Johnson on Hornung Watch List
The 2016 Paul Hornung Award Preseason Watch List is out. East Carolina has their third entry on the list since the award began in 2010 in wide receiver return specialist Quay Johnson.
He joins Dwayne Harris in 2010, Justin Hardy in 2014 and Isaiah Jones in 2015 who were past entries on the Hornung Watch List.
A 2016 preseason All AAC pick as a return specialist by both Phil Steele Magazine and Athlon Sports, Johnson has made 25 career catches in his first two years for 191 yards.
Johnson was ECU’s top kickoff and punt returner in 2015 and caught 16 passes for 134 yards from his receiver position last season. His 9.1 yards per return ranked third in the AAC in punt returns and was good for 191 yards in 19 attempts. Johnson ranked 11th with a kickoff return average of at 20.1 yards.
On six occasions, Johnson reeled off returns of over 50 yards including an 84-yard return against BYU in 2015.
In his sophomore year, Johnson produced 853 yards of all-purpose yards.
The Paul Hornung Award presented by Texas Roadhouse is in its seventh season and is presented annually to the most versatile player in major college football by the Louisville Sports Commission. The LSC created the PHA to recognize the distinctive talents of student-athletes and help preserve the legacy of Paul Hornung – a man many consider the most versatile player in the history of college and professional football. Each year, the winner and his family are honored in late-February at a banquet presented by KentuckyOne Health at the Galt House Hotel in downtown Louisville, Ky.
The 2016 Watch List was compiled by a panel of college football experts based on a combination of 2015 statistics, career performance, sports information director recommendations and expectations heading into the 2016 season. Players may be added to the watch list during the regular season based on performance.
Earlier this week, The Paul Hornung Award presented by Texas Roadhouse was granted associate membership in the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA). The NCFAA was founded in 1997 as a coalition of major U.S. collegiate football awards.
