Tuesday, November 11, 2014
by Cody Bush, PFL Media Relations

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – Stetson University sophomore safety Buck Buchanan has been named to the Jerry Rice Award Watch List, it was announced today. The announcement was made by The Sports Network, which presents the award to the nation’s top defensive football player who plays in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision at its national awards banquet in December..

Payne, of Fayetteville, Georgia, was named the national freshman of the week after Stetson's return to football in 2013 and hasn't looked back since then, filling the stats sheet in incredible ways at the Pioneer Football League school. He has 150 tackles in 10 games after a recent four-game run in which he has collected over 20 tackles three times. An athletic playmaker who sets up in different spots on the field, Payne has 15 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, four interceptions, seven pass breakups, six quarterback hurries, two fumble recoveries and one forced fumble

This is the 20th season the Buck Buchanan Award will be presented by The Sports Network. It was named after NFL legend Junious "Buck" Buchanan, who was a collegiate star at Grambling State.

Following the regular season, the Buck Buchanan Award winner will be selected by a national panel of over 150 sports information and media relations directors, broadcasters, writers and other dignitaries. 

The Sports Network also presents the Walter Payton, Jerry Rice and Eddie Robinson awards. The Payton Award honors the outstanding player in the FCS, the Rice Award goes to the FCS freshman of the year and the Robinson Award is bestowed upon the FCS coach of the year.

Other players on the Buck Buchanan Award Watch List are nose guard O.J. Mau of Gardner-Webb; defensive ends James Cowser of Southern Utah, Kyle Emanuel of North Dakota State, Zach Hodges of Harvard, Mike Reilly of William & Mary, Davis Tull of Chattanooga, Zack Wagenmann of Montana and Jonathan Woodard of Central Arkansas; linebackers Quinn Backus of Coastal Carolina, Tony Bell of UT Martin, Don Cherry of Villanova, Isiah Corbett of Southeastern Louisiana, Nick Dzubnar of Cal Poly, Darnell Sankey of Sacramento State, Lynden Trail of Norfolk State and Connor Underwood of Indiana State; cornerback Tye Smith of Towson; and safeties Jacob Hagen of Liberty, Colten Heagle of North Dakota State, Caleb Schaffitzel of Missouri State and Jaquiski Tartt of Samford.