LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns running back Elijah McGuire was one of 44 players nationally named on Monday to the 2015 Watch List for the Paul Hornung Award presented by Texas Roadhouse, in a release by the Louisville Sports Commission.
The Paul Hornung Award, now in its sixth 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 Golden Boy. The winner and his family will be honored at the annual Paul Hornung Award Banquet presented by KentuckyOne Health, to be held at the Galt House Hotel in downtown Louisville in February 2016.
McGuire, a native of Houma, La., was named to the Watch List after a stellar 2014 campaign in which he was named the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year, the Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year and the Offensive Player of the Year by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association. McGuire rushed for a team-high 1,264 yards and 14 touchdowns, joining former quarterbacks Brian Mitchell (1989), Michael Desormeaux (2007-08) and running back Tyrell Fenroy (2005-08) as the only players in school history to rush for 1,000 yards in a season.
Among NCAA individuals, McGuire finished 29th nationally in rushing yards, 19th in all-purpose yards (1,848) and third in yards per carry (7.61).
McGuire, who led the Ragin’ Cajuns with 45 receptions, increased his career rushing total to 2,127 yards, joining Fenroy as the only players in school history to rush for over 2,000 yards in their first two seasons. He recorded a rushing touchdown in nine consecutive games during the season and accounted for a team-best 22 plays (13 rushes, eight receptions, one punt return) of 20 yards or more on the season, including seven plays of 40 yards or greater.
The 2015 Watch List was compiled by a panel of college football experts based on a combination of 2014 statistics, career performance, SID recommendations and expectations heading into the 2015 season. Profiles of each player and information about the Award can be found at www.paulhornungaward.com. Players may be added to the Watch List during the 2015 regular season based on performance.
The Paul Hornung Award Watch List contains 18 of the top 100 all-purpose players from 2014 according to yards-per-game average from ncaa.com. The Watch List also includes four players who participated in the inaugural College Football Playoff Championship Game: Jalin Marshall and Dontre Wilson from Ohio State, and Byron Marshall and Charles Nelson from Oregon.
Via- KATC.com