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Yahoo
02-08-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Nebraska wide receiver Jacory Barney Jr. named to Paul Hornung Award Watchlist
A rising Husker is now on an award watchlist ahead of the 2025 season. Sophomore wide receiver Jacory Barney Jr. is now on the Paul Hornung Award Watchlist, following his record-setting freshman year. The award is in honor of football Hall of Famer Paul Hornung and is given annually by the Louisville Sports Commission (LSC) to the most versatile player in college football. Hornung tore up the field both in college and on the professional level, winning the Heisman Trophy in 1956 and becoming the No. 1 overall pick in the 1957 NFL Draft. He played in almost every position at Notre Dame, including quarterback, running back, punter, kicker, defensive back, and returner. Hornung continued his versatile career with the Green Bay Packers, serving as a multi-threat offensive back and a prolific kicker. He helped the Packers to four NFL championships, led the league in scoring for three years straight, set the single-season scoring record in 1960 with 176 points, and was named league MVP in 1961. Barney played in all 13 games for Nebraska as a true freshman, starting in four of them. He tied a school record for the most receptions by a Nebraska freshman, hauling in 55 passes for 447 yards. Barney also racked up 130 rushing yards and three touchdowns off 10 carries and returned 14 kickoffs for 285 yards. This helped Barney finish second on the team with 842 all-purpose yards. He ranked third nationally among all FBS freshmen in receptions. 2025 Paul Hornung watch list nominees Vinny Anthony II, Wisconsin Jacory Barney Jr., Nebraska Jadan Baugh, Florida Hank Beatty, Illinois Marcus Bellon, Nevada Davon Booth, Mississippi St. Isaac Brown, Louisville Josh Cameron, Baylor Demond Claiborne, Wake Forest KC Concepcion, Texas A&M Ja'Quez Cross, Arkansas St. Greg Derosiers Jr., Memphis Jacob De Jesus, Cal Dylan Edwards, Kansas St. Brylan Green, Liberty Ty Harding, UMass Eli Heidenreich, Navy Martel Hight, Vanderbilt Makai Jackson, Indiana Quinton Jackson, Rice Kenny Johnson, Pitt Peyton Jones, Duke Parker Kingston, BYU Ismail Mahdi, Arizona Keelan Marion, Miami Willie McCoy, UTSA Easton Messer, FAU Mekhi Mews, Houston Jalen Moss, Arizona St. Jordan Napier, SDSU Jaden Nixon, UCF Trebor Pena, Penn St. Koi Perich, Minnesota Zylan Perry, Louisiana Trayvon Rudolph, Toledo Kam Shanks, Arkansas DT Sheffield, Rutgers Hollywood Smothers, NC State Victor Snow, Buffalo Smith Snowden, Utah Kam Thomas, UTEP Zavion Thomas, LSU Noah Whittington, Oregon Ryan Williams, Alabama Antonio Williams, Clemson Terrez Worthy, Temple Contact/Follow us @CornhuskersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Nebraska news, notes, and opinions. This article originally appeared on Cornhuskers Wire: Nebraska wide receiver Jacory Barney Jr. named to award watch list
Yahoo
01-08-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
LSU football's Zavion Thomas named to Paul Hornung Award watchlist
LSU football's Zavion Thomas was named to the Paul Hornung Award watchlist on Thursday. The award is presented annually to college football's most versatile player. Former LSU playmaker Odell Beckham earned recognition in 2013 after contributing as a wide receiver, kick returner, and punt returner. Thomas, rostered as a wide receiver, also serves as a return specialist. The senior earned a spot on the AP's preseason All-SEC second team for his success on special teams. In 2024, he averaged 26.4 yards per kick return and even scored a touchdown. Before joining the Tigers in 2024, Thomas recorded two standout seasons as a return specialist at Mississippi State. He accumulated 365 yards between kick and punt returns in 2023, finishing the year with 891 all-purpose yards. He increased that number to 993 all-purpose yards last year. Thomas will face increased competition in the wide receiver room as LSU brought in multiple experienced Power Four pass catchers from the transfer portal. He caught 23 passes for 218 yards and two touchdowns last year. Thomas has been working with the first group so far in training camp and LSU will look to get Thomas involved in different ways in 2025. This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: LSU football's Zavion Thomas named to Paul Hornung Award watchlist
