Nominate your team's best Payton Candidate

[GannonFan]

If the committee wouldn't even make Joe Flacco a finalist, what makes you think this Delaware QB will be fairly considered?

Fair point, but we got no one's else on "O" that fits the bill.

Yeah, and you have to think that that was porbably the most embarrassing flop ever by The Sports Network and the Payton Award Committee. Flacco doesn't even make the final ballot of 15 or so players (the only votes he got then were write-in votes), yet goes in the middle of the first round of the NFL draft just 4 short months later. Considering the shortage of FCS players who go in the first round, period, it was odd that such a standout couldn't even make the list, especially when there were something like 4-5 other QB's on the list (none of whom were drafted in the 1st round). You almost have to think that they couldn't blow it again like they did in '07.

[Skjellyfetti]

Has a transfer player ever been a finalist for the Payton? Maybe it's an unwritten rule.

..And one that makes sense to me.

[FCS Go!]

Has a transfer player ever been a finalist for the Payton? Maybe it's an unwritten rule.

..And one that makes sense to me.

If by "finalist" you mean one of the top three vote getters than I think Sam Houston had a qb or two who made the final three. There have been multiple transfers on the overall final watch list.

[GannonFan]

Has a transfer player ever been a finalist for the Payton? Maybe it's an unwritten rule.

..And one that makes sense to me.

Andy Hall finished 3rd (a finalist) in 2003 - Dustin Long finished 2nd in 2004 - both were transfers.

I don't doubt that there are voters who just won't vote at all for a guy who had transferred earlier in his career - the bias against transfers will often trump actual on-field performance for many voters. It kinda cheapens the award (i.e. the Flacco snub in '07 where he didn't make the final top 16 ballot), but it is what it is. Anything involving people will often include irrational biases.

[Tailbone]

Kessman.

and it ain't even close.

[SuperHornet]

My heart says Dom Carmazzi. My brain says if we have any shot at all, it'll probably be MBT. But we probably won't even get a regional vote even after we make the playoffs.

[CrunchGriz]

Has a transfer player ever been a finalist for the Payton? Maybe it's an unwritten rule.

..And one that makes sense to me.

If by "finalist" you mean one of the top three vote getters than I think Sam Houston had a qb or two who made the final three. There have been multiple transfers on the overall final watch list.

Oh, what short memories we have. BYU transfer Drew Miller of the Montana Grizzlies came in second to Adrian Peterson in the 1999 Payton Award voting.

[BigSkyFootball]

NAU's Michael Herrick, 9th in the voting last year (he had one 1st place vote!) has the advantage this year. If he plays anywhere near the level he played last year, he'll win the award. It is always more likely that a QB will win the award (just look at the history).

[JayJ79]

Payton award is an OFFENSIVE AWARD.

I don't think the Payton award is TECHNICALLY limited to offense, as they word it that:
"it is presented annually to the most outstanding college football player on the FCS level."

But it has always been awarded to an offenseive player, and I doubt any defensive players (or any players outside of QB, RB, and WR for that matter) have ever even been on the watch lists. So I think they should change the wording to make it exclusively offensive.

[AppMan]

Mark Legree

For the Payton Award??

Well... He does catch a lot of passes!

[whoanellie]

I believe that Elon's , Scott Riddle has the goods to be a Payton Finalists...

[AppStateAlumQC]

Devon Moore

[FCS Go!]

If by "finalist" you mean one of the top three vote getters than I think Sam Houston had a qb or two who made the final three. There have been multiple transfers on the overall final watch list.

Oh, what short memories we have. BYU transfer Drew Miller of the Montana Grizzlies came in second to Adrian Peterson in the 1999 Payton Award voting.

I didn't think Drew finished that high.

[DavedS]

Probably 4 star recruit RB Adaris Bellamy or possibly RB Torrian Pace.

[Seawolf97]

For Stony Brook # 23 Ed Gowins and he is only a Junior this year. The man is amazing when he gets the ball.

[CrunchGriz]

Oh, what short memories we have. BYU transfer Drew Miller of the Montana Grizzlies came in second to Adrian Peterson in the 1999 Payton Award voting.

I didn't think Drew finished that high.

Well, there's a good reason you didn't think he finished that high...he actually finished fourth. My bad. His bio on his coach's page at Idaho State says that he finished second. Maybe that's why ISU is having so many problems being competitive lately--they think they're better than they actually are.

[slulionsfan]

For Southeastern Louisiana, the best candidates IMO are WR Simmie Yarborough, 6-1, 208, Jr. and RB Zeke Jones, 6-0, 245, So.

Simmie was having an All-American type year in '09 before suffering an ankle injury in the 7th game at McNeese, which hampered his effectiveness over the last four games - including missing one complete game and only playing sparingly in two others...still finished with 57 catches for 803 yards and 12 TDs...will be the go-to-guy through the air again in 2010.



But with a shift to a more power-oriented running game, look for big Zeke to have a breakout year...rushed for just under 400 yards and 5 TDs, plus caught 25 passes for another 226 yards as a freshman backup in '09...if he can stay healthy, should have a good chance to go over 1,000 yards plus catch 40+ balls.

[bluehenbillk]

The jokers at the Sports Network claimed that Omar Cuff prevented Joe Flacco from getting more noterioty(sp). Devlin has a good a chance of anybody.

[tribefan40]

Jonathan Grimes, RB.

[SmallCollegeFBFan]

MY PRESEASON WALTER PAYTON CANDIDATES

If the list is still 20 this year here are my 20 nominations. I am breaking a rule putting on more than one player from schools. Also, offensive linemen make my list if the player is truly special. My criteria for offensive linemen is a returning two-time first team all conference selection and a solid NFL prospect.

QB Michael Herrick, Northern Arizona, Sr.
QB Pat Devlin, Delaware, Sr.
QB Scott Riddle, Elon, Sr.
QB Andrew Selle, Montana, Sr.
QB Jeremy Moses, Stephen F. Austin, Sr.
QB Cameron Higgins, Weber State, Sr.
QB Malcolm Long, South Carolina State, Sr.
QB K.J. Black, Prairie View A&M, Sr.
QB R.J. Toman, New Hampshire, Sr.
QB Steve Valentino, Dayton, Sr.
RB Taiwan Jones, Eastern Washington, Jr.
RB Chase Reynolds, Montana, Sr.
RB Jonathan Grimes, William & Mary, Jr.
RB Kyle Minett, South Dakota State, Sr.
RB Chris Evans, Samford, Sr.
RB Devon Moore, Appalachian State, Sr.
WR Tysson Poots, Southern Utah, Sr.
WR/RS Matt Szczur, Villanova, Sr.
OT Ben Ijalana, Villanova, Sr.
OG David Arkin, Missouri State, Sr.

[BigSkyFootball]

Sounds like a good list to me. The winner will definitely be somebody on this list.

[Skjellyfetti]

Edit: nevermind

[SDHornet]

My heart says Dom Carmazzi. My brain says if we have any shot at all, it'll probably be MBT. But we probably won't even get a regional vote even after we make the playoffs.

It's one of our RB's. Hilliard returns this season, if he can stay healthy I would have him at #1. The Hornets won't throw the ball enough to have MBT or a WR be the #1 choice.

[SumItUp]

Junior QB Mike Brown