LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Western Michigan University wide receiver/kick returner
D'Wayne Eskridge has been named one of five finalists for the Paul Hornung Award. Presented by the Louisville Sports Commission in honor of the legendary Paul Hornung, Eskridge is joined as a finalist by Michael Carter (North Carolina), Travis Etienne (Clemson), DeVonta Smith (Alabama) and Kadarius Toney (Florida).
Eskridge, named the Mid-American Conference Special Teams Player of the year and a first team All-MAC selection at both receiver and kick returner, leads FBS in all-purpose yards per game (213.0) and is the only player in the country averaging above 200 all-purpose yards per game. His 130.7 receiving yards per game rank fourth in FBS entering bowl season, as well as tops in the MAC. His eight receiving TDs also lead the conference and rank 16th nationally. As a returner, Eskridge's 77.8 kickoff return yards per game stand fifth in the country and he is one of just 11 players in FBS to have at least three kick returns of 40-plus yards on the season.
The award was started by the Louisville Sports Commission (LSC) in 2011 to honor Hornung, a Louisville native. The Heisman Trophy winner at Notre Dame and NFL MVP honoree with the Green Bay Packers passed away in November 2020 at the age of 84. A member of both the College Football and NFL Halls of Fame, Hornung played every position in the offensive backfield for the Fighting Irish, while also punting, placekicking and starting at safety. With the Packers, Hornung played halfback and was the kicker. His 1961 NFL scoring record in 12 games stood for 46 years.
"Paul Hornung would love this list of finalists because he had a great appreciation for players who performed at a high level in the big games," said Karl Schmitt, Jr., Louisville Sports Commission president & CEO. "And after Paul's passing, the LSC is pleased to continue to present this award in the spirit of his onfield accomplishments and legacy."
The five finalists were selected by a 17-person committee, with an online fan vote counting as the 18th vote. The winner will be chosen by the same committee and online fan vote. Vorting is open now through Jan. 4, 2021, at
paulhonrungaward.com.
Past winners of the Hornung Award include Saquon Barkley (Penn State), Jabrill Peppers (Michigan), Christian McCaffrey (Stanford) and Odell Backham Jr. (LSU). Last year's award went to Stanford's Owen Marecic, who was a starter at both fullback and linebacker for the Cardinal. Eskridge is looking to be the first recipient from a "Group of Five" conference. Presented by Texas Roadhouse, the award will be presented in Mid-March at the Paul Hornung Award Banquet.
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