CHICAGO - Nov. 3, 2016 - STATS, the world’s leading sports data and technology company, announced an agreement today that will allow it to hand out a quartet of legacy NCAA Football Championship Series (FCS) awards tied to some of the biggest names in the subdivision’s history.
Just prior to the FCS postseason concluding in January, STATS will present:
- The FCS Walter Payton Award, given to the FCS’ offensive player of the year;
- The FCS Buck Buchanan Award, given to its defensive player of the year;
- The FCS Eddie Robinson Award, given to its coach of the year; and
- The FCS Jerry Rice Award, given to its freshman of the year.
Founded by Mickey Charles of The Sports Network, the annual honors date back to 1987, when the Payton Award was presented to running back Kenny Gamble of Colgate. Since then, names of future NFL stars like Steve McNair, Brian Westbrook and Tony Romo have been called up to accept the hardware. Last season, Cooper Kupp – who became the FCS’ all-time leader in receiving yards and touchdowns this season - was the winner. The Robinson Award also began in 1987.
The Big Sky Conference became the first conference in FCS history to sweep the national awards, in 2015. Kupp earned Offensive Player of the Year, Montana's Tyrone Holmes earned Defensive Player of the Year, Northern Arizona quarterback Case Cookus won Freshman of the Year and Portland State coach Bruce Barnum earned Coach of the Year.
Eight different Big Sky players have won the Payton Award, with Kupp being the most recent. Eastern Washington's players have earned the last three wins, with Erik Meyer winning the award in 2005, and Bo Levi Mitchell carrying the honors in 2011. Montana's Dave Dickenson won the award in 1995.
The same national panel of sports information and media relations directors, broadcasters, writers, and other dignitaries who select the STATS FCS Top 25 poll – numbering over 150 voters – will choose the 2016 winners. Those awards join the STATS FCS Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete Award, created one year ago to honor the wife of Eddie Robinson and her service to community and academics.
These awards will be presented to the winning athletes during the end-of-season banquet that will take place Friday, Jan. 6, 2017 – the night before the FCS championship game in Frisco, Texas – at the Embassy Suites Dallas-Frisco Convention Center. Last January, almost 200 attendees representing a cross-section of FCS roles came together for STATS’ inaugural awards ceremony.
The Buchanan Award goes back to 1995 and includes such notable alums as Idaho State alumnus Jared Allen, while the Rice Award was created in 2011. The Big Sky has won the Buchanan Award seven different times, with the Montana State Bobcats earning the award in back-to-back years, from 2012-13, with Caleb Schreibeis and Brad Daly.
Kupp was the first Big Sky player to earn the award named for Jerry Rice, with Cookus earning the distinction last season.
“Coming from an FCS school, I’m proud to lend my name to such a distinction, and to help STATS expand its national coverage initiative,” said Rice, a Mississippi Valley State graduate who is almost universally recognized as the greatest wide receiver of all time and was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 2010.
Three different times, the Big Sky Conference has hosted a national coach of the year. Before Barnum's 2015 win, Montana's Joe Glenn won in 2000, with Nevada's Chris Ault winning in 1991.
Prior to last season, STATS expanded an initiative to serve the FCS community with staples such as a pre- and postseason All-America team, weekly Top 25 poll, national players of the week, award watch lists and season-ending awards.
In addition, STATS created a dedicated FCS website –
www.fcs.football – featuring breaking news, real-time scores and other unique content that combined the strengths of STATS’ data, editorial and product expertise. Launched prior to the 2015 season, the site has accumulated close to two million page views over the past 12 months.
“We laid down a strong coverage foundation last season and, in the process, developed incredible relationships with the schools and the conferences,” said Brian Orefice, STATS’ Director of News. “But we want to ride that momentum into even better content and broader exposure. Thanks to Mickey, inheriting these awards and all they represent can only help us achieve those goals as we try to maintain the legacy of the FCS’ rich past while pushing forward toward its promising future.”
The FCS competes at the NCAA’s Division I level, and is home to 125 schools in 13 conferences across the country. Approximately 150 FCS players are on NFL rosters annually, including current stars like Romo (Eastern Illinois), Joe Flacco (Delaware), Carson Wentz (North Dakota State), David Johnson (Northern Iowa), Josh Norman (Coastal Carolina) and Julius Thomas (Portland State).