The FCS playoffs start this weekend, which means the major postseason award nominees were announced yesterday and there are a handful of Pennsylvania guys in the pool for national awards. The four major awards are the Walter Payton Award, given to the national player of the year; the Buck Buchanan Award, given to the national defensive player of the year; the Jerry Rice Award, given to the national freshman of the year; and the Eddie Robinson Award, given to the national coach of the year. Last year's Walter Payton Award winner, Trey Lance of North Dakota State, is sitting out the spring in preparation for the NFL Draft, where he's expected to be a top ten pick.
Easton's Jake Herres (wide receiver, VMI) is a finalist for the Walter Payton Award. The 6'4 210 pound junior has 67 catches for 809 yards and 7 TDs in seven games after earning All American honors as a sophomore with a 1,000 yard season. He is second in the country in receptions and third in receiving yards. VMI won their first Southern Conference championship since 1977 and will be making their first ever FCS Playoff appearance. Herres was a 6A All State receiver at Easton, and set school single season records for catches, yards, and touchdowns and is Easton's career leader in receiving yards.
Freedom's Tristan Wheeler (linebacker, Richmond) is a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award. Wheeler, a sophomore, posted 40 tackles in the Spiders four game season, including 14 against national title favorite James Madison. Wheeler was a finalist for the Jerry Rice Award last year after posting 104 tackles as a true freshman and won CAA Rookie of the Year. Wheeler was a 6A All State pick at Freedom, where he led the Patriots to their first ever D11 football title and state playoff appearance while earning EPC Defensive Player of the Year honors.
The Jerry Rice Award has a trio of Pennsylvania natives as finalists. Mount Lebanon's Seth Morgan (quarterback, VMI) took the reins when Reece Udinski went out fo the season with a torn ACL. Morgan started the final three games of the year, and three for at least 315 yards in each contest while completing over 75% of his passes. Morgan was an All WPIAL quarterback at Mount Lebanon where he set the program record for total yardage.
Erie Cathedral Prep's Billy Lucas (running back; Duquesne) won Northeast Conference Rookie of the Year and punctuated a strong freshman season with 110 yards and a touchdown in the NEC championship game. Lucas, a redshirt freshman, was the 4A Player of the Year as a senior after a 2,000 yard season, including 286 in the state finals against Imhotep Charter, as he led Erie Cathedral Prep to their third straight state title. He was also an All State pick as a junior.
Central Columbia's Jared Verse (defensive end; Albany) has been a one man wrecking crew and won CAA Rookie of the Year. Verse has ten tackles for loss and four sacks and led the conference in TFLs. At Central Columbia, Verse was a track standout, and won a state title as a member of their 4x100 relay team. He was an All Conference tight end and was recruited by most programs to play offense, but Albany immediately moved him to the defensive side of the ball and he has put on 40 pounds to morph into an elite FCS pass rusher.
Easton's Jake Herres (wide receiver, VMI) is a finalist for the Walter Payton Award. The 6'4 210 pound junior has 67 catches for 809 yards and 7 TDs in seven games after earning All American honors as a sophomore with a 1,000 yard season. He is second in the country in receptions and third in receiving yards. VMI won their first Southern Conference championship since 1977 and will be making their first ever FCS Playoff appearance. Herres was a 6A All State receiver at Easton, and set school single season records for catches, yards, and touchdowns and is Easton's career leader in receiving yards.
Freedom's Tristan Wheeler (linebacker, Richmond) is a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award. Wheeler, a sophomore, posted 40 tackles in the Spiders four game season, including 14 against national title favorite James Madison. Wheeler was a finalist for the Jerry Rice Award last year after posting 104 tackles as a true freshman and won CAA Rookie of the Year. Wheeler was a 6A All State pick at Freedom, where he led the Patriots to their first ever D11 football title and state playoff appearance while earning EPC Defensive Player of the Year honors.
The Jerry Rice Award has a trio of Pennsylvania natives as finalists. Mount Lebanon's Seth Morgan (quarterback, VMI) took the reins when Reece Udinski went out fo the season with a torn ACL. Morgan started the final three games of the year, and three for at least 315 yards in each contest while completing over 75% of his passes. Morgan was an All WPIAL quarterback at Mount Lebanon where he set the program record for total yardage.
Erie Cathedral Prep's Billy Lucas (running back; Duquesne) won Northeast Conference Rookie of the Year and punctuated a strong freshman season with 110 yards and a touchdown in the NEC championship game. Lucas, a redshirt freshman, was the 4A Player of the Year as a senior after a 2,000 yard season, including 286 in the state finals against Imhotep Charter, as he led Erie Cathedral Prep to their third straight state title. He was also an All State pick as a junior.
Central Columbia's Jared Verse (defensive end; Albany) has been a one man wrecking crew and won CAA Rookie of the Year. Verse has ten tackles for loss and four sacks and led the conference in TFLs. At Central Columbia, Verse was a track standout, and won a state title as a member of their 4x100 relay team. He was an All Conference tight end and was recruited by most programs to play offense, but Albany immediately moved him to the defensive side of the ball and he has put on 40 pounds to morph into an elite FCS pass rusher.
