Pair of Two-Way Players and a Wide Receiver Earn Paul Hornung Award Honor Roll
Louisville, Ky. – Monday, November 2, 2015 – Jakeem Grant (Texas Tech), Adoree’ Jackson (USC) and Charles Nelson (Oregon) combined for 612 all-purpose yards and scored three different ways in hard-fought conference games as each player earned the Paul Hornung Award Honor Roll.
The Paul Hornung Award, presented by Texas Roadhouse, is awarded annually to the most versatile player in major college football. The winner and his family will be honored on February 25, 2016, at a banquet presented by KentuckyOne Health at the Galt House Hotel in downtown Louisville, Ky.
Texas Tech wide receiver Jakeem Grant touched the ball three different ways and recorded 323 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns in a 70-53 shootout loss to Oklahoma State. He caught 13 passes for 178 receiving yards and one touchdown, returned three kickoffs for a total 146 yards – including a blazing, 100-yard return for a touchdown, and added one punt return. Grant’s 323 all-purpose yards ranks fourth all-time in single game history at TTU and his kickoff return touchdown was the fourth of his career. Grant is currently fourth in the nation with 189.56 all-purpose yards per game.
USC cornerback, wide receiver and kick returner Adoree’ Jackson touched the ball four different ways, including an interception return for a touchdown in what proved to be the winning score in the Trojans’ hard-fought, 27-21 Pac-12 conference victory over California. Jackson caught two passes for 18 yards, returned one punt for nine yards, had one kickoff return for 31 yards and added two tackles on defense. Jackson picked off a pass from Cal QB Jared Goff and returned it 46 yards for a touchdown to put the Trojans up 24-7. Jackson has now scored touchdowns by way of interception, kick return and receiving this season.
Oregon wide receiver and safety Charles Nelson, who has been rotating back and forth between offense and defense for the Ducks in recent weeks this season, made big plays on special teams and defense in Oregon’s 61-55 triple overtime thriller at Arizona State. He played nearly 120 snaps against ASU and finished the game with 15 tackles and four kickoff returns for 185 yards and a touchdown. Late in the third quarter, Nelson returned a kickoff 100 yards to shorten ASU’s lead to 31-27. Nelson made his third appearance at safety for the Ducks and notched a game and career-high 15 tackles (14 solo).
Past Paul Hornung Award Honor Roll Selections
Week One: William Likely (Maryland), Myles Jack (UCLA), Braxton Miller (Ohio State), Robert Nkemdiche (Ole Miss)
Week Two: Kenyan Drake (Alabama), Janarion Grant (Rutgers), Jahad Thomas (Temple), Brandon Wilson (Houston)
Week Three: William Likely (Maryland), Christian McCaffrey (Stanford), Jakeem Grant (Texas Tech), Ryan Switzer (North Carolina)
Week Four: Trevone Boykin (TCU), Adoree’ Jackson (USC), Christian Kirk (Texas A&M), Christian McCaffrey (Stanford), Robert Nkemdiche (Ole Miss)
Week Five: Christian McCaffrey (Stanford), KaVontae Turpin (TCU)
Week Six: Tyler Ervin (San Jose State), Reggie Davis (Georgia)
Week Seven: Bralon Addison (Oregon), Tyler Boyd (Pittsburgh), Adoree’ Jackson (USC), Christian Kirk (Texas A&M), Christian McCaffrey (Stanford)
Week Eight: Tyler Boyd (Pittsburgh), Tyler Ervin (San Jose State), Christian McCaffrey (Stanford)
The Louisville Sports Commission successfully launched the Paul Hornung Award in 2010 to honor its namesake and native son, and to recognize and reward high-level achievers in college football whose performances and contributions as versatile players often go unnoticed. Owen Marecic of Stanford, a two-way starter and All Pac-10 performer at fullback and linebacker, won the inaugural Paul Hornung Award in 2010; Brandon Boykin of Georgia won the award in 2011 after excelling on defense, offense and special teams; Tavon Austin of West Virginia won the award in 2012 as one of two players in the nation with more than 500 yards in three different categories (rushing, receiving and kick returns); Odell Beckham Jr. of LSU won the award in 2013 after finishing the season ranked second in the nation and first in the Southeastern Conference with 2,222 all-purpose yards and 185.2 average yards per game; and Shaq Thompson of Washington won the award in 2014 as a two-way player, earning first team All-America honors at linebacker and finishing as the Husky’s second-leading rusher at tailback.