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Walter Payton Award -- History
|
| Year |
Player |
School |
| 2010 |
Jeremy Moses, QB |
Stephen F. Austin |
| 2009 |
Armanti Edwards, QB |
Appalachian State |
| 2008 |
Armanti Edwards, QB |
Appalachian State |
| 2007 |
Jayson Foster, QB |
Georgia Southern |
| 2006 |
Ricky Santos, QB |
New Hampshire |
| 2005 |
Erik Meyer, QB |
Eastern Washington |
| 2004 |
Lang Campbell, QB |
William & Mary |
| 2003 |
Jamaal Branch, RB |
Colgate |
| 2002 |
Tony Romo, QB |
Eastern Illinois |
| 2001 |
Brian Westbrook, RB |
Villanova |
| 2000 |
Louis Ivory, RB |
Furman |
| 1999 |
Adrian Peterson, RB |
Georgia Southern |
| 1998 |
Jerry Azumah, RB |
New Hampshire |
| 1997 |
Brian Finneran, WR |
Villanova |
| 1996 |
Archie Amerson, RB |
Northern Arizona |
| 1995 |
Dave Dickenson, QB |
Montana |
| 1994 |
Steve McNair, QB |
Alcorn State |
| 1993 |
Doug Nussmeier, QB |
Idaho |
| 1992 |
Michael Payton, QB |
Marshall |
| 1991 |
Jamie
Martin, QB |
Weber State |
| 1990 |
Walter Dean, RB |
Grambling State |
| 1989 |
John Friesz, QB |
Idaho |
| 1988 |
Dave Meggett, RB |
Towson |
| 1987 |
Kenny Gamble, RB |
Colgate |
2010, Jeremy Moses, QB, Stephen F. Austin
-- Moses was named the 24th winner of the Walter Payton Award.
During the regular season, the 6-foot, 195-pound Moses led the FCS in pass
attempts (499), completions (303), touchdown passes (34) and passing yards
(3,658), yet threw only four interceptions. He helped lead the Lumberjacks to
the Southland Conference title and into the playoffs for a second straight
season. They lost in the second round and finished with a 9-3 record.
Moses, who was seventh in last season's Payton Award voting, is the first
Southland Conference player to win the award. In 1989, SFA quarterback Todd
Hammel was the runner-up.
Over his four-year career, Moses completed an FCS-record 1,184 passes (on
1,893 attempts) for 13,401 yards and 121 touchdowns. He averaged 304.6 passing
yards in his 44 games.
2009, Armanti Edwards, QB, Appalachian State
 -- Edwards became the
first player to capture the award in back-to-back seasons and the first
two-time winner of the Payton Award. Appalachian State linebacker Dexter
Coakley,
who won the first two Buck Buchanan Awards in 1995-96, and James Madison coach
Mickey Matthews, who won the Eddie Robinson Award in 1999 and again in 2008,
are the only other two-time award winners at the FCS level. The 6-foot,
185-pound senior signal-caller became the first quarterback in NCAA history to
pass for more than 10,000 yards and rush for over 4,000 yards in his career.
He ranked third nationally in total offense and fifth in passing efficiency in
the regular season, and finished with 3,291 yards passing and 679 yards
rushing, with 30 combined touchdowns for 2009. For his career, Edwards
finished with 14,753 yards of total offense, ranking him second on the all-
time list behind Alcorn State great Steve McNair. For the second year in a
row, Edwards finished first by a landslide, with 55 first-place votes and 431
points. Terrell Hudgins of Elon became the highest-placing receiver since
Villanova's Brian Finneran won the award in 1997, finishing second with 268
points, just ahead of Southern Illinois running back Deji Karim. Edwards was a
third-round draft choice in the 2010 NFL Draft by the Carolina Panthers.
2008, Armanti Edwards, QB, Appalachian State
 -- Edwards was named
the 22nd winner of the Walter Payton Award.
The 6-foot junior signal-caller rushed for 941 yards and 11
touchdowns, while completing 64 percent of his passes for 2,902 yards and 30
touchdowns. He ranked second nationally in passing efficiency, seventh in
total offense (296 yards per game, 3,843 total yards) and 11th in passing
yards.
Edwards, one of the team captains for the Mountaineers, saved his best games
for the brightest spotlight. Facing South Carolina State in the first round of
the 2008 playoffs, Edwards completed 29-of-41 passes for a school-record 433
yards and four touchdowns, breaking predecessor Richie Williams' mark of 413
in 2004 in a 37-21 win.
Edwards finished first in one of the most lopsided Payton Award races in
history with 53 first-place votes and 398 points. James Madison quarterback
Rodney Landers was second with 17 first-place votes and 290 points, with
Western Illinois running back Herb Donaldson placing third with 209 points.
2007, Jayson Foster, QB, Georgia Southern
 -- Foster was named the
21st winner of the Walter Payton Award.
Foster rushed for an NCAA all-divisions quarterback record of 1,844 yards (7.1
yards per carry) with 24 touchdowns during the 2007 season. The senior also
completed 109-of-170 passes for 1,203 yards and six touchdowns.
Foster is the second Georgia Southern player to win the Payton Award, joining
1999 honoree Adrian Peterson, and is the fourth Southern Conference player to
be so honored, along with Peterson, 1992 winner Michael Payton of Marshall and
2000 recipient Louis Ivory of Furman.
Foster received 24 first-place votes and 224 points out of 100 ballots cast by
a panel of sports information directors and selected media. He finished 40
points ahead of Northern Iowa quarterback Eric Sanders, and 58 points in front
of San Diego quarterback Josh Johnson. Foster has spent time on the practice
squads of the NFL Miami Dolphins, Denver Broncos, Pittsburgh Steelers and
Baltimore Ravens.
2006, Ricky Santos, QB, New Hampshire
 -- Santos threw for 2,681 yards and 23 touchdowns, and ran
for 385 yards and 12 scores in the regular season, and directed a New
Hampshire offense that threw for 249.6 yards per game and ranked third
nationally with 36.5 points per game. Santos tossed only five interceptions
all season and led the Wildcats to the playoffs for the third consecutive
season. Santos excelled in the first round of the postseason as well as he
threw for 318 yards and five touchdown passes to lead New Hampshire past
Hampton, 41-38.
Santos got off to a fast start with five total touchdowns to lead New
Hampshire to a 34-17 victory at Northwestern. He also notched five passing
touchdowns in a win against Dartmouth, and exploded with five total touchdowns
and 391 yards of total offense to lead the Wildcats to a 52-49 victory in a
shootout against Delaware. He helped the Wildcats to a 5-0 start and the No. 1
ranking in the country for the first half of the season. Santos recorded 458
yards of total offense and five total touchdowns in a 36-35 loss in overtime
at Northeastern, and continued to play well even while the Wildcats lost three
out of four games. With his team's playoff fate on the line, Santos once again
notched five total touchdowns to lead the Wildcats past Rhode Island, 63-21,
and scored a pair of rushing touchdowns to lift New Hampshire to a playoff
spot with a 19-13 victory in overtime over Maine. As a junior, Santos
completed the regular season with 9,796 passing yards, 93 touchdown passes and
only 24 interceptions in his career, and then added six more touchdown passes
in the playoffs. Santos spent time on the NFL Kansas City Chiefs roster in
2008 and has played two seasons in the Canadian Football League for Montreal
and Winnipeg. He is currently on Montreal's roster.
2005, Erik Meyer, QB, Eastern Washington
 -- Meyer threw for 3,616 passing yards in the regular season,
and directed an Eastern Washington offense that finished second nationally in
passing yardage (337.6 ypg) and third in total offense (477.7 ypg). Meyer
threw for 26 touchdowns and five interceptions, and added four touchdowns in a
playoff loss to Northern Iowa to finish with a 169.3 passer rating. That
rating helped Meyer finish with a 166.47 career passer rating, which broke the
FCS record of 166.27 set by 1995 Payton Award winner Dave Dickenson. Meyer
also helped the Eagles earn the Big Sky's automatic berth to the playoffs.
Meyer performed well throughout the season and led the Eagles to at least 23
points in every contest. Meyer threw for more than 300 yards in the first
three games of the season, though the Eagles started 1-2. After wins against
Northern Arizona and Portland State, Meyer made his defining mark on the
season at Montana. Meyer put on a near-flawless show with a 28-for-40, 395-
yard, five-touchdown effort in a 34-20 win. In a must-win game, Meyer
orchestrated a 35-14 win against Montana State (254 total yards, 2 TDs) that
put the Eagles in position to claim a share of the Big Sky title. Meyer
finished with a gaudy 9,874 yards passing, 80 touchdowns and only 17
interceptions in his career. Meyer spent time in training camps of the NFL
Cincinnati Bengals, Seattle Seahawks and Oakland Raiders. Meyer played briefly
with the Cologne Centurions in NFL Europe (2007) and was on the practice squad
of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (2009) of the CFL. Meyer has been playing the past
several seasons in the Arena Football League.
2004, Lang Campbell, QB, William & Mary
 -- Campbell led William & Mary to its first-ever
semifinal appearance and a share of the Atlantic 10 title. He finished the
regular season with just one interception, and threw for a school-record 3,988
yards and 30 touchdowns for the year. Campbell also ran for 317 yards and
seven touchdowns and totaled 307.5 yards of total offense per game. He came up
huge in critical Tribe games at the end of the season and into the playoffs.
Campbell led the Tribe to wins in their final four regular season games, with
a 26-of-33, 323-yard, two-touchdown effort in a 27-24 win at James Madison to
help the Tribe claim a share of the A-10 title. In the quarterfinals, Campbell
led the Tribe back from a 31-10 fourth-quarter deficit against Delaware. He
threw for 342 yards and three touchdowns in the contest. Campbell is the
fourth Walter Payton Award winner from the Atlantic 10, but the first-ever
quarterback. Campbell spent time in training camps of the NFL Cleveland
Browns, Arizona Cardinals and Atlanta Falcons. He also played with the Berlin
Thunder (2006) of NFL Europe. He played one season with the Arizona Rattlers
of the Arena League Football.
2003, Jamaal Branch, RB, Colgate
 -- Branch set FCS records with 2,326 yards rushing and 29
rushing touchdowns to lead Colgate to a Patriot League title, 15-1 overall
record, and the school's first appearance in the national championship game.
Branch had a record-setting 12 games of over 100 yards rushing, and broke the
200-yard barrier on four occasions. He posted a season- and career-high 280
yards on the ground and three touchdowns in a win against Holy Cross. Branch
led all of Division I with 168.8 rushing yards and 12.5 points per game during
the 2003 regular season. In the semifinals against Florida Atlantic, Branch
ran 45 times for 130 yards and a score to lift Colgate to a 36-24 win. Branch
became the second Colgate player to win the Payton Award, and the first since
Kenny Gamble won the first-ever Payton Award in 1987. Branch played for the
NFL New Orleans Saints in 2006-07. After signing with the Saints on Dec.
29, 2006, Branch scored his first NFL touchdown just two days later.
2002, Tony Romo, QB, Eastern Illinois
 -- Romo passed for 2,950 yards and 33 touchdowns in 2002,
completing 237-of-363 passes (65.3 percent) in leading Eastern Illinois to an
8-3 record, the Ohio Valley Conference co-title, and a FCS playoff berth. He
headed one of the most prolific offenses in the nation during the 2002 season,
as the Panthers averaged 37.7 points per game despite the presence of two I-A
opponents and no sub-FCS competition on their '02 slate. The Burlington,
Wisc.,
native finished his career with 84 touchdown passes, shattering the previous
school mark of 75 held by current New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton.
Romo was signed as a free agent by the Cowboys following his senior season.
Romo is now playing quarterback in his eighth season with the Dallas Cowboys
and has been a starter since the 2006 season. Through the 2010 season, Romo
has passed for 16,650 yards with 118 touchdowns. To date, his finest
season has been 2009, when he completed over 63 percent of his passes for a
personal-best 4,483 yards, 26 touchdowns and just nine interceptions.
2001, Brian Westbrook, RB, Villanova
 -- Westbrook concluded an incredible collegiate
career with a brilliant senior season that included 1,603 rushing yards, 59
receptions and 29 touchdowns for the Atlantic 10 quad-champions. Westbrook
became the second Villanova player to win the Payton Award, and the program
joined
Idaho as the only schools with two winners of the award. The Fort Washington,
Md., native led FCS with 2,823 all-purpose yards, just two years removed from
major knee surgery that forced him to miss the 1999 season. Westbrook's 9,512
all-purpose yards are an NCAA all-divisions record, and his single-season all-
purpose yard figures in 1998, 2000 and 2001 are the three-best totals in FCS
history. Westbrook was selected in the third round of the 2002 NFL Draft by
the Philadelphia Eagles, and played eight seasons with the team. Westbrook
was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2004 and 2007. Through 2010, Westbrook
rushed for 6,335 yards, caught 442 passes for 3,940 yards and scored 71
touchdowns. Westbrook is currently plays for the San Francisco 49ers.
2000, Louis Ivory, RB, Furman
 -- Ivory had a breakthrough season in 2000, amassing 2,079
regular season yards and 16 touchdowns to become the second straight Southern
Conference underclassman to claim the Payton Award. The Fort Valley, Ga.,
native went
over the 100-yard plateau 11 times during the season, leading Furman to a
Southern Conference co-title and second consecutive playoff berth. Ivory may
have sealed the Payton with a 301-yard, three-touchdown effort in a 45-10
victory over reigning (and eventual) national champion Georgia Southern.
Ivory's heroics continued in the postseason, as he accumulated 172 yards and
two touchdowns in a first-round playoff loss to Hofstra. For his career, Ivory
rushed for 5,353 yards and 53 touchdowns, averaging 6.3 yards per carry.
Ivory, who had his number 34 retired by Furman, holds nearly every Paladin
career rushing record.
1999, Adrian Peterson, RB, Georgia Southern
 -- Peterson became the first Southern Conference
player to win the Payton Award since Marshall's Michael Payton in 1992, and
like his
SoCon predecessor, led his team to a FCS national championship. In only his
sophomore season, the fullback put up eye-popping totals of 2,704 yards and 40
touchdowns, rushing for over 100 yards in all 15 games for the Eagles.
Peterson bolted for 247 yards and three touchdowns on just 25 carries in a
59-24 championship game win over Youngstown State. The Alachua, Fla., native
picked up 9,161 yards, 114 touchdowns and two national titles in his career,
and graduated as the NCAA FCS all-time leader with 6,559 regular-season
rushing yards. Peterson is well known for "The Run," in which he broke
numerous tackles en route to a 58-yard gain during the 1999 championship game
victory against Youngstown State. Peterson was selected in the sixth round of
the 2002 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears, and played eight seasons with the
team. His finest NFL season was in 2007, when he caught 51 passes for 420
yards and rushed for 510 yards with three scores. Peterson is currently a free
agent after spending the preseason with Seattle in 2010.
1998, Jerry Azumah, RB, New Hampshire
 -- The second straight player from an Atlantic 10 school to
win the Payton Award, Azumah was also the first honoree from a team with a
losing record. The senior's 2,195 rushing yards and 22 touchdowns were both
school records, but were not enough to help the Wildcats avoid a 4-7 mark. One
of UNH's seven losses was typical of the team's season, as Azumah rambled for
329 yards but the Wildcats lost to Hofstra, 41-38. For his career, the
talented Worcester, Mass., native rushed for 6,193 yards and 60 touchdowns,
and
418 points, graduating as the all-time FCS leader in each category. Azumah was
drafted in the fifth round of the 1999 NFL draft by the Chicago Bears, and was
selected to his first Pro Bowl as a return specialist in 2003. During his
first year with the Bears, Azumah was awarded the "Brian Piccolo Award" (which
exemplifies courage, loyalty, teamwork and dedication) by his
teammates. He enjoyed seven successful seasons at defensive back and return
specialist for the Bears.
1997, Brian Finneran, WR, Villanova
 -- The first-ever receiver to win the Payton Award,
Finneran caught 96 passes for 1,389 yards and 19 touchdowns, and led the
Wildcats to an undefeated regular season, Atlantic 10 title and NCAA playoff
berth. Finneran's 17 regular-season touchdowns rank fourth in FCS history,
with NFL standouts Jerry Rice and Randy Moss among those listed ahead of
Finneran on the list. The native Californian remains atop the Villanova career
charts for receptions (265), yards (3,872), and touchdown catches (34). The
senior finished his storied VU tenure with a 16-catch, 180-yard performance in
a playoff loss to eventual national champion Youngstown State and had his
number 25 jersey retired by Villanova in 2003. Following graduation, Finneran
spent time on the practice squad of the NFL Seattle Seahawks and played three
games with the Philadelphia Eagles in 1999 before signing with the Atlanta
Falcons. Finneran completed his 11th year in the NFL and 10th as a
member of the Falcons. Through 2010, Finneran boasts 238 receptions for 3,093
yards and 19 touchdowns. His most productive season came in 2002, when he
caught 56 passes for 838 yards and six scores.
1996, Archie Amerson, RB, Northern Arizona
 -- Amerson became the fifth Big Sky player in a 10-
year span to win the Payton Award, but was the first-ever non-quarterback from
the conference to be selected. The senior rushed for a league-leading 2,079
yards and 25 touchdowns in 1996, leading the Lumberjacks to a 9-3 record and
their first-ever FCS playoff appearance. The running back went over the 200-
yard plateau six times during the season, and set a FCS record with seven
touchdowns in a 59-45 win over Weber State. Amerson's 2,429 all-purpose yards
set a FCS record, and is still in the single-season Top 10. In his two-year
NAU career, Amerson rushed for 3,196 yards and scored 228 points. Amerson
enjoyed a successful, eight-year career in the Canadian Football League with
the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. As a slotback, Amerson caught 436 passes for 6,298
yards and 37 receiving touchdowns and rushed for an additional 1,654 yards
with eight scores in his career. He amassed over 9,000 all-purpose yards in
the CFL.
1995, Dave Dickenson, QB, Montana
 -- Dickenson became the fourth Big Sky quarterback
to win the Payton Award in its nine-year history, and was the second Payton
winner to lead his team to a FCS national championship. The senior threw for a
nation-leading 4,176 yards and 38 touchdowns, with the former mark still
ranking atop Big Sky Conference annals. The Grizzlies defeated Marshall,
22-20, to win their first-ever FCS title. For his career, Dickenson tossed for
11,080 yards and 96 scores, and ranks in the Top 5 in FCS history in career
passing efficiency (166.3). The Great Falls, Mont., native enjoyed a
successful
11-year professional career in Canada, starring for the Calgary Stampeders and
BC Lions of the CFL. Dickinson played in 140 CFL regular-season games and 14
additional post-season contests. He holds CFL records for highest single-
season completion percentage (73.98 in 2005), highest quarterback rating in a
single season (118.8 in 2005) and all-time highest completion percentage
(67.5). Named the CFL's Most Outstanding Player in 2000 and Grey Cup MVP in
2006, he spent 2001-02 on the rosters of the NFL's San Diego Chargers, Miami
Dolphins, Seattle Seahawks and Detroit Lions before returning to the CFL.
Dickenson, who retired from football in February of 2009, is currenty an
offensive assistant coach with Calgary.
1994, Steve McNair, QB, Alcorn State
 -- Perhaps the most storied Payton Award winner to date,
McNair
set the college football world alight during the 1994 season. The Mt. Olive,
Miss., native completed 356 of 612 passes for 5,377 yards and 47 touchdown
passes,
and led Alcorn State to a SWAC title and NCAA FCS playoff berth. McNair
graduated with 14,496 career passing yards, 119 touchdowns and 16,283 career
yards of total offense. Besides winning the Payton Award, McNair finished
third in balloting for the Heisman Trophy, behind Colorado's Rashaan Salaam
and Penn State's Ki-Jana Carter. Drafted third overall by the NFL's Houston
Oilers in 1995, "Air McNair," as he was called during his collegiate days due
to his passing prowess, had a successful professional career with the Oilers/
Tennessee Titans and Baltimore Ravens. In his 13-year NFL career, McNair
passed for over 31,000 yards and 174 touchdowns, completing over 60 percent of
his passes. He was a three-time Pro Bowl player (2000, 2003, 2005) and played
in Super Bowl XXXIV with the Titans. He tragically passed away July 4, 2009.
1993, Doug Nussmeier, QB, Idaho
 -- Nussmeier became the third Big Sky Conference
quarterback to claim the Payton Award, and the second from the University of
Idaho. The southpaw threw for 2,960 yards and 33 touchdown passes in 1993,
leading the Vandals to the NCAA FCS semifinals. Nussmeier's 175.2 passing
efficiency during the 1993 season still ranks atop Idaho annals. The Lake
Oswego, Ore., native's career passing mark of 12,054 yards is among the top 10
in
FCS history. Nussmeier was selected in the fourth round of the 1994 NFL Draft
by the New Orleans Saints, and played for the Saints, Indianapolis Colts and
CFL British Columbia Lions during his pro career. Following his playing days,
Nussmeier served as quarterback coach for the BC Lions and Ottawa Renegades of
the CFL, before moving on to Michigan State University as an assistant coach.
For two seasons, Nussmeier was the quarterbacks coach with the NFL St. Louis
Rams (2006-07) before moving on to Fresno State University as offensive
coordinator. Nussmeier is currently the offensive coordinator/quarterbacks
coach at the University of Washington.
1992, Michael Payton, QB, Marshall
 -- Payton was the first-ever Southern Conference player to
win the Walter Payton Award, and was also the first-ever Payton winner to
claim a FCS championship the same year. Payton threw for 3,610 yards and 31
TDs for the Thundering Herd, winning SoCon Player of the Year honors for the
second straight season. Among the quarterback's prime targets was former NFL
standout Troy Brown, who was on the receiving end of 101 completions, 1,654
yards, and 16 touchdowns in 1992. Payton's top accomplishment, however, was
leading the Herd to their first-ever national title, defeating Youngstown
State, 31-28, in the 1992 championship game. For his career, Payton threw for
8,900 yards and 66 touchdowns and still holds the FCS record for most yards
passing in a half when he threw for 383 yards in the first half of a game
versus VMI in 1991. Payton went on to play professionally with the Florida
Bobcats of the Arena Football League.
1991, Jamie Martin, QB, Weber State
 -- Martin was the second quarterback and Big Sky player to
bring home the Payton Award, and was the first player to claim the honor
during his junior season. The signal-caller threw for 4,125 yards and 37
touchdowns during the 1991 campaign, leading the Wildcats to an 8-4 mark and a
berth in the FCS playoffs. Martin's 643-yard, four-touchdown effort in a 60-41
win over Idaho State helped seal the Payton, and the single-game yardage total
still stands as a FCS record. Martin's career total offense mark of 12,287
yards ranks fifth in FCS history. Martin played 16 seasons in the NFL with
L.A./St. Louis Rams, Washington Redskins, Jacksonville Jaguars, Cleveland
Browns, New York Jets, New Orleans Saints and San Francisco 49ers.
1990, Walter Dean, RB, Grambling State
 -- Dean was the first player from the
Southwestern Athletic Conference to win the Payton Award, bringing the trophy
home to the league of former Jackson State standout Walter Payton himself.
Dean's FCS-best 1,401 rushing yards in 1990 were the most ever by a Grambling
senior, and his 17 touchdowns gave the tailback a two-year total of 35. Dean
led the Tigers to an 8-3 record during the 1990 campaign, including a 25-13
victory over Southern in the storied Bayou Classic. The standout rusher
compiled 3,328 yards and 41 touchdowns for his career, marks that still rank
among the best in Grambling's storied history. Following his magical
collegiate career, Dean was selected by the Green Bay Packers in the sixth
round of the NFL Draft and played one season professionally.
1989, John Friesz, QB, Idaho
 -- The first quarterback to claim the Payton Award, Friesz
threw for 4,041 yards and 31 touchdowns in leading his Vandals to the 1989 Big
Sky title and a berth in the FCS playoffs. The Idaho native threw for an
incredible 367.4 yards per game, went over the 300-yard mark 10 straight
times, and at one stretch completed 173 consecutive passes without an
interception. The signal-caller's 10,187 career passing yards still rank in
the NCAA Top 15, and his 305.6 career per game average is the best mark in
school history. Friesz was selected in the sixth round of the 1990 NFL Draft
by the San Diego Chargers, and enjoyed an 11-year pro career with the
Chargers, Washington Redskins, Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots. For
his career in the NFL, Friesz threw for 8,699 yards and 45 touchdowns. In
2006, Friesz was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame and had his
number 17 jersey retired by the University of Idaho.
1988, Dave Meggett, RB, Towson
 -- Meggett scored four touchdowns in Towson's 45-34
season-opening win over Northeastern and never looked back, piling up 1,612
all-purpose yards en route to the 1988 Payton Award. The Tigers' 5-5 record
was their first-ever .500 mark at the FCS level. In just two seasons at Towson
following his transfer from Morgan State (where he was a defensive back), the
multi-talented Meggett rushed for 1,658 yards, had 788 receiving yards,
amassed 957 return yards, and scored 30 touchdowns in only 18 games. The All-
American's 189.1 yards-per-game all-purpose average still ranks in the FCS
career
Top 10. Meggett was a fifth-round draft choice of the NFL New York Giants in
1989, and played 10 pro seasons with the Giants, New England Patriots and New
York Jets. During his career, Meggett was a two-time Pro Bowl selection (1989,
1996) and scored eight special teams touchdowns. Meggett ranks second in NFL
history with 3,708 punt return yards. Meggett gained 14,005 all-purpose yards
and scored 29 touchdowns.
1987, Kenny Gamble, RB, Colgate
 -- Gamble concluded an outstanding collegiate career by
rushing for 1,411 yards and 11 touchdowns in 1987, and was the inaugural
recipient of the Walter Payton Award. Gamble led the Red Raiders to a 7-4
season, a mark that included losses to FBS opponents Duke and Syracuse. For
his career, the tailback bolted for 5,220 yards and 55 touchdowns, rushing for
more than 200 yards in a game six times and more than 100 yards 29 times
during his tenure. The 55 touchdowns were an all-time FCS best, and Gamble's
342 career points still rank in the division's Top 10. Gamble was selected in
the 10th round of the 1988 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs, and played
parts of three seasons with the Chiefs. In August of 2002, the three-time All-
American was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
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