Wednesday, November 7, 2018
by Stetson Athletics Communciations

CHICAGO – For the second time in as many weeks, a member of the Stetson football team has garnered national attention for his play this season.

Last week it was a freshman Jareem Westcott who was added to the watch list for the STATS FCS Jerry Rice Award, which goes to the top FCS freshman player in the nation.

This week it is senior tight end Donald Parham who has been recognized. The Lakeland, Fla., native was one of eight players added to the STATS FCS Walter Payton Award watch list. The Walter Payton Award, established in 1987 in recognition of the career accomplishments of NFL legend Walter Payton. Payton played collegiately at Jackson State, an FCS member.

Parham, who currently leads all FCS football in both receptions per game (9.14) and receiving yards per game (135.9), joins with Pioneer Football League foes Juston Christian, a receiver from Marist, and San Diego quarterback Anthony Lawrence on the 41-player watch list. That list includes 17 quarterbacks, 11 running backs and 11 receivers, but just one tight end.

Parham, who has played in seven of the Hatters' eight games this year, is currently second in the NCAA, regardless of division, in receiving yards per game behind only Rondale Moore of Purdue, who is averaged 139.4 yards per game. Parham is also fourth in the nation, regardless of division, in receptions per game.

Parham had a career-high 187 receiving yards and scored a pair of touchdowns in the win over Morehead State last weekend. His 18-yard TD reception late in the first quarter tied the game and his 30-yard TD reception in the third quarter put the game away.

Six of Parham's nine receptions in the game, including the two TD catches and a career-best 69-yard catch and run, resulted in Stetson first downs.

The 187 receiving yards were the second most for a player in school history and it was the second straight game in which he set a career high. It was Parham's fifth 100-plus yard game this season, including his fourth straight, and leaves him just 49 yards shy of 1,000 for the year.

Parham has now recorded nine 100-plus yard games in his career and he has 161 career receptions for 2,224 yards and 16 touchdowns - all program records. He is also now just 40 yards shy of the program record for career all-purpose yards.