UTC senior quarterback Jacob Huesman has been named to the 2015 STATS Offensive Player of the Year Award watch list. Huesman finished 11th in last year's voting for National Player of the Year..
photo by File/Dennis Norwood (Chattanoogan.com)
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga senior quarterback Jacob Huesman is one of 22 student-athletes on the 2015 STATS FCS Offensive Player of the Year Watch List. Huesman finished 11th in the voting for National Player of the Year honors last season, and is expected to be one of the top players in the nation in 2015.
Other returning finalists include 2014 national player of the year John Robertson of Villanova. Also listed were quarterbacks Vad Lee of James Madison, Dakota Prukop of Montana State and Alex Ross of Coastal Carolina.
Also returning to the list from 2014 are running backs Marshaun Coprich of Illinois State, Khairi Dickson of Saint Francis, Chase Edmonds of Fordham, Connor Kacsor of Dayton, Dy'Shawn Mobley of Eastern Kentucky and Herb Walker Jr. of Morgan State, as well as Eastern Washington wide receiver Cooper Kupp.
Huesman is the two-time defending Southern Conference Offensive Player of the Year. He is a preseason All-American after totaling a school record 37 touchdowns in 2014. He threw for 23 and ran for 14, while leading the Mocs to its first appearance in the FCS Playoffs since 1984.
Huesman is one of five Mocs named to the Player of the Year Watch List in recent memory, including Chris Sanders (2000), Cos DeMatteo (2001), Alonzo Nix (2004) and B.J. Coleman (2011). He is the first two earn a spot on the list in back-to-back seasons.
Newcomers are highlighted by Troy Mitchell of SoCon foe Western Carolina. The 2015 watch list also featured quarterbacks John Gibbs Jr. of Alcorn State, Tre Roberson of Illinois State, Carson Wentz of North Dakota State and Dalyn Williams of Dartmouth; running backs Tarik Cohen of North Carolina A&T, Johnta Hebert of Prairie View A&M and Darius Victor of Towson; and wide receivers Ed Eagan of Northwestern State and Darrin Peterson of Liberty.
It's a watch list that featured the Most Outstanding Player of the 2014 FCS championship game (Wentz, who led North Dakota State to a record fourth straight title) and the 2014 FCS leaders in rushing yards (Coprich, 2,274), rushing yards per game (Dickson, 155.3), all-purpose yards per game (Hebert, 225.3) and points (Coprich, 162) as well as the top five finishers in passing efficiency, led by Robertson at 181.3.
The breakdown by position for the watch list: 10 quarterbacks, nine running backs and three wide receivers. The conferences with the most nominees were CAA Football and the Missouri Valley with three each.
The STATS FCS Offensive Player of the Year Watch List can undergo revision during the 2015 season. A national panel of over 150 sports information and media relations directors, broadcasters, writers and other dignitaries will vote on the winner following the regular season.
Also this season, STATS will honor the outstanding defensive player in the FCS, a freshman player of the year and a coach of the year with season-ending awards.
2015 STATS FCS Offensive Player of the Year Award Watch List
Tarik Cohen - North Carolina A&T Aggies - Running Back - Junior - 5-6, 172
Marshaun Coprich - Illinois State Redbirds - Running Back - Senior - 5-9, 205
Khairi Dickson - Saint Francis (Pa.) Red Flash - Running Back - Senior - 6-0, 182
Ed Eagan - Northwestern State Demons - All-Purpose - Senior - 5-10, 181
Chase Edmonds - Fordham Rams - Running Back - Sophomore - 5-9, 185
John Gibbs Jr. - Alcorn State Braves - Quarterback - Senior - 6-6, 220
Johnta Hebert - Prairie View A&M Panthers - All-Purpose - Senior - 5-10, 195
Jacob Huesman - Chattanooga Mocs - Quarterback - Senior - 6-2, 220
Connor Kacsor - Dayton Flyers - Running Back - Redshirt Senior - 6-0, 211
Cooper Kupp - Eastern Washington Eagles - Wide Receiver - Junior - 6-2, 195
Vad Lee - James Madison Dukes - Quarterback - Senior - 6-1, 225
Troy Mitchell - Western Carolina Catamounts - Quarterback - Senior - 6-0, 205
Dy'Shawn Mobley - Eastern Kentucky Colonels - Running Back - Senior - 5-11, 215
Darrin Peterson - Liberty Flames - Wide Receiver - Senior - 6-2, 190
Dakota Prukop - Montana State Bobcats - Quarterback - Junior - 6-2, 195
Tre Roberson - Illinois State Redbirds - Quarterback - Senior - 6-0, 205
John Robertson - Villanova Wildcats - Quarterback - Senior - 6-1, 221
Alex Ross - Coastal Carolina Chanticleers - Quarterback - Graduate Student - 6-1, 205
Darius Victor - Towson Tigers - Running Back - Junior - 5-8, 210
Herb Walker Jr. - Morgan State Bears - Running Back - Junior - 5-8, 180
Carson Wentz - North Dakota State Bison - Quarterback - Senior - 6-6, 231
Dalyn Williams - Dartmouth Big Green - Quarterback - Senior - 6-0, 210