LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Louisville Sports Commission announced on Thursday that the University of South Alabama's Tra Minter is a preseason candidate for the Paul Hornung Award presented by Texas Roadhouse this fall.
Minter — a rising senior from Ellaville, Ga. — has also been chosen preseason second-team All-America by The Sporting News and named to the Doak Walker Award Watch List in the final month before preseason practice begins.
The Paul Hornung Award presented by Texas Roadhouse is given annually to the most versatile player in major college football. Hornung is considered by many the most versatile player in the history of college and pro football, winning the 1956 Heisman Trophy at quarterback for Notre Dame before becoming the number one 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.
After Week 11 of the regular season, the 17-member Paul Hornung Award Selection Committee votes for their top three choices for finalists, and in early December following conference championship weekend the Selection Committee members choose their top three players from the finalist pool to determine the winner. Fan voting — which accounts for the 18th vote for both finalists and the winner — will take place online at www.votepaulhornung.com.
Minter topped the Sun Belt Conference and was among the top 10 in the nation after averaging 150.25 all-purpose yards per game in 2018, and he also finished among the league leaders in kickoff returns (third, 24.48 avg) and rushing (seventh, 66.75 ypg) last fall. In addition to rushing for 801 yards and six touchdowns, he contributed 23 receptions for 201 yards to the Jaguar passing attack.
A second-team all-league selection as both a return specialist and all-purpose back a year ago, Minter was voted the Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Week after running for a school-record 203 yards in a defeat of Coastal Carolina to end the regular season as well as the Special Teams Player of the Week earlier in the campaign following a win over Alabama State that included a 75-yard punt return for a touchdown.
Minter and the Jaguars will begin 2019 with a Saturday, Aug. 31, contest at Nebraska that is set for an 11 a.m. (CDT) kickoff on ESPN.
For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).
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