FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (December 9, 2019) – Northern Arizona University senior quarterback
Case Cookus has been named as one of four finalists for the 2019 STATS FCS Walter Payton Award, presented annually to the most outstanding offensive player in NCAA FCS Football.
Cookus will be joined by Monmouth junior running back Pete Guerriero, North Dakota State redshirt freshman quarterback Trey Lance and Sacramento State junior quarterback Kevin Thompson at the STATS FCS Awards Banquet on Jan. 10 in Frisco, Texas.
Each of the players finished among the top four vote-getters from the 26 finalists who have been in the running for the Heisman of the FCS level.
Cookus enjoyed a historical season in 2019, directing the nation's top passing offense (361.0 ypg) with 4,114 passing yards (tops in FCS) and 31 touchdowns (8
th in FCS), while committing just seven interceptions.
The 4,114 passing yards marked the 10
th season with 4,000 or more aerial yards by a player in Big Sky history.
In addition, Cookus became the Lumberjacks' career leader in passing yards (12,082), passing touchdowns (105) and total offense (12,314) in 2019. The 105 touchdown passes also rank as the second-highest career total in Big Sky Conference annals and his 12,082 passing yards sit as the fourth-best total in league history.
In 2019, Cookus had nine 300-plus yard passing efforts and a pair of 400-yard performances. He tossed multiple touchdowns in nine games - with five games of three or more scoring tosses and four contests with at least four touchdown passes.
Cookus would be the second player in NAU history to take home the prestigious national honor as former Lumberjack standout running back Archie Amerson was named as the recipient of the Walter Payton Award in 1996.
The Payton Award, named for the legendary College and Pro Football Hall of Fame running back and presented since 1987, will be handed out at the STATS FCS Awards Banquet Jan. 10 in Frisco, Texas – on the eve of the national championship game.
Past recipients include Steve McNair, Tony Romo, Brian Westbrook, Jimmy Garoppolo, Cooper Kupp and last year's recipient, Devlin "Duck" Hodges.
Cookus has been at the national banquet previously, winning the 2015 Jerry Rice Award as the national freshman of the year.
A national panel of 156 sports information and media relations directors, broadcasters, writers and other dignitaries voted on the Payton Award following the regular season. Voters selected a Top 5 on their ballot.
The 2019 Walter Payton Award results for fifth through 26th place:
5. Eric Barriere, QB, Eastern Washington: 19-16-14-8-7-224
6. Chris Rowland, WR, Tennessee State: 7-15-10-11-6-153
7. Jah-Maine Martin, RB, North Carolina A&T: 4-13-7-9-13-124
8. Kenji Bahar, QB, Monmouth: 3-9-8-10-9-104
9. Daniel Smith, QB, Villanova: 4-4-12-7-10-96
10. James Robinson, RB, Illinois State: 2-5-9-11-7-86
11. Reid Sinnett, QB, San Diego: 4-4-7-6-2-71
12. Bailey Zappe, QB, Houston Baptist: 2-2-4-9-5-53
13. Tom Flacco, QB, Towson: 2-5-3-4-2-49
14. Cade Johnson, WR, South Dakota State: 1-2-4-7-5-44
15. Breylin Smith, QB, Central Arkansas: 1-2-4-4-7-40
16. Adam Trautman, TE, Dayton: 0-1-3-7-9-36
17.(tie) Alex Ramsey, RB, VMI: 1-2-0-4-6-27
17.(tie) Aaron Winchester, QB, Central Connecticut State: 1-1-3-2-5-27
19. Kurt Rawlings, QB, Yale: 0-4-0-2-3-23
20. Zerrick Cooper, QB, Jacksonville State: 1-2-1-2-2-22
21. Ryan Stanley, QB, Florida A&M: 0-3-2-0-2-20
22. Aaron Parker, WR, Rhode Island: 1-1-1-0-5-17
23. Felix Harper, QB, Alcorn State: 1-1-1-1-1-15
24. Jordan Bentley, RB, Alabama A&M: 0-0-2-1-4-12
25. Domenic Cozier, RB, Holy Cross: 1-0-1-1-1-11
26. Julius Chestnut, RB, Sacred Heart: 0-0-0-1-3-5
A first-place vote was worth five points, a second-place vote four points, a third-place vote three points, a fourth-place vote two points and a fifth-place vote one point.
