Four members of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football team were among the finalists for the Sports Network’s national award announced on Monday. Head coach Russ Huesman led the way with a 10th place finish in the Eddie Robinson Award voting for National Coach of the Year.
Other Mocs honored were freshman Lucas Webb, junior Jacob Huesman and senior Davis Tull. All three were major contributors to Chattanooga’s record breaking season that included a 10-4 overall mark and its first appearance in the FCS Playoffs since 1984.
Coach Huesman earned his second-straight Southern Conference Coach of the Year honor after guiding UTC to an undefeated league record at 7-0. He garnered 109 points in the voting for the Robinson Award, including seven first place nods. This is the second straight year Huesman has been a finalist for the Robinson Award after finishing 17th in 2013.
Webb was 16th in the voting for the Jerry Rice Award, given to the National Freshman of the Year. He tied the Mocs’ freshman record with six interceptions. That also tied for tops in the SoCon and helped him earn first team all-conference recognition.
The Mocs have been represented among the finalists for the Jerry Rice Award in three of the last four years. Jacob Huesman was fourth in the voting in 2012, while Terrell Robinson was 21st in 2011.
Senior All-American Davis Tull was 12th on the list for the Buck Buchanan Award, given to the National Defensive Player of the Year. Tull, a three-time SoCon Defensive Player of the Year, led the league with 10.5 sacks.
This was his second consecutive year among the Buchanan finalists. He finished 13th in the voting in 2013. UTC has had a Buchanan finalist in five of the last six seasons. Wes Dothard finished 25th in 2011 and 19th in 2012, while Josh Beard was 22nd in 2009.
Jacob Huesman is the two-time SoCon Offensive Player of the Year. He finished the season with the nation’s highest completion percentage (67.6%), fifth in pass efficiency (156.2), fifth in points responsible for (222), 14th in passing touchdowns (23) and 20th in rushing TDs (14).
He tied for 11th in the voting for the Walter Payton Award, given to the national offensive player of the year. He grabbed one first place vote among the 160 ballots and 71 points overall.
The Sports Network Awards were established in 1987, beginning with the Payton Award. They are presented annually to the most outstanding players and coaches at the FCS level. Winners are determined through balloting of a national panel of sports information and media relations directors, broadcasters, writers and other dignitaries.