University of Tennessee at Chattanooga senior defensive lineman Keionta Davis was ninth in the voting for the 2016 Buck Buchanan Award, announced today. It ties the highest finish by a Moc in a football national player of the voting in school history.
Davis earned 78 points overall, including three first-place votes. It is the best finish for a Moc in the Buchanan Award voting, three spots higher than Davis Tull’s 12th place in 2014. Former UTC quarterback Chris Sanders was ninth in the Walter Payton Award voting for offensive player of the year in 2000.
Davis leads the Southern Conference with 8.5 sacks. He also has seven hurries and has broken up six passes. This is his second year among the Buchanan Award finalists, placing 17th in 2015.
The Mocs have had a Buchanan Award finalist in seven of the eighth seasons under head coach Russ Huesman, including Josh Beard (22nd – 2009), Wes Dothard (25th – 2011, 19th – 2012), Davis Tull (13th – 2013, 12th – 2014) and Davis the last two years.
The Buck Buchanan Award is the top individual honor for a defensive player in the FCS. Linebacker Dylan Cole of Missouri State and defensive ends P.J. Hall of Sam Houston State and Karter Schult of Northern Iowa are the finalists. The winner will be announced at the STATS FCS Awards Banquet and Presentation Jan. 6 in Frisco, Texas - on the eve of the national championship game.
A national panel of over 150 sports information and media relations directors, broadcasters, writers and other dignitaries voted on the Buchanan Award, named for the legendary defensive lineman from Grambling State. There were 25 finalists from 13 FCS conferences.
The Buck Buchanan Award voting reflected the regular season and was conducted before the start of the FCS playoffs.
The results for fourth through 25th place were as follows:
4. Darius Jackson, DE, Jacksonville State: 157
5. Tanah Kpassagnon, DE, Villanova: 136
6. Alex Searce, LB, Coastal Carolina: 110
7. Brett Taylor, LB, Western Illinois: 101
8. Lorenzo Jerome, S, Saint Francis: 88
9. Keionta Davis, DE, Chattanooga: 78
10. (T) Garrett Dolan, LB, Houston Baptist: 76
10. (T) Darius Leonard, LB, South Carolina State: 76
12. Christian Kuntz, LB, Duquesne: 71
13. Pat Afriyie, DE, Colgate: 60
14. (T) Cole Reyes, S, North Dakota: 58
14. (T) Derek Rivers, DE, Youngstown State: 58
16. Darien Anderson, LB, Alcorn State: 57
17. Dee Delaney, CB, The Citadel: 56
18. Donald Payne, S, Stetson: 49
19. Javancy Jones, DE/LB, Jackson State: 42
20. Winston Craig, DT, Richmond: 40
21. Anthony Ellis, DE, Charleston Southern: 32
22. Chad Geter, LB, Gardner-Webb: 28
23. Folarin Orimolade, LB, Dartmouth: 27
24. Mike Basile, S, Monmouth: 23
25. Christopher Beaschler, LB, Dayton: 5