The Louisville Sports Commission announced Monday its preseason watch list for the 2017 Paul Hornung Award presented by Texas Roadhouse and included on the initial 46-player list was University of Colorado senior George Frazier.
The Paul Hornung Award is given annually by the Louisville Sports Commission (LSC) to the most versatile player in major college football.
CU’s do-it-all man, Frazier has already appeared in 38 games for the Buffaloes in his career. He was named a team captain for the second-straight season, becoming one of 10 Buffs in program history to serve as captain twice. This fall he is expected to have an impact on both sides of the ball and on special teams. He will enter fall camp on the two-deep at both defensive end and tight end.
As a redshirt freshman in 2014, Frazier played in all 12 games on offense at fullback and tight end while seeing action in 10 games (195 snaps) on defense. That year he recorded 15 tackles, one for a loss, two third down stops, three quarterback hurries and one pass breakup while also rushing for one score and catching three TD passes.
During his sophomore and junior seasons, he stayed on the offensive side of the ball. Last year he was awarded the team’s Eddie Crowder Award, which the coaches present to the player who displays outstanding team leadership. Being used primarily as a blocker at tight end and in the backfield, he helped the Buffalo offense put up over 500 yards of offense six times on theyear, tying the school record for most in a single-season.
“We have a terrific Watch List again this year,” said Paul Hornung, namesake of the Award, who legendary Coach Vince Lombardi called “the most versatile man ever to play the game.”
“I love the fact that we recognize players who have the skill and the right mind set to play anyplace on the field to help their team win games,” Hornung said.
The 2017 Watch List consists of one graduate student, 23 seniors, 19 juniors, and three sophomores who play a total of nine different positions. They represent 45 universities in 28 states coast-to-coast across the 10 conferences that are part of the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). The ACC leads the conferences with 10 players, followed by the SEC with eight players and the Pac-12 with six.
Arizona State’s Kalen Ballage, Washington State’s Jamal Morrow, Oregon’s Charles Nelson, Washington’s Dantee Pettis and Cal’s Tre Watson join Frazier from the Pac-12 on the watch list.
The Award was created by the LSC in January 2010 with the support of the Golden Boy himself, Paul Hornung, a native and lifelong resident of Louisville and member of the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame.
Hornung is considered by many the most versatile player in the history of college and pro football. He won the 1956 Heisman Trophy at quarterback for Notre Dame and was 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. While in the NFL, Hornung was a multi-threat offensive back and prolific kicker. He was a member of four NFL championship teams as an all-pro halfback for the Green Bay Packers and led the NFL in scoring 1959-60-61, set the single season scoring record in 1960 with 176 points, and was named League MVP following the 1961 season.
Texas Roadhouse signed on as presenting sponsor of the Paul Hornung Award in 2011 and will team with the Louisville Sports Commission to power fan voting again this season. College football fans nationwide will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite player during the regular season and again during the bowl season. Fan voting will open in late September and factor into the selection of the finalists and winner.
