Missouri tailback Marcus Murphy (photo/Mizzou Athletics)
Missouri senior TB/KR/PR Marcus Murphy has been named one of five finalists for the fifth annual Paul Hornung Award, given annually to the most versatile player in major college football, as chosen by a 16-member selection committee.
Murphy is the NCAA’s active career leader in all-purpose yardage (4,577 entering Saturday’s game at Tennessee), Murphy holds Mizzou career records for most combined kick return touchdowns, kickoff return touchdowns, punt return touchdowns and punt return yardage. He is averaging 13.0 yards per punt return in 2014 (ranking him 11th in the NCAA currently), 32.9 yards per kickoff return (which would rank him 3rd nationally, but he doesn’t have quite enough attempts to qualify for the standings), while he’s got 607 yards rushing and 143 yards receiving.
The Hornung Award winner will be announced in December, with the recipient being honored on January 27, 2015 at the annual Paul Hornung award banquet in downtown Louisville. Created in 2010, the Hornung Award is designed to honor the most versatile player in college football, while preserving the legacy of one of Kentucky’s best-known and accomplished athletes in Paul Hornung – the 1956 Heisman Trophy winner and later NFL MVP for the Green Bay Packers.
The 16-member selection committee will vote for the winner, but fans also will comprise the 17th vote in a fan vote which opened today by visiting www.paulhornungaward.com.