NEW ORLEANS, La. – ULM fifth-year senior Marcus Green, who led the Warhawks in receptions (55), receiving yards (847) and 100-yard receiving games (4) last season, has been named to the 2018 Paul Hornung Award Watch List, according to an announcement made Thursday, July 26, by the Louisville Sports Commission. The Paul Hornung Award is presented annually to the nation's most versatile player.
The 5-foot-8, 188-pound Green ranked among the league leaders in receiving yards (fourth at 70.6 ypg.) and receptions (tied for fifth at 4.6 rpg.). His five TD receptions ranked second on the team. Green recorded his fourth 100-yard receiving game of the season at Florida State with eight catches for 106 yards. His eight receptions matched his season high.
The Pontotoc, Mississippi, native was named Second-Team All-American by Sporting News (athlete), Football Writers Association of America (all-purpose player), CollegeFootballNews.com (kick returner) and Pro Football Focus (kick returner) in 2017. Green earned All-Sun Belt First-Team honors as both a return specialist and all-purpose player, as selected by the league's head football coaches and media panel.
He accounted for a school single-season record 2,008 all-purpose yards and tied for the NCAA FBS lead with four kickoff returns for touchdowns in 2017. Green led the Sun Belt in all-purpose yards (167.3 yards per game) and kickoff returns (32.4 avg.). He also ranked among the NCAA FBS leaders in combined kick return yards (fourth at 977), all-purpose yards (third) and kickoff returns (third). His four kickoff returns for TDs represent ULM and Sun Belt single-season records. Green tied for the NCAA FBS lead with six scoring plays covering 70 or more yards, and he led the team with 37 explosive plays (20+ yards: 18 kickoff returns, 14 receptions, 3 rushes and 2 punt returns).
TROY, Ala. – Troy sophomore Marcus Jones has been named to the Paul Hornung Award Watch List, the Louisville Sports Commission announced Thursday. The Paul Hornung Award is presented annually to the nation's most versatile player.
Jones is one of just 43 players nationally selected to the watch list and one of only two players from the Sun Belt Conference. He was named to the Phil Steele All-America Third Team as a kickoff returner last season joining Leodis McKelvin as Troy's only All-Americans at the FBS level.
A native of Enterprise, Ala., Jones was tabbed a Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team selection last week as both a return specialist and a defensive back. He set the Troy single-season record and tied the Troy career record with three kickoff returns for touchdowns as a true freshman last season.
Jones also tied the NCAA record with two kick return touchdowns in the game at Coastal Carolina; just the 21st player to accomplish the feat. Defensively, Jones finished the season fifth on the team with 49 tackles, while he added a pair of interceptions, two tackles for loss and six pass break ups.
Named a Freshman All-American by ESPN and the Football Writers Association of America, Jones shined in Troy's biggest games of the season. In the Trojans' victory at LSU, Jones intercepted a pass and led Troy with eight tackles. With a Sun Belt title on the line at Arkansas State, Jones returned a kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown and an interception 100 yards for a score in Troy's 32-25 victory.
About the Paul Hornung Award
The Paul Hornung Award, now in its ninth season, is given annually to the most versatile player in major college football by the Louisville Sports Commission and football legend and Louisville native Paul Hornung. The winner and his family will be honored at the annual Paul Hornung Award dinner presented by Jewish Hospital Sports Medicine, to be held at the Galt House Hotel in downtown Louisville in March 2019. This will be The Paul Hornung Award's third year as an associate member of the National College Football Awards Association.
The Paul Hornung Award has an impressive legacy. Saquon Barkley, the 2017 Paul Hornung Award winner, was the second pick in the 2018 NFL Draft; the three 2017 finalists also are currently on NFL rosters. The six most-recent winners, including Barkley, were NFL first round draft picks in their respective years.