Jones Named to the Paul Hornung Award Watch List

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Aug. 2, 2012

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia senior tailback Perry Jones (Chesapeake, Va.) has been named one of 49 players to the 2012 Paul Hornung Award Watch List. The Paul Hornung Award, now in its third season, is given annually to the most versatile player in major college football by the Louisville Sports Commission and football legend Paul Hornung.

The watch list is comprised of 25 seniors, 16 juniors and eight sophomores, representing 44 universities and 10 conferences that are part of the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). Jones is one of four players from ACC institutions on the watch list. Michael Campanaro (Wake Forest), Orwin Smith (Georgia Tech) and Sammy Watkins (Clemson) join Jones as ACC representatives.

Jones led UVa with 915 rushing yards and was third on the team with 506 receiving yards. The two-time captain was second on the squad in receptions and his 48 catches ranks as the most among all UVa returners. Jones scored eight touchdowns (five rushing, three receiving) en route to earning All-ACC honorable mention honors and helping the Cavaliers to their first bowl game since the 2007 season. He also threw for a touchdown on a halfback option at Miami.

“The Paul Hornung Award Watch List for the upcoming season is an impressive group of players who excel at multiple positions to help their teams win, which is how I played the game,” Hornung said. “It will be interesting to see which players excel during the season and emerge as the top choices of our selection committee.”

The Louisville Sports Commission successfully launched the Paul Hornung Award in 2010 to honor its namesake and native son and to promote outstanding performances by versatile college football players that often go unnoticed.

Players from all FBS teams are eligible and appearing on the Paul Hornung Award Watch List is not a prerequisite for winning the Award. The Selection Committee, comprised of 16 national sports journalists and former college and NFL players, will narrow the field to a small group of finalists in early December. The winner will be selected in early January from among the finalists following the bowl season.