July 6, 2015
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Georgia Tech redshirt senior defensive back Jamal Golden is among the 44 players named to the 2015 Paul Hornung Award Watch List released Monday by the Louisville Sports Commission.
As a redshirt junior in 2014, Golden started 12 of 14 games, finishing sixth on the team with a career-best 61 tackles. He tied for the team lead with four interceptions, including an 85-yard pick-six against Clemson. The Wetumpka, Ala., product also forced three fumbles and broke up three passes. Golden also racked up a career-high 710 yards on 30 kickoff returns. He enters the 2015 season as the Georgia Tech career leader in yards-per-return average with 25.9 yards per try. His 1,501 career kick return yards currently rank fifth on Georgia Tech’s all-time list.
He was a third-team All-ACC selection by the league’s head coaches, ACSMA, and Phil Steele. He also garnered honorable mention All-ACC as a specialist from ACSMA.
The Paul Hornung Award, now in its sixth season, is given annually to the most versatile player in major college football by the Louisville Sports Commission and football legend and Louisville native Paul Hornung. The winner and his family will be honored at the annual Paul Hornung Award Banquet presented by KentuckyOne Health, to be held at the Galt House Hotel in downtown Louisville in February 2016.
The Paul Hornung Award Watch List is comprised of 11 seniors, 22 juniors and 11 sophomores who start at a total of eight different positions and represent 40 universities and all 10 conferences that are part of the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). The Pac-12 leads the conferences with eight players followed by the ACC and Big Ten with seven players and the SEC with six players.
Past winners and finalists who have made their mark in the NFL or are beginning their careers in 2015 include: Boykin (Philadelphia Eagles), Austin (St. Louis), Beckham Jr. (New York Giants), Thompson (Carolina), Kentucky’s Randall Cobb (Green Bay), Oregon’s LaMichael James (Miami), TCU’s Jeremy Kerley (New York Jets), Kent State’s Dri Archer (Pittsburgh), Arizona State’s Marion Grice (Arizona), Texas A&M’s Johnny Manziel (Cleveland), Nebraska’s Ameer Abdullah (Detroit), Stanford’s Ty Montgomery (Green Bay) and Missouri’s Marcus Murphy (New Orleans).
Georgia Tech opens the 2015 season Sept. 3 against Alcorn State (7:30 p.m. ET, RSN). 2015 Georgia Tech season tickets are on sale now. Fans can purchase tickets in person at the Georgia Tech Ticket Office (M-F 9 a.m.-5 p.m.), by phone at 888-TECH-TIX, or online at togetherweswarm.com. Season tickets for Tech’s seven-game home schedule start at just $245 – a value of $35 per game. Great lower-level seats are available from $350. There is no per-game ticket or Tech Fund price increase in 2015. The only difference is the addition of a seventh home game (Georgia).
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