December 11, 2019
DALLAS – Conference USA announced its 2019 Players of the Year today, as selected by the league’s 14 head football coaches. C-USA is completing its 24th football campaign by sending eight teams to bowl games.
Marshall sophomore RB Brenden Knox is the recipient of the C-USA Most Valuable Player Award, becoming the second sophomore and second running back to be named C-USA MVP since the award was instituted in 2008. Knox leads C-USA with 1,284 yards through the first 12 games, an average of 107.0 per game, and has also rushed for 11 touchdowns. His yardage total is the eighth-best in program history and 16th-best among all FBS players this season. Knox was been even better against league foes in 2019, averaging 123.5 yards against C-USA competition with seven scores in eight games. In 17 career games with the Herd, he has 1,862 yards (109.5 per game) and 15 TDs.
Louisiana Tech senior QB J’Mar Smith becomes the second Bulldog to be named C-USA Offensive Player of the Year. He has thrown for a league-best 281.4 yards per game through the air with 17 touchdowns and just four interceptions on 339 passing attempts. Smith’s passer efficiency rating of 149.7 is second-best in C-USA this season and he also ranks second in the league in total offense (304.4 yards per game). Smith threw for 300+ yards four times this season and his performances helped the Bulldogs finish off a 6-0 campaign at home – its first 6-0 home mark since 1973.
Defensive recognition went to WKU junior DE DeAngelo Malone, who is second in the conference in sacks (11.5) and third nationally in tackles for loss (21.0). He registered at least one TFL in all but one game this season and has recorded 97 lost yards on sacks and 117 lost yards on TFL’s. Malone leads all FBS defensive lineman with 90 tackles this season (12th in C-USA). Additionally, he has 10 quarterback hurries, one forced fumble and a fumble return for a touchdown.
The Special Teams Player of the Year award was given to Marshall senior K Justin Rohrwasser, the first time a placekicker has won the award since 2005. He has the top field goal percentage in C-USA at .850, connecting on 17-of-20 field goal attempts this season. Rohrwasser is also 33-of-34 on extra-point attempts, giving him 85 points on the year. He produced 15 of his 17 field goals in conference games, while connecting on all 19 PATs in league play.
UTSA RB Sincere McCormick earned the league’s Freshman of the Year award, the second time in four years that a Roadrunner took home the top rookie award. He finished sixth in Conference USA and ranked third among all FBS freshman running backs with 983 rushing yards. McCormick posted a trio of 100-yard games and ran for eight touchdowns, while adding 194 receiving yards and another score.
The league’s Newcomer of the Year went to WKU QB Ty Storey, a graduate transfer from Arkansas that became the sixth passer to win the award in the last seven seasons. Storey started nine games, leading the Hilltoppers to a 7-2 record. He finished the regular season with a league-best 70.1 completion percentage, throwing for 2,209 yards and 12 touchdowns with just five interceptions. Storey also ran for six scores and caught one touchdown. He was named the Manning Award National QB of the Week for his performance in WKU’s 45-19 win at Arkansas on Nov. 9.
