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2016 FCS AWARDS BANQUETBanquet Coordinators: Brian Orefice, Justin Einhorn, Brett Huston, Philip Sokol and Craig Haley

Graphic Designer: Jeffrey Reitzes

Awards Program Writers: Taylor Bechtold, Matt Becker, Paul DiGiacomo, Justin Einhorn, Scott Garbarini, Craig Haley, Brett Huston, Jeff Mezydlo and Jon Palmieri

STATS FCS Website: www.fcs.football

For future FCS business and advertising inquiries, please contactBrian Orefice at borefice@stats.com.

STATS LLC Global Headquarters203 North LaSalle St.

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TABLE OF CONTENTSPage

Welcoming Letters 4-5FCS Awards Finalists 7Jeremiah Briscoe – Walter Payton Award Finalist 8Gage Gubrud – Walter Payton Award Finalist 10Cooper Kupp – Walter Payton Award Finalist 12Dylan Cole – Buck Buchanan Award Finalist 14P.J. Hall – Buck Buchanan Award Finalist 16Karter Schult – Buck Buchanan Award Finalist 18A.J. Hines – Jerry Rice Award Recipient 20Tyler Swafford – Doris Robinson Award Recipient 22K.C. Keeler – Eddie Robinson Award Recipient 242016 FCS Season in Review 262016 FCS Playoff Bracket 27STATS FCS Awards Namesakes 30-31FCS Past Awards Winners 32Past NCAA Division I FCS Championship Game Results 332016 STATS FCS All-America First Team 34Master of Ceremonies and FCS Awards Voters 35Autographs 36

WELCOMEPassion. Precision. Velocity. A few months ago, STATS tweaked its logo and added a tagline. It consisted of just three words, meant to simply reflect our love of sport, the detail we embed into our products and the momentum of our creative process. Such a motto could easily be transferred to the FCS. The ingredients for team success are rooted in a passion for the game; precision shows itself in every play as 11 work as one; and velocity can be found as easily in a quarterback’s strike as a linebacker’s hit. In the summer of 2015, STATS took on a significant initiative to shine a light on the subdivision’s best and brightest, and, with over 2.5 million page views over the past year on www.fcs.football, it’s safe to say we’ve found an audience. Of course, tonight also marks a noteworthy milestone in FCS history. Thirty seasons ago, Colgate’s Kenny Gamble walked away with the first Walter Payton Award, given to the FCS’ top player, and Holy Cross’ Mark Duffner took home the initial Eddie Robinson Award, handed out to its top coach. Those honors were the brainchild of Mickey Charles, who graciously worked with STATS to allow us to take over custodianship of such incredible hardware and history. Along with the Buck Buchanan, Jerry Rice and Doris Robinson Awards, it’s an absolute honor to be associated with such esteemed namesakes. Just as importantly, it’s been a privilege to cover you. Here’s to the continued success of STATS and the FCS working together - with passion, precision and velocity.

Brian OreficeSTATS News Director

FCS SUPPORTERS PageSouthland Conference Inside CoverBig South Conference 2Colonial Athletic Association 6Sam Houston State University 9Eastern Washington University 11Big Sky Conference 13Missouri State University 15Northeast Conference 17University of Northern Iowa 19Duquesne University 21Eastern Kentucky University 23Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference 25Missouri Valley Football Conference 27Ohio Valley Conference 28Pioneer Football League 28Patriot League 29Southern Conference 29Southwestern Athletic Conference Back InsideSTATS LLC. Back Cover

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DORIS ROBINSON AWARD FINALISTS (FCS Scholar-Athlete of the Year)Christopher Beaschler LB DaytonCasey DeAndrade CB New HampshireLance Geesey PK Saint FrancisLucas Holder OL LibertyMichael Hurns LB Alcorn StateBrian Labat LB North DakotaDavid Marvin PK Wofford

2016 STATS FCS AWARDS FINALISTSWALTER PAYTON AWARD FINALISTS(FCS Offensive Player of the Year)Khalid Abdullah RB James MadisonJeremiah Briscoe QB Sam Houston State Dillon Buechel QB Duquesne Taryn Christion QB South Dakota StateTarik Cohen RB North Carolina A&TJulie’n Davenport LT BucknellChase Edmonds RB FordhamAustin Gahafer QB Morehead StateDallas Goedert TE South Dakota StateGage Gubrud QB Eastern WashingtonKarel Hamilton WR SamfordDe’Angelo Henderson RB Coastal CarolinaDevlin Hodges QB SamfordKD Humphries QB Murray StateEli Jenkins QB Jacksonville StateDeVante Kincade QB Grambling StateCooper Kupp WR Eastern WashingtonKyle Lauletta QB RichmondKamron Lewis WR Saint FrancisTyrell Maxwell QB Gardner-WebbTroy Pelletier WR LehighBryan Schor QB James MadisonLenard Tillery RB SouthernJustin Watson WR PennJake Wieneke WR South Dakota State

BUCK BUCHANAN AWARD FINALISTS(FCS Defensive Player of the Year)Pat Afriyie DE ColgateDarien Anderson LB Alcorn StateMike Basile S MonmouthChristopher Beaschler LB DaytonDylan Cole LB Missouri StateWinston Craig DE RichmondKeionta Davis DE ChattanoogaDee Delaney CB The CitadelGarrett Dolan LB Houston BaptistAnthony Ellis DE Charleston SouthernChad Geter LB Gardner-WebbP.J. Hall DE Sam Houston StateDarius Jackson DE Jacksonville StateLorenzo Jerome S Saint FrancisJavancy Jones DE Jackson StateTanoh Kpassagnon DE VillanovaChristian Kuntz LB DuquesneDarius Leonard LB South Carolina StateFolarin Orimolade LB DartmouthDonald Payne S StetsonCole Reyes S North DakotaDerek Rivers DE Youngstown StateKarter Schult DE Northern IowaAlex Searce LB Coastal CarolinaBrett Taylor LB Western Illinois

EDDIE ROBINSON AWARD FINALISTS(FCS Coach of the Year)Brian Bohannon Kennesaw State Big South ConferenceRod Broadway North Carolina A&T Mid-Eastern Athletic ConferenceSteve Campbell Central Arkansas Southland ConferenceAndy Coen Lehigh Patriot LeagueBroderick Fobbs Grambling State Southwestern Athletic ConferenceMike Houston James Madison CAA FootballK.C. Keeler Sam Houston State Southland ConferenceChris Klieman North Dakota State Missouri Valley Football ConferenceDale Lindsey San Diego Pioneer Football LeagueJerry Mack North Carolina Central Mid-Eastern Athletic ConferenceBubba Schweigert North Dakota Big Sky ConferenceJason Simpson UT Martin Ohio Valley ConferenceBob Surace Princeton Ivy LeagueBrent Thompson The Citadel Southern ConferenceChris Villarrial Saint Francis Northeast Conference

JERRY RICE AWARD FINALISTS(FCS Freshman Player of the Year)Tyrie Adams QB Western CarolinaJordan Bentley RB Alabama A&MMarlon Bridges S Jacksonville StateElijah Burress QB CampbellStephen Calvert QB LibertyJaylan Foster CB Gardner-WebbChase Fourcade QB NichollsA.J. Hines RB DuquesneTorrey Hunt CB North DakotaPop Lacey S New HampshireSully Laiche DE NichollsJoe Logan RB Northern ArizonaJerry Louie-McGee WR MontanaSteven Newbold WR Tennessee StateCorey Parker S William & MaryAlex Probert PK LibertyMax Roberts LB FordhamChristian Rozeboom LB South Dakota StateShane Simpson RB/RS TowsonPrince Smith Jr. CB New HampshireGee Stanley LB Robert MorrisRyan Stanley QB Florida A&MNathan Stewart WR Sam Houston State

Ernest Mengoni OL Delaware StateKarter Schult DE Northern IowaTyler Swafford QB Eastern KentuckyMarlon Walls S Stephen F. AustinJustin Watson WR PennJake Wieczorek WR/RS Holy Cross

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All Jeremiah Briscoe asked for was a chance to compete. Well, he got it, and now his name could be in the record books for quite some time.

There was no shortage of interest in Briscoe when UAB shut down its football program in December 2014, but he found exactly what he was looking for at Sam Houston State despite a situation that others may have shied away from. Briscoe was nothing short of phenomenal during a 2016 season that has made him a finalist for the STATS FCS Walter Payton Award as Offensive Player of the Year.

All the rifle-armed quarterback did was set the FCS single-season record with 57 touchdown passes, pile up 4,096 passing yards in the regular season to lead the nation’s top-ranked offense and direct the unbeaten Bearkats to the No. 1 ranking in the STATS FCS Top 25 and the No. 5 seed in the FCSplayoffs.

“We had a starting QB in place and Jeremiah came anyway,” said Sam Houston State coach

K.C. Keeler, the STATS FCS Eddie Robinson Award winner. “His whole thing was really simple, ‘you give me a chance to compete, this is where I want to be.’ There’s a high percentage of Division I transfers that would’ve stayed away from our situation. He didn’t and we’re all blessed that he’s here.”

Making Briscoe’s accomplishments even more impressive - if that’s possible – were most of his statistics came without the benefit of a full game. He often sat the fourth quarter because so many of Sam Houston’s games were decided by that point.

“It was just a matter of getting the opportunity,” Briscoe said. “I knew that if I got the opportunity, I would make the most of it.”

Future generations have proof that he did.

- Jon Palmieri

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Heading into his first career start in Eastern Washington’s 2016 opener, Gage Gubrud’s goal was simply to keep his starting job. His breakout performance left little doubt he should be the Eagles’ QB. The redshirt sophomore racked up a school-record 551 offensive yards, threw five touchdowns and ran in a 30-yard score in the closing minutes to help EWU upset Washington State.

That was just the beginning for Gubrud, who directed the Eagles to a Big Sky Conference championship, No. 2 seed in the FCS playoffs and was named the conference’s co-offensive MVP with teammate Cooper Kupp.

Despite his success, Gubrud still approaches his job like he’s battling for playing time.

“I got to go out there and produce or I might not get another shot,” he said.

While it may seem strange the FCS leader in total offense has that mind-set, it shouldn’t come as a surprise given Gubrud’s journey.

After not receiving a scholarship offer from a Division I program, Eastern Washington said he could walk on. He redshirted his first season and as a freshman last year attempted just 12 passes.

He entered last spring buried on the depth chart and was frustrated.

“I remember calling my parents and was, ‘Hey, I’m not getting a shot,’” he said. “And after our first scrimmage, I played really well. I went from splitting No. 1 reps and then after the next scrimmage I played really well, then I took all the No. 1 reps and I’ve never looked back from there.”

He was rewarded with a full scholarship earlier this fall – his primary personal goal upon arriving at EWU – and is still chasing his ultimate team goal, an FCS title.

“It’s been a crazy ride,” he said. “It was a process for sure and it wasn’t easy, but it was all worth it.”

- Matt Becker

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There’s no doubting Cooper Kupp is the greatest receiver in FCS history. You just wouldn’t know it by talking to him.

The soon-to-be NFL draft pick took home the Jerry Rice Award following his freshman season, won the STATS FCS Offensive Player of the Year after his junior year and now has a chance to repeat as one of the last three finalists for the Walter Payton Award.

For a player who has been a star ever since arriving at Eastern Washington, Kupp is overly gracious, strikingly humble and extremely appreciative of those who helped him succeed. In fact, when asked to reflect upon his favorite moments of a record-breaking career, his response didn’t involve any personal achievements.

“The one that really stands out to me, being able to step out on the field my first time against Oregon State, and go out there and win that game,” said Kupp, who showed a sign of things to come with 119 receiving yards and two TDs in his 2013 collegiate debut. “That was a pretty special time.”

The other memory Kupp mentioned was about an Eastern Washington teammate, one he knew well before breaking virtually every major receiving record at the FCS level. “My younger brother, it was last year at Idaho State, he got an interception,” Cooper said of linebacker Ketner Cupp. “Seeing that sea of guys just rally around him, excited for him. That was something pretty special for me, too.”

Ketner is far from the only football-playing Kupp for which Cooper has a soft spot. His father, Craig, and his grandfather, Jake, both played in the NFL. Neither of them ever pressured Cooper to play football, but he’s following in their footsteps anyway – and credits both for the dream ride he’s on. “That was just dad and grandpa to me,” Kupp said. “That was I really think the greatest gift they were able to give to me, even through what they had experienced, with just raising me as dad and grandpa. There were no expectations or anything like that.”

- Justin Einhorn

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Dylan Cole might have a successful professional football career, but if things don’t work out on the gridiron, his physical abilities could suit him well as an entertainer, perhaps.

After all, the chiseled Missouri State senior linebacker is already somewhat of an Internet sensation after a summer 2016 video of him bench pressing 225 pounds an impressive 36 times while his teammates excitedly looked on went viral.

Cole’s moves also were caught on video while dancing on the sidelines to some pop music played over the public address system during a scrimmage.

“Football is fun,” he’s said time and time again.

Though Missouri State struggled for wins during Cole’s four seasons as a Bear, the 6-foot-1, 240-pound dominator did all he could to give his team a chance every game.

Cole led the FCS with 142 total tackles and 12.9 per contest in 2016 – both topping the Missouri

Valley Football Conference for a second consecutive season. Cole, who recorded 19 stops during a 38-35 win over Southern Illinois, concluded his career with 457 tackles over 46 games.

He also left a lasting impression on those who witnessed his personal growth – on and off the field.

“I’m impressed with his passion and love of the game,” Missouri State coach Dave Steckel said. “Work ethic and leadership (are) why he is the face of the program.”

Steckel sees Cole as a possible 2017 NFL Draft choice. Whether Cole dons the pads on Sundays or finds another career, he seems well equipped to handle whatever his future holds.

“I think I matured a lot,” he said. “I (got) a better grasp of this game, a better grasp of life through football … and it’s crazy how life and football correlate so much.”

- Jeff Mezydlo

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P.J. Hall has made a habit of storming into the backfield with such a fury that it may seem as though he doesn’t like Sam Houston State’s opponents very much.

That mean streak, however, melts away once the pads come off. You might say it’s a transformation not unlike Superman turning back into Clark Kent.

“He’s kind of the opposite of what he is on the field,” Bearkats defensive line coach Rod Wright said. “He’s pretty laid back – a mild-mannered guy. He’s quiet, but he livens up a little bit around the guys. Of course, he’s a lot different once he gets on the field.”

Hall finally got the opportunity to showcase his alter ego on the turf in 2014 after redshirting his first season. He played defensive tackle in his early days at Sam Houston before moving outside, where he really wanted to play. It was at that time

when Wright warned Hall that if he wanted to thrive at defensive end, he’d have to make plays. The 6-foot-1, 280-pound Hall hasn’t stopped making a difference since, and he helped the Bearkats finish the 2016 regular season as the only unbeaten team in the FCS. Now, the Southland Conference Defensive Player of the Year is one of the top three finalists for the STATS FCS Buck Buchanan Award.

“What’s impressed me most is that he’s done it (all three years) with 20-plus tackles for loss, 10-plus sacks, multiple forced fumbles and blocked kicks,” said Wright, who believes Hall also would be the nation’s top defensive tackle if he still played there. “Most kids maybe have one season like that, but P.J. came out of the gate doing it in his first two years and this year, same thing. He’s been able to sustain this level of play for three years in a row and that’s crazy. You just don’t see that happen.”

- Taylor Bechtold

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When scroll ing through Karter Schult’s social media accounts, it’s easy to see why he finished his career as one of the greatest defensive players in the history of Northern Iowa.

From talking about l ifting weights for three hours even after the Panthers’ season came to end – he is, after all , majoring in movement and exercise science – to his love for his teammates and the UNI program, to honoring slain police officers from Urbandale and Des Moines, the young man who grew up less than 30 miles away from the school’s Cedar Falls campus said it himself: I wil l always be a Panther, and I ’l l always bleed purple.

During the 2016 regular season, the STATS FCS All-America defensive end was more than just a leader – he was the most dominant pass rusher in all of college football. He led Division I with 17 sacks and tied for second with a school-record

24 tackles for loss to earn Missouri Valley Football Conference Defensive Player of the Year honors. The finalist for the STATS FCS Buck Buchanan Award as Defensive Player of the Year completed a career at UNI that saw him rank first all-time with 56 tackles for loss and second with 35 1/2 sacks.

Schult was also a finalist for the Will iam V. Campbell Trophy Award, which recognizes the nation’s top scholar-athlete for his academic success, football performance and exemplary community leadership.

“Growing up so close to UNI, this university has always been a dream for me,” Schult said. “… Academically, UNI had everything that I wanted to pursue. … Athletically, UNI has had a prestigious program with tradition that I really wanted to be a part of. Playing for UNI football was a dream of mine since I was small, so when I got the opportunity there was no hesitation.”

– Paul DiGiacomo

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A.J. Hines hadn’t even heard of Duquesne University until last summer, but both he and the Dukes should be thankful they got acquainted.

On his way to the University of Richmond before academic qualifying issues got in the way, Hines had a choice to make – attend junior college in hopes of eventually getting his test scores up enough for the Spiders or find another place to play Division I football immediately.

Duquesne had a hole to fill at running back and reached out, and a few months later it finds itself as the home to the STATS FCS Jerry Rice Award winner. Hines’ 1,291 rushing yards led all FCS freshmen by more than 400 yards, were a school record for a first-year player and the most by anyone to put on a Dukes uniform in 13 years.

Not bad for someone who couldn’t have told Duquesne and Dubuque apart before the fall semester.

“A lot of stuff happened during the summer,” Hines said. “And I would just try to keep a positive mind coming here, and work hard to help this team win games.”

It took him all of one week to leave defenses grasping at him going by. After getting only five touches in his first collegiate game, Hines scored three touchdowns on 10 carries in his second game and never looked back. He topped 100 yards in nine of his final 11 games, never settling for fewer than 86 as the Dukes won a share of a second straight Northeast Conference title.

Donte Small is the leading rusher in Duquesne’s history with 4,260 yards, but Hines will approach that total by the end of his junior year if he simply replicates his freshman pace.

With the potential for much more than that, by the time he hangs up his cleats with the Dukes, “Hines” Field might have a different definition in Pittsburgh.

- Brett Huston

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Tyler Swafford says he may continue to play football next school year. But for the Eastern Kentucky University quarterback, who was just a redshirt sophomore athletically this season, it would occur during the spring of 2017 in a collegiate league in Ireland, playing what they refer to overseas as American Football.

Swafford, recipient of the 2016 STATS FCS Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete Award, is graduating from his Ohio Valley Conference school this spring in only three years. In September, he will begin graduate studies at University College Dublin as one of 12 winners in the United States of the prestigious George J. Mitchell Scholarship.

He could return to EKU as its starting quarterback, but he has so much more to conquer off the playing field. The 4.0 honors scholar aspires to be a human rights attorney.

“We’re kind of entering into a new era of nationalism,” said the 21-year-old resident of Franklin, Tennessee. “There’s a lot of places in the word where there are increased violence and interstate conflict. I think the United States,

amidst all our faults, has a proud tradition of standing up for the most vulnerable. And also to foster freedom and democracy in places where it’s fragile and places where it’s taken hold and has an uncertain focus, and also supporting areas of the world where liberalization and democracy have thrived.”

Several experiences in humanitarian service fostered Swafford’s career choice. The globalization and international affairs major was part of his EKU team’s mission trip to Haiti in May 2015, working at an orphanage and building a fish and plant farm system that would become self-sustainable. He also was part of an honors delegation to the Salzburg Global Citizenship Seminar in Austria last May, completing an independent study project on the evolution of human rights law. Professors challenged the students to become more involved in their local communities, and after returning from the trip, Swafford worked with Kentucky Refugee Ministries to help resettle a Syrian family of six to Lexington.

– Craig Haley

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It’s hard to definitely call this season the best coaching job of K.C. Keeler’s career. When you have an FCS championship, eight national title game appearances, 14 playoff berths and 37 postseason wins on your resumè, the bar’s been set quite high.

But even in a year of sky-high expectations, the 2016 Eddie Robinson Award winner couldn’t help but be a bit blown away by the supremacy his Sam Houston State team displayed en route to an 11-0 regular season and a quarterfinal-round appearance in the FCS playoffs.

“You can’t get any better than what we just did,” Keeler said after the Bearkats’ 59-23 victory over playoff-bound Central Arkansas in the regular-season finale. “This season that we had here, it’s the single greatest season that I’ve ever been around. It’s amazing what these kids have done.”

That’s high praise indeed from a man who directed alma mater Delaware to a 15-1 campaign and a national title in 2003 and built Rowan University into one of Division III’s

preeminent powers during a dominant nine-year run from 1993-2001.

That the Bearkats, who outscored opponents 596-285 behind an offense that led the FCS in scoring and total yards during the regular season, surpassed Keeler’s own lofty standards is saying something as well. He’s unequivocally stated his goal of winning another national championship since his arrival at SHSU in 2014, one reason the lifelong native of the East Coast and his wife, Janice, chose to uproot nearly 1,500 miles to Huntsville, Texas.

It’s a decision the Keelers haven’t regretted one bit.

“I just love the people (here),” Keeler said. “When we were 1-3 (his first season), people would pull over while my wife and I were walking the dog and say ‘Love having you here’ and ‘God bless you.’ The people are so genuine and appreciative.

- Scott Garbarini

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2016 FCS SEASON IN REVIEW

There’s a different feel around Frisco this weekend. One can actually move around the city without every step being blanketed with the green and yellow colors of North Dakota State.

The Bison aren’t back to add to their record five consecutive FCS national titles. Fourth-seeded James Madison took them down in the semifinals to reach Saturday’s championship game against unseeded Youngstown State. Frisco is colored in purple and gold as well as red and white.

Both finalists have a championship pedigree. James Madison won in 2004 and Youngstown State has the third-most titles with four – in 1991, ’93, ’94 and ’97.

So, yes, FCS football existed long before North Dakota State’s dynasty, and this season has showed just how much it’s thriving. Unpredictability has been a big part of the wild ride.

Need proof? On Sept. 17, 10 ranked teams lost on the same day, from No. 2 Richmond on down.

September madness was rampant. FCS teams posted 10 wins over FBS programs, tying for the fourth-most in a season. Half of the programs beat Power-Five conference teams: Eastern Washington (Washington State), Illinois State (Northwestern) North Dakota State (Iowa), Northern Iowa (Iowa State) and Richmond (Virginia). “Special things don’t happen by accident,” Eastern Washington coach Beau Baldwin told his team after its win.

As usual, the conference races were great. Only five preseason favorites wound up as champs, and only three of them – Jacksonville State (Ohio

Valley), San Diego (Pioneer) and Sam Houston State (Southland) – won outright titles. The other champs: Eastern Washington and North Dakota (Big Sky), Charleston Southern and Liberty (Big South), James Madison (CAA), Penn and Princeton (Ivy), North Carolina Central (MEAC), North Dakota State and South Dakota State (Missouri Valley), Saint Francis and Duquesne (Northeast), Lehigh (Patriot), The Citadel (Southern) and Grambling State (SWAC).

Sam Houston State’s Jeremiah Briscoe threw for an FCS single-season record 57 touchdown passes, and he didn’t even have Eastern Washington All-American Cooper Kupp, the most accomplished wide receiver in FCS history, on the other end of the passes.

A 55-year-old – South Carolina State’s Joe Thomas Sr. – became the oldest player to appear in a college football game. Grambling State beat North Carolina Central in the second Celebration Bowl, which matches the MEAC and SWAC champions.

North Dakota and Saint Francis qualified for the FCS playoffs for the first time, and beloved Villanova coach Andy Talley wrapped up his final season there. North Dakota State’s quarterfinal-round win over rival South Dakota State drew over 1.98 million viewers to ESPN for the largest TV audience in FCS history.

Want more history? It’s coming Saturday between James Madison and Youngstown State in the national championship game. It could be a great ending to a great season.

– Craig Haley

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FCS PLAYOFF BRACKET

Missouri Valley Football Salutesits 2016 Award Finalists

Illinois State • Indiana State • Missouri StateNorth Dakota State • UNI • South Dakota

South Dakota State • Southern IllinoisWestern Illinois • Youngstown State

Walter Payton Buck Buchanan Jerry Rice Award Finalists Award Finalists Award Finalist QB Taryn Christion, S. Dakota St. LB Dylan Cole, Missouri State LB Christian Rozeboom, S. Dakota St. TE Dallas Goedert, S. Dakota St. LB Brett Taylor, Western Illinois WR Jake Wieneke, S. Dakota St. DE Derek Rivers, Youngstown St. DE Karter Schult, UNI Eddie Robinson Doris Robinson Award Finalist Scholar-Athlete Finalist Chris Klieman, North Dakota St. DE Karter Schult, UNI

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BUTLER · CAMPBELL · DAVIDSON · DAYTON · DRAKE · JACKSONVILLEMARIST · MOREHEAD STATE · SAN DIEGO · STETSON · VALPARAISO

BUCK BUCHANAN AWARDCHRISTOPHER BEASCHLER, DAYTON

DONALD PAYNE, STETSON

WALTER PAYTON AWARDAUSTIN GAHAFER, MOREHEAD STATE

JERRY RICE AWARDELIJAH BURRESS, CAMPBELL

EDDIE ROBINSON AWARDDALE LINDSEY, SAN DIEGO

DORIS ROBINSON SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDCHRISTOPHER BEASCHLER, DAYTON

CONGRATULATES ALL THE STATS FCS AWARD WINNERSAND PAYS SPECIAL RECOGNITION TO ITS 2016 AWARD FINALISTS

CELEBRATING ITS 24TH SEASON

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ANDY COENLEHIGH 11TH-YEAR HEAD COACH

EDDIE ROBINSON AWARD

MAX ROBERTSFORDHAM FRESHMAN LB

JERRY RICE AWARD

PAT AFRIYIECOLGATE JUNIOR DL

BUCK BUCHANAN AWARD

CHASE EDMONDSFORDHAM JUNIOR RB

JULIE’N DAVENPORTBUCKNELL SENIOR OL

TROY PELLETIERLEHIGH JUNIOR WR

WALTER PAYTON AWARDWALTER PAYTON AWARD WALTER PAYTON AWARD

JAKE WIECZOREKHOLY CROSS SENIOR WR

DORIS ROBINSON AWARD

CONGRATULATIONSSTATS FCS AWARD CANDIDATES

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STATS FCS AWARDS NAMESAKES

WALTER PAYTON AWARDFCS OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

JACKSON STATE UNIVERSITY, 1971-74CHICAGO BEARS, 1975-87PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME, 1993COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME, 1996

The Walter Payton Award, established by The Sports Network in 1987 and now presented by STATS LLC, honors the outstanding offensive college football player on the FCS level. The winner is chosen by a national panel of sports information and media relations directors, broadcasters, writers and other dignitaries.

When the Payton Award was established, it was the only such award to be presented to an individual player in the FCS. Payton, who played collegiately at Jackson State, set the NCAA record for points scored in a career with 464. He scored 66 touchdowns and rushed for 3,563 yards at the Southwestern Athletic Conference school, also serving as a place-kicker. He set nine school records during his career. But Payton’s collegiate accomplishments pale in comparison to the numbers he posted with the Chicago Bears. He set the NFL career rushing record with 16,726 yards (later bested by Emmitt Smith) and scored 750 points in his career. He was a two-time NFL MVP, a Super Bowl XX champion and a nine-time Pro Bowl selection, and was named to the NFL’s prestigious 75th anniversary team.

As dynamic as he was on the field, Payton was equally active in charitable work off the field. He was honorary chairman for the 1983 Heart Association Jump Rope for Health, and for the Illinois Mental Heath Association from 1978-80. He also was involved with the Boy Scouts, March of Dimes, Brian Piccolo Research Fund, United Way and Peace Corps.

BUCK BUCHANAN AWARDFCS DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

GRAMBLING STATE UNIVERSITY, 1959-62KANSAS CITY CHIEFS, 1963-75PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME, 1990COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME, 1996

The Buck Buchanan Award, established by The Sports Network in 1995 and now presented by STATS LLC, honors the outstanding defensive college football player on the FCS level. The winner is chosen by a national panel of sports information and media relations directors, broadcasters, writers and other dignitaries.

At 6-foot-7, 287 pounds, Junious “Buck” Buchanan was the prototype for future NFL defensive linemen. He combined size, speed and outstanding strength, along with an intense work ethic, to become one of the great defensive tackles of all time.

He entered Grambling State on an “if” scholarship, which meant he would receive financial aid if he played well. After a season of playing both varsity football and basketball, he decided to concentrate on football. By the end of Buchanan’s All-America career, Grambling coach Eddie Robinson called him “the finest tackle I have ever seen.”

The American Football League’s Dallas Texans, who would become the Kansas City Chiefs, orchestrated a 1963 draft day trade to select Buchanan with the No. 1 overall pick. The Chiefs went on to join the NFL in 1970, and Buchanan had a streak of eight straight selections to either the AFL All-Star Team or the NFL Pro Bowl. His teams won two AFL championships and Super Bowl IV, and he missed only one game due to injury in his 13-year career.

JERRY RICE AWARDFCS FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR

MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE, 1981-8449ERS, RAIDERS, SEAHAWKS, 1985-2004COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME, 2006PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME, 2010

The Jerry Rice Award, established by The Sports Network in 2011 and now presented by STATS LLC, honors the outstanding college football freshman on the FCS level. The winner is chosen by a national panel of sports information and media relations directors, broadcasters, writers and other dignitaries.

If you thought Jerry Rice’s style of play was different from anything you had ever seen before, you weren’t alone. “Jerry Rice is on a whole other planet,” said former NFL wide receiver Cris Carter. “We’re on earth; he’s somewhere else.”

A “blue ribbon” panel assembled by the NFL Network in 2010 agreed with Carter, voting Rice as the greatest player of all time. But before he embarked on his Hall of Fame career, Rice refined his skills at Mississippi Valley State on the FCS (then Division I-AA) level. It was in the Southwestern Athletic Conference that he was a two-time first-team All-American, finishing his career with 310 receptions for 4,851 yards and 50 touchdowns. It included 27 TD receptions in 1984 – the record for all NCAA divisions.

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The San Francisco 49ers traded up in the first round of the 1985 NFL Draft to select Rice and he rewarded them with a record-setting career while they won three Super Bowls (XXIII, XXIV and XXIX). He was a 13-time Pro Bowl selection, two-time AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year and Super Bowl XXIII MVP. His many records include NFL career marks for receptions (1,549), receiving yards (22,895), touchdown receptions (197) and touchdowns scored (208).

EDDIE ROBINSON AWARDFCS COACH OF THE YEAR

GRAMBLING STATE UNIVERSITY, 1941-77FCS’ ALL-TIME WINNINGEST COACHCOLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME

The Eddie Robinson Award, established by The Sports Network in 1987 and now presented by STATS LLC, honors the outstanding college football coach on the FCS level. The winner is chosen by a national panel of sports information and media relations directors, broadcasters, writers and other dignitaries.

Coach Robinson’s 408 career victories are the most among FCS schools and only one less than Joe Paterno’s Division I-record total at Penn State. In 1997, Robinson retired at Grambling State with a 408-164-15 record over 57 years (55 seasons). His teams won nine black college football national championships.

He arrived at Grambling in 1941 and took the program from an obscure level to international popularity, playing in many major U.S. cities as well as in the first game in Japan to involve college teams (versus Morgan State in 1976).

More than 200 of Robinson’s players went on to NFL careers. They included Paul “Tank” Younger, the first player from a predominantly black college to be taken by the NFL (Los Angeles Rams, 1949), and Pro Football Hall-of-Famers such as Willie Brown, Buck Buchanan, Willie Davis and Charlie Joiner. His pupils also included Super Bowl XXII MVP Doug Williams, who succeeded Robinson as Grambling’s coach in 1998.

DORIS ROBINSON SCOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDFCS SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

The Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete Award, presented by STATS LLC since 2015, honors an FCS student-athlete who excels not only in the classroom, but in the community and beyond.

Doris Robinson was the wife of legendary Grambling State football coach Eddie Robinson, for whom the FCS coach of the year award is named. Mrs. Robinson spent her life dedicated to educating educating young people. Known as the “Eternal First Lady of GSU Football,” and called “Miss Doris” by everyone on the Grambling campus, she was a former school teacher in the local Louisiana community. Eddie’s college sweetheart, she stood by his side throughout a career at Grambling that spanned 57 years from 1941 to 1997. They were married for 66 years until Eddie died in 2007. She passed in 2015.

The inaugural recipient of the Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete Award was Jacksonville State’s Dalton Screws.

MICKEY CHARLESFCS LEGACY AWARDS

Mickey Charles is the former CEO and President of The Sports Network who created the FCS Awards, starting with the Walter Payton and Eddie Robinson awards in 1987. He

recognized a gap in national coverage of the former Division I-AA level of college football, and his company also created a weekly Top 25 media poll ranking the best teams across the nation.

Raised in New York, Charles graduated high school when he was 15 and went on to Columbia University for two years of studies and basketball before he transferred to Division III Kalamazoo College, where he was a basketball captain and earned an appreciation for the smaller levels of college athletics. He went on to Brooklyn Law School.

His background includes a wide range of interests and accomplishments, including newspaper syndication, national sports talk shows, features writing, seminar speaking and consulting. He was a pioneer in the audiotex industry, forming a sports telecommunications group originally focused on telephonic-delivered sports information, which evolved into the Computer Information Network, the international wire service that came to be known in the industry as The Sports Network.

STATS LLC purchased The Sports Network from Charles in February 2015.

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FCS PAST AWARDS WINNERSWalter Payton Award(FCS Offensive Player of the Year)Year Player School Position 1987 Kenny Gamble Colgate Running Back1988 Dave Meggett Towson State Running Back1989 John Friesz Idaho Quarterback1990 Walter Dean Grambling State Running Back1991 Jamie Martin Weber State Quarterback1992 Michael Payton Marshall Quarterback1993 Doug Nussmeier Idaho Quarterback1994 Steve McNair Alcorn State Quarterback1995 Dave Dickenson Montana Quarterback1996 Archie Amerson Northern Arizona Running Back1997 Brian Finneran Villanova Wide Receiver1998 Jerry Azumah New Hampshire Running Back1999 Adrian Peterson Georgia Southern Running Back2000 Louis Ivory Furman Running Back2001 Brian Westbrook Villanova Running Back2002 Tony Romo Eastern Illinois Quarterback2003 Jamaal Branch Colgate Running Back2004 Lang Campbell William & Mary Quarterback2005 Erik Meyer Eastern Washington Quarterback2006 Ricky Santos New Hampshire Quarterback2007 Jayson Foster Georgia Southern Quarterback2008 Armanti Edwards Appalachian State Quarterback2009 Armanti Edwards Appalachian State Quarterback2010 Jeremy Moses Stephen F. Austin Quarterback2011 Bo Levi Mitchell Eastern Washington Quarterback2012 Taylor Heinicke Old Dominion Quarterback2013 Jimmy Garoppolo Eastern Illinois Quarterback2014 John Robertson Villanova Quarterback2015 Cooper Kupp Eastern Washington Wide Receiver

Buck Buchanan Award(FCS Defensive Player of the Year)Year Player School Position 1995 Dexter Coakley Appalachian State Linebacker1996 Dexter Coakley Appalachian State Linebacker1997 Chris McNeil North Carolina A&T Defensive End1998 James Milton Western Illinois Linebacker1999 Al Lucas Troy State Defensive Tackle2000 Edgerton Hartwell Western Illinois Linebacker2001 Derrick Lloyd James Madison Linebacker2002 Rashean Mathis Bethune-Cookman Cornerback2003 Jared Allen Idaho State Defensive End2004 Jordan Beck Cal Poly Linebacker2005 Chris Gocong Cal Poly Defensive End2006 Kyle Shotwell Cal Poly Linebacker2007 Kroy Biermann Montana Defensive End2008 Greg Peach Eastern Washington Defensive End2009 Arthur Moats James Madison Defensive End2010 J.C. Sherritt Eastern Washington Linebacker2011 Matt Evans New Hampshire Linebacker2012 Caleb Schreibeis Montana State Defensive End

2013 Brad Daly Montana State Defensive End2014 Kyle Emanuel North Dakota State Defensive End2015 Deon King Norfolk State Linebacker*2015 Tyrone Holmes Montana Defensive End*- STATS FCS Defensive Player of the Year

Jerry Rice Award(FCS Freshman Player of the Year)Year Player School Position 2011 Terrance West Towson Running Back2012 John Robertson Villanova Quarterback2013 Cooper Kupp Eastern Washington Wide Receiver2014 Chase Edmonds Fordham Running Back2015 Case Cookus Northern Arizona Quarterback

Eddie Robinson Award (FCS Coach of the Year)Year Coach School1987 Mark Duffner Holy Cross1988 Bill Russo Lafayette1989 Erk Russell Georgia Southern1990 Gene McDowell Central Florida1991 Chris Ault Nevada1992 Charlie Taaffe The Citadel1993 Dan Allen Boston University1994 Jim Tressel Youngstown State1995 Houston Nutt Murray State1996 Darren Barbier Nicholls State1997 Andy Talley Villanova1998 Paul Johnson Georgia Southern1999 Mickey Matthews James Madison2000 Joe Glenn Montana2001 Pete Lembo Lehigh2002 Tommy Tate McNeese State2003 Mike Ayers Wofford2004 Jerry Kill Southern Illinois2005 Sean McDonnell New Hampshire2006 Jerry Moore Appalachian State2007 Mark Farley Northern Iowa2008 Mickey Matthews James Madison2009 Henry Frazier III Prairie View A&M2010 Tony Samuel Southeast Missouri State2011 Rob Ambrose Towson2012 Craig Bohl North Dakota State2013 Craig Bohl North Dakota State2014 Sean McDonnell New Hampshire2015 Joe Moglia Coastal Carolina*2015 Bruce Barnum Portland State*- STATS FCS Coach of the Year

Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete of the Year AwardYear Player School Position 2015 Dalton Screws Jacksonville State Wide Receiver

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PAST NCAA DIVISION I FCS CHAMPIONSHIP GAME RESULTS

Year Champion Coach Runner-Up Score2015 North Dakota State Chris Klieman Jacksonville State 37-10 2014 North Dakota State Chris Klieman Illinois State 29-27 2013 North Dakota State Craig Bohl Towson 35-72012 North Dakota State Craig Bohl Sam Houston St 39-132011 North Dakota State Craig Bohl Sam Houston St 17-62010 Eastern Washington Beau Baldwin Delaware 20-192009 Villanova Andy Talley Montana 23-212008 Richmond Mike London Montana 24-72007 Appalachian State Jerry Moore Delaware 49-212006 Appalachian State Jerry Moore Massachusetts 28-172005 Appalachian State Jerry Moore Northern Iowa 21-162004 James Madison Mickey Matthews Montana 31-212003 Delaware K.C. Keeler Colgate 40-02002 Western Kentucky Jack Harbaugh McNeese State 34-142001 Montana Joe Glenn Furman 13-62000 Georgia Southern Paul Johnson Montana 27-251999 Georgia Southern Paul Johnson Youngstown State 59-241998 Massachusetts Mark Whipple Georgia Southern 55-431997 Youngstown State Jim Tressel McNeese State 10-91996 Marshall Bob Pruett Montana 49-291995 Montana Don Read Marshall 22-201994 Youngstown State Jim Tressel Boise State 28-141993 Youngstown State Jim Tressel Marshall 17-51992 Marshall Jim Donnan Youngstown State 31-281991 Youngstown State Jim Tressel Marshall 25-171990 Georgia Southern Tim Stowers Nevada 36-131989 Georgia Southern Erk Russell Stephen F. Austin 37-341988 Furman Jimmy Satterfield Georgia Southern 17-121987 Louisiana-Monroe Pat Collins Marshall 43-421986 Georgia Southern Erk Russell Arkansas State 48-211985 Georgia Southern Erk Russell Furman 44-421984 Montana State Dave Arnold Louisiana Tech 19-61983 Southern Illinois Rey Dempsey Western Carolina 43-71982 Eastern Kentucky Roy Kidd Delaware 17-141981 Idaho State Dave Kragthorpe Eastern Kentucky 34-231980 Boise State Jim Criner Eastern Kentucky 31-291979 Eastern Kentucky Roy Kidd Lehigh 30-71978 Florida A&M Rudy Hubbard Massachusetts 35-28

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Eastern Washington wide receiver Cooper Kupp was named a first-team FCS All-American for the fourth consecutive season. Fordham running back Chase Edmonds, Duquesne linebacker Christian Kuntz, The Citadel defensive back Dee Delaney, Stetson defensive back Donald Payne and Indiana State long snapper Joshua Appel were named first-team selections for the second time.

OFFENSE*To be determined by STATS FCS Walter Payton Award results

*QB Jeremiah Briscoe, Sam Houston State, Jr., or Gage Gubrud, Eastern Washington, Soph.RB Tarik Cohen, North Carolina A&T, Sr.RB Chase Edmonds, Fordham, Jr.FB Joe Protheroe, Cal Poly, Jr.WR Karel Hamilton, Samford, Sr.WR Cooper Kupp, Eastern Washington, Sr.TE Dallas Goedert, South Dakota State, Jr.OL Julie’n Davenport, Bucknell, Sr.OL Casey Dunn, Jacksonville State, Sr.OL Zack Johnson, North Dakota State, Sr.OL Mitch Kirsch, James Madison, Sr.OL Brandon Parker, North Carolina A&T, Jr.

DEFENSE

DL Keionta Davis, Chattanooga, Sr.DL P.J. Hall, Sam Houston State, Jr.DL Tanoh Kpassagnon, Villanova, Sr. DL Karter Schult, Northern Iowa, Sr.

LB Dylan Cole, Missouri State, Sr.LB Folarin Orimolade, Dartmouth, Sr.LB Christian Kuntz, Duquesne, Sr.LB Brett Taylor, Western Illinois, Jr. DB Dee Delaney, The Citadel, Jr.DB Lorenzo Jerome, Saint Francis, Sr.DB Donald Payne, Stetson, Sr.DB Cole Reyes, North Dakota, Jr.

SPECIAL TEAMS

PK David Marvin, Wofford, Jr.P Miles Bergner, South Dakota, Sr.LS Joshua Appel, Indiana State, Sr.KR Darius Hammond, Charleston Southern, Sr.PR Rashard Davis, James Madison, Sr.AP John Lovett, Princeton, Jr.

2016 STATS FCS ALL-AMERICA FIRST TEAM

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STATS LLC: Dan Eaves; Craig Haley; Brian

Orefice; Jon Passman; Elliot Schall; Phil Sokol.

Big Sky Conference: Brian Berger; Brad

Bugger; Eric Burdick; Dave Cook; Paul Grua;

Jeremy Hoeck; Mick Holien; Jon Kasper;

Doug Kelly; Bill Lamberty; Mike Lund; Anthony

Mazzolini; Jon Oglesby; Ryan Powell; Mike

Robles; Steve Schaack; Randy Scovil; Mitch

Strohman; Eric Taber; Denise Thompson. Big South Conference: Mike Cawood; Matt

Harmon; Kevin O’Rourke; Marc Rabb; Mark

Simpson; Damien Sordelett; Greg Viscomi;

Todd Wetmore; Alan York. CAA Football:

Lizzie Barlow; Chris Brooks; John Brush;

Pete Clawson; Shane Donaldson; Glenn

Frazer; Matt Jones; Dean Kenefick; Allen

Lessels; Tim McDonnell; Tyson McHatten;

Brian Miller; Matt Moretti; Mike Murphy;

Chris Rash; Scott Selheimer; Kevin Tresolini.

Ivy League: Rick Bender; Chris Humm;

Craig Larson; Dan Loney; Craig Sachson;

Tim Williamson. Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference: David Hall; Bill Hamilton; Brian

Holloway; Dennis Jones; Kendrick Lewis;

Matt Michalec; Patricia Porter; Dan Ryan; Jay

Walker; Maurice Williams. Missouri Valley Football Conference: Bryan Boettcher,

John Bohnenkamp; Eric Doennig; Jeremy

Hoeck; Jason Hove; Todd Hefferman; Dom

Izzo; Mike Kern; Jeff Kolpack; John Lock;

Colin McDonough; Patrick Osterman; Trevor

Parks; Ryan Perreault; Randy Reinhardt; Jeff

Schwartz; Tyler Wooten; Mike Williams.

Northeast Conference: John Beisser; Brian

Cleary; Tristan Hobbes; Spencer Kowitz;

Paul Marboe; Tad Maurey; Chris O’Connor;

Ralph Ventre, Jim Waggoner. Ohio Valley Conference: Alex Boggis; Neal Bradley;

Kevin Britton; Parker Griffith; Jeff Honza; Rich

Moser: Karl Park: Mike Parris; Justin Rust;

Kyle Schwartz; Greg Seitz; Colby Wilson.

Patriot League: Charles Bare; Joe DiBari;

Matt Dougherty; Keith Groller; Kevin Herr;

Mike Joseph; Phil LaBella; Steve Lomangino;

Eric Malanowski; Matt Markus; John Painter,

Ryan Sakamoto. Pioneer Football League: Nolan Alexander; Justin Bohn; Mike Ferraro;

Ted Gosen; Paul Oren; Jason Williams; Ryan

Wronkowicz. Southern Conference: Jay

Blackman; Jordon Bruner; Daniel Hooker;

Joey Mullins; Todd Shanesy; Adam Smith;

Brent Williamson. Southland Conference: Jason Barfield; Louis Bonnette; Matthew

Bonnette; Jamie Bustos; Rand Champion;

Kemmler Chapple; James Dixon; Lance

Fleming; Alex Hickey; Calhoun Hipp; Doug

Ireland; J.P. McBride; David McCollum;

Shane Meling; Teddy Renois. Southwestern Athletic Conference: Jasher Cox; Ronnie

Johnson; Wesley Peterson, LaMonica Scott;

Herman Shelton. Other Representatives: Josh Buchanan; Brandon Lawrence; Jim

Seman; Reggie Thomas.

FCS AWARDS VOTING PANEL

MASTER OF CEREMONIES • GARY REASONS

Master of Ceremonies Gary Reasons was an FCS (then Division I-AA) A l l - A m e r i c a n linebacker at N o r t h we s t e r n State, the first player in NCAA history to gain the prestigious honor three consecutive seasons (1981-83).

A college football television analyst for FOX Sports, Reasons is in his 23rd season as a broadcaster. He also is Chairman and CEO of EZMedDirect Inc., which offers a new technology advanced healthcare solution to individuals and families across America that provides 24/7 doctor consultations by phone or video call with their EZMD Discount Medical Plan.

Reasons was inducted into the College Football Hall

of Fame in 1996 as part of the inaugural group of small college players. Northwestern State retired his No. 34 after he set the school’s all-time tackles mark (394) from 1980-83. He also set the single-season mark of 172 tackles in his senior year. An honors student, the Crowley, Texas, native graduated with a degree in business administration.

Drafted into the NFL by the New York Giants in the fourth round in 1984, the 6-foot-4, 235-pound Reasons spent eight years with the club, helping it win Super Bowls XXI and XXV under head coach Bill Parcells. Reasons, Lawrence Taylor, Harry Carson and Carl Banks comprised a linebacker corps that is recognized as one of the greatest in NFL history. He finished his nine-year NFL career with a one-year stint in Cincinnati.

Reasons served as the first head coach of the Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz of arenafootball2 and later spent one year as the team’s president.

Married for 32 years to his wife Terri, the Reasons have three children. The Reasons reside in McKinney, Texas.

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AUTOGRAPHS