Montana running back Eli Gillman and Montana State freshman offensive tackle Connor Moore are finalists for the 2023 Jerry Rice Award, which honors the top freshman in NCAA Division I FCS football.
Gillman has rushed for 857 yards this season, more than any other freshman in FCS football and the third-most in all of Division I football. He’s also second among all players in the Big Sky Conference in rushing yards per game, averaging just under 78 per contest and is No. 8 in the league in all-purpose yards with 103 receiving yards to go along with his 10 touchdowns.
Moore is the only offensive lineman nominated. He has started all 11 games at left tackle for the Bobcats and helps anchor an offense that leads the leads the FCS in scoring (40.5 points per game) and is second in rushing (293.4 yards per game) and seventh in fewest sacks allowed (0.84 per game).
The Jerry Rice Award, first presented in 2011 and now in its 13th season, is named after legendary wide receiver Jerry Rice, who starred at Mississippi Valley State as part of his Hall of Fame career. Past recipients include Eastern Washington’s Cooper Kupp. All 13 FCS leagues, comprised from 15 conferences overall, are represented by a Jerry Rice Award finalist. The winner, to be selected by a national voting panel, will be announced on Dec. 6 and honored at the FCS National Awards Banquet on Jan. 6 in Frisco, Texas – the eve of the FCS championship game.
Stats Perform Jerry Rice Award Finalists
OFFENSE
MJ Flowers, Eastern Illinois, RB, 6-1, 195 (Big South-OVC Football Association) - 157 carries, 854 yards (5.4 ypc), 8 TDs; 35 receptions, 192 yards (11 games)
Eli Gillman, Montana, RB, 6-0, 206 (Big Sky Conference) - 152 carries, 857 yards (5.6 ypc), 10 TDs; 11 receptions, 103 yards (11 games)
Malachi Hosley, Penn, RB, 5-10, 185 (Ivy League) - 121 carries, 723 yards (6.0 ypc), 7 TDs; 22 receptions, 246 yards, 1 TD (9 games)
Jawarn Howell, South Carolina State, RB, 6-1, 215 (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) - 102 carries, 809 yards (7.9 ypc), 7 TDs; 10 receptions, 149 yards, 2 TDs (9 games)
Brendan Jenkins, Samford, WR, 6-1, 200 (Southern Conference) - 41 receptions, 312 yards, (7.6 ypc) 4 TDs (11 games
Anthony Johnson, Stony Brook, WR, 5-11, 190 (CAA Football) - 59 receptions, 714 yards (12.1 ypc), 3 TDs (10 games)
Jaylen King, Gardner-Webb, QB, 6-4, 200 (Big South-OVC Football Association) - 86 of 163 (52.8%), 992 yards, 10 TDs, 5 INTs, 118.0 pass efficiency; 392 rush yards, 5 TDs (8 games)
Gavin Lochow, Dayton, WR, 6-0, 195 (Pioneer Football League) - 35 receptions, 402 yards (11.5 ypc), 5 TDs; 17 kickoff returns, 412 yards (11 games)
Connor Moore, Montana State, LT, 6-5, 306 (Big Sky Conference) - Starting left tackle for offense that has averaged 40.5 points and 293.7 rushing yards per game (11 games)
Dom Nankil, San Diego, QB, 6-0, 180 (Pioneer Football League) - 109 of 186 (58.6%), 1,158 yards, 5 TDs, 4 INTs, 115.5 pass efficiency; 1 rush TD (8 games)
Beau Sparks, Utah Tech, WR, 5-11, 180 (United Athletic Conference) - 74 receptions, 723 yards (9.8 ypc), 7 TDs (11 games)
VJ Wilkins, Campbell, WR, 5-10, 160 (CAA Football) - 52 receptions, 546 yards (10.5 ypc), 4 TDs; 588 kickoff return yards (11 games)
Ty’Jarian Williams, Mississippi Valley State, QB, 6-3, 240 (Southwestern Athletic Conference) - 123 of 199 (61.8%), 1,197 yards, 6 TDs, 6 INTs, 116.3 pass efficiency; 2 rush TDs (10 games)
Griffin Woodell, UAlbany, RB, 5-10, 194 (CAA Football) - 143 carries, 694 yards (4.9 ypc), 6 TDs; 24 receptions, 231 yards, 4 TDs (12 games)
Luke Yoder, Lehigh, RB, 5-11, 195 (Patriot League) - 135 carries, 644 yards (4.8 ypc), 13 receptions, 87 yards (9 games)
DEFENSE
Carter Glassmyer, Saint Francis, LB, 6-1, 210 (Northeast Conference) - 89 tackles (50 solos), 6.5 TFL (21 yards), 2.5 sacks, 1 FF, 1 FR, 1 QBH (10 games)
Jaylon Joseph, Lafayette, DE, 6-2, 240 (Patriot League) - 26 tackles (13 solos), 5.5 TFLs (31 yards), 4 sacks, 8 QBH, 1 BK (11 games)
Rasheed Lovelace, Nicholls, DT, 6-3, 310 (Southland Conference) - 25 tackles (6 solos), 2.5 TFL (3 yards), 1 sack, 1 INT (10 games)
Tye Niekamp, Illinois State, LB, 6-3, 230 (Missouri Valley Football Conference) - 74 tackles (42 solos), 9 TFL (26 yards), 1.5 sacks, 7 QBH, 7 PBU (11 games)
Aaron Sears, Stephen F. Austin, CB, 5-10, 190 (United Athletic Conference) - 55 tackles (26 solos), 1.5 TFL, 3 PBU (8 games)
SPECIAL TEAMS
Hunter Green, Northern Colorado, PK/P, 6-3, 200 (Big Sky Conference) - 68 punts, 43.7 ypp, 70 long, 19 50+, 26 FC, 21 IN20; 9 of 12 FG (75%), 50 long (11 games)
Owen Zalc, Dartmouth, PK, 5-10, 160 (Ivy League) - 17 of 21 FG (81%), 47 long, 76 points (10 games)
