Aug. 17, 2010
Georgia Tech senior quarterback Joshua Nesbitt and junior safety Jerrard Tarrant were named to the preseason watch list for the 2010 Paul Hornung Award, which will go to the most versatile player in college football.
The Louisville (Ky.) Sports Commission announced the 48-player list on Tuesday. The complete list of candidates can be found here.
The watch list was compiled by a panel of college football experts based on 2009 statistics and expectations heading into the 2010 season. The list will be updated during the course of the season based on players’ performances.
Nesbitt, the 2009 first team All-ACC quarterback, is the most prolific rushing quarterback in Georgia Tech history. The senior co-captain is on track to break the ACC record for rushing yards by a quarterback. The Paul Hornung Award is one of five national individual awards that have Nesbitt on its watch list.
Tarrant truly fits the description of versatile. A starting cornerback last season, Tarrant has moved to safety this fall. In 2009, he was one of the top punt returners in the nation and scored all four of Tech’s non-offensive touchdowns — two by punt returns, one by interception return and one by fumble return.
“Paul Hornung was a playmaker and the spirit of the Paul Hornung Award is to recognize versatile, high-level performers who make an impact on the game,” said Karl Schmitt, executive director of the Louisville Sports Commission. “The Watch List is a work in progress, and we are particularly pleased from the outset to draw attention to almost two dozen individuals that have not received recognition with other awards.”
Created by the Louisville Sports Commission, the Paul Hornung Award is designed to recognize versatile, high-level performers in major college football and help preserve the legacy of one of Kentucky’s best known athletes. A panel of experts will select the inaugural winner in early January 2011. The votes will be tabulated by a full service accounting firm. Hornung is considered by many the best all-around player in the history of college and pro football. He won the 1956 Heisman Trophy at quarterback for Notre Dame and was the No. 1 pick in the 1957 NFL draft. He played every position in the backfield during his career with the Irish, where he also punted, kicked, returned kicks and played defensive back and was a multi-threat offensive back and prolific kicker in the pros. He was a member of four NFL championship teams as an all-pro halfback for the Green Bay Packers and led the NFL in scoring 1959-60-61, set the single season scoring record in 1960 with 176 points and was named League MVP following the 1961 season. Legendary Packers Coach Vince Lombardi called Hornung, “The most versatile man ever to play the game.” Paul is a member of the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame and the Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame and resides in his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky. More information go to www.paulhornungaward.com
