida A&M, Grad, 5-10, 205 (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
212 of 304 (69.7%), 2,469 yards, 21 TDs, 8 INTs (11 games)
Derek Robertson, Monmouth, Sr., 6-2, 200 (CAA Football)
283 of 435 (65.1%), 3,937 yards, 31 TDs, 6 INTs (12 games)
Ralph Rucker IV, Bucknell, Sr., 6-0, 210 (Patriot League)
244 of 363 (67.2%), 2,826 yards, 25 TDs, 7 INTs; 100 rush yards, 4 TDs (11 games)
Sam Vidlak, Stephen F. Austin, Jr., 6-1, 207 (Southland Conference)
174 of 257 (67.7%), 2,387 yards, 27 TDs, 4 INTs (9 games)
Jameson Wang, Cornell, Sr., 6-1, 205 (Ivy League)
244 of 378 (64.6%), 24 TDs, 11 INTs; 500 rush yards, 7 TDs (10 games)
RUNNING BACK
Mari Adams, Davidson, Jr., 5-10, 210 (Pioneer Football League)
187 carries, 1,231 yards (6.6 ypc), 15 TDs (11 games)
Hope Adebayo, St. Thomas, Sr., 5-8, 201 (Pioneer Football League)
180 carries, 1,137 yards (6.3 ypc), 9 TDs; 8 receptions, 29 yards (11 games)
Kayvon Britten, Tarleton State, Sr., 5-7, 195 (United Athletic Conference)
287 carries, 1,750 yards (6.1 ypc), 16 TDs; 10 receptions, 120 yards, 1 TD (12 games)
Jermaine Corbett, Merrimack, Sr., 5-9, 195 (FCS Independent)
189 carries, 1,058 yards (5.6 ypc), 9 TDs; 20 receptions, 204 yards, 1 TD; 503 KOR yards, 2 TD (11 games)
Jamar Curtis, Lafayette, Jr., 5-8, 164 (Patriot League)
229 carries, 1,139 yards (5.0 ypc), 16 TDs; 30 receptions, 232 yards, 1 TD (12 games)
Roland Dempster, Stony Brook, R-Sr., 6-0, 225 (CAA Football)
268 carries, 1,332 yards (5.0 ypc), 18 TDs; 32 receptions, 335 yards, 1 TD (12 games)
Malachi Hosley, Penn, So., 5-10, 205 (Ivy League)
191 carries, 1,192 yards (6.2 ypc), 9 TDs; 12 receptions, 89 yards (10 games)
Elijah Howard, Central Connecticut State, RB, So., 5-11, 176 (Northeast Conference)
209 carries, 833 yards (4.0 ypc), 8 TDs; 19 receptions, 193 yards, 1 (10 games)
Targhee Lambson, Southern Utah, Sr., 5-9, 200 (United Athletic Conference)
320 carries, 1,922 yards (6.0 ypc), 23 TDs; 5 receptions, 43 yards (12 games)
Lan Larison, UC Davis, Sr., 6-0, 195 (Big Sky Conference)
255 carries, 1,321 yards (5.2 ypc), 14 TDs; 58 receptions, 755 yards, 6 TDs (12 games)
Antonio Martin Jr., Southeastern Louisiana, So., 5-11, 220 (Southland Conference)
230 carries, 1,228 yards (5.3 ypc), 11 TDs; 20 receptions, 74 yards (12 games)
Dwayne McGee, Mercer, Sr., 5-8, 180 (Southern Conference)
195 carries, 1,018 yards (5.2 ypc), 8 TDs; 12 receptions, 118 yards (12 games)
Irv Mulligan, Jackson State, Grad, 5-10, 205 (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
157 carries, 1,058 yards (6.7 ypc), 10 TDs; 3 receptions, 39 yards (10 games)
ShunDerrick Powell, Central Arkansas, Sr., 5-9, 180 (United Athletic Conference)
164 carries, 1,343 yards (8.2 ypc), 14 TDs; 36 receptions, 318 yards, 3 TDs (11 games)
J’Mari Taylor, North Carolina Central, R-Jr., 5-11, 200 (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference)
196 carries, 1,148 yards (5.9 ypc), 15 TDs; 30 receptions, 271 yards, 2 TDs (11 games)
WIDE RECEIVER
Jeff Caldwell, Lindenwood, Jr., 6-5, 200 (Big South-OVC Football Association)
53 receptions, 1,032 yards (19.5 ypc), 11 TDs (12 games)
Efton Chism III, Eastern Washington, Sr., 5-11, 200 (Big Sky Conference)
120 receptions, 1,311 yards (10.9 ypc), 13 TDs; 67 punt return yards (12 games)
Jalen Walthall, UIW, R-Jr., 6-2, 180 (Southland Conference)
70 receptions, 1,149 yards (16.4 ypc), 14 TDs (12 games)
OFFENSIVE LINE
Charles Grant, William & Mary, Sr., 6-4, 280 (CAA Football)
First Senior Bowl invite; 41 career starts; allowed only two sacks last three years (12 games)
In addition to the Walter Payton Award, the Buck Buchanan Award (FCS Defensive Player of the Year), Jerry Rice Award (FCS Freshman Player of the Year), Eddie Robinson Award (FCS Coach of the Year), Urban Edge Network HBCU+ Player of the Year and FedEx Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete of the Year will be presented at the Stats Perform awards banquet on Jan. 4 in Frisco, Texas.