Скачать или смотреть 2023 FCS National Awards

The stars were shining at the 2023 Stats Perform FCS National Awards Banquet on a night of celebration in Frisco, Texas.

Join Gary Reasons and Alex Eschelman for the 2023 announcements of the Walter Payton Award (FCS offensive player of the year) and Buck Buchanan Award (FCS defensive player of the year), and the presentations of the Eddie Robinson Award (FCS coach), Jerry Rice Award (FCS freshman player) and FedEx Ground Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete of the Year.


Walter Payton Award winner: QB Mark Gronowski, South Dakota State.

Clutch play reflects in Mark Gronowski’s remarkable statistics, but his season, and career, as South Dakota State’s starting quarterback are particularly defined by the win total.

One win after another.

His unbeaten team claimed a second consecutive national title the following day after Gronowski was named the 2023 Walter Payton Award recipient as the national offensive player in college football’s Division I FCS.

The Walter Payton Award, named for the legendary running back and first presented in 1987, has a distinguished history of recipients, many of whom went on to NFL careers. They include Steve McNair, Tony Romo, Brian Westbrook, Jimmy Garoppolo, Cooper Kupp and Trey Lance.

Buck Buchanan Award winner: DE Terrell Allen, Tennessee State.

Following a season spent in opposing offensive backfields, Tennessee State defensive end Terrell Allen was on the victory stand, receiving the 2023 Buck Buchanan Award as the national defensive player of the year in Division I FCS college football.

In the regular season, he led the FCS in sacks (14.5), sack yardage (123), tackles for loss (28) and tackle yardage for loss (149). He had a four-game span in which he totaled at least four TFLs, including 6.5 (4.5 were sacks) against Lindenwood.

In 11 games, Allen had 65 tackles, including 44 solos, 10 quarterback hurries, five forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and one pass breakup.

The Buck Buchanan Award is named for legendary defensive lineman Junious “Buck” Buchanan, who starred at Grambling State as part of his Hall of Fame career. First presented in 1995, the award has a distinguished history of recipients, including two-time winner Dexter Coakley, Rashean Mathis, Jared Allen and Arthur Moats.

Eddie Robinson Award winner: Jimmy Rogers, South Dakota State.

To simply say South Dakota State has earned its undefeated season under first-year coach Jimmy Rogers feels like an understatement.

Wearing a bull’s-eye as the defending Division I FCS national champions, the Jackrabbits have handled every challenge, and then some, while maintaining the No. 1 national ranking, earning the top seed in the playoffs, which they would convert into a second consecutive National Championship.

It’s all led to Rogers being voted by a national panel as the 2023 recipient of the Eddie Robinson Award, which honors the FCS national coach of the year and is presented by FedEx Ground.

Jerry Rice Award winner: RB Eli Gillman, Montana.

Right after Montana running back Eli Gillman crossed the goal line following his 85-yard touchdown run at UC Davis two months ago, he immediately raised his right index finger to symbol “No. 1” – not uncommon for any football celebration.

Little did Gillman know, however, it was the longest touchdown run in the Grizzly program’s storied history and a prelude to him being No. 1 in a handful of ways during his standout redshirt freshman season.

Gillman ranked No. 1 in rushing yards and tied for the most touchdowns among Division I FCS freshmen during the regular season.

Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete Award winner: QB Tommy Mellott, Montana State.

In high school, Tommy Mellott was already a standout football player and student when he began to feel a need for service in his community.

At Montana State University, the junior quarterback has been bringing all of those qualities together.

Mellott was named the 2023 recipient of the FedEx Ground Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete Award. The ninth annual award, named after the late school teacher and wife of legendary coach Grambling State coach Eddie Robinson, is presented to a student-athlete in FCS college football who excels on the playing field, in the classroom and across the community.