Photo by: © Kobi Everett Photo
Jaylen King Named Finalist for Jerry Rice Award
November 20, 2023 | Football
King is 5-1 as a starting quarterback this season
CHICAGO, Ill. – After leading Gardner-Webb to back-to-back conference championships, Jaylen King has been named a finalist for the Jerry Rice Award, announced by The Analyst on Monday, Nov. 20.
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The Jerry Rice Award, named after NFL Hall of Famer and former Mississippi Valley State wide receiver Jerry Rice, honors the national freshman of the year in Division I FCS college football and is presented by FedEx Ground. To be eligible for the Jerry Rice Award, a player must be considered a freshman by his conference in his first or second academic year without surpassing four games played in the previous academic year.
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King stepped up for the Runnin' Bulldogs at quarterback this season, going 5-1 as a starter, winning his final five games as he helped guide Gardner-Webb to a share of the Big South-OVC Championship and the automatic bid to the FCS Playoffs. King was efficient through the air, going 86-for-163 with 992 yards and 10 touchdowns. The Folkston, Ga. native was dangerous on the ground as well, rushing for 392 yards and five touchdowns.
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King was honored by the conference twice this season as the Big South-OVC Freshman of the Week, while also being selected to the FedEx Ground FCS National Freshman Honorable Mention Team three times.
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In back-to-back week's King was a pivotal part in a pair of exciting victories for Gardner-Webb. King recorded 254 yards of total offense and three touchdowns on Oct. 28, as the quarterback helped lead Gardner-Webb to a 38-34 upset victory over #13/14 UT Martin. King came up big on the final drive of the game, leading a 16-play, 90-yard drive to score a 10-yard rushing TD with 0:13 left in the contest. The Runnin' Bulldogs also converted three fourth downs on the final drive.
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The Folkston, Ga. native showed off his arm as well, finding Jayden Brown for a 71-yard passing touchdown in the first quarter, and also ending the first half with a one-yard strike to Karim Page to put GWU up 31-20 at the break.
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Against one of the best defenses in the FCS, King was 16-for-33 with 216 passing yards and two touchdowns. On the ground, King had 17 rushes, for 38 yards with the game-winning rushing touchdown.
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The next week, King accounted for four total touchdowns in Gardner-Webb's 45-44 overtime win over Bryant on Saturday, Nov. 4. The Folkston, Ga. native ran the ball 24 times for 108 yards, scoring twice. Through the air, King went 18-for-36 for 160 yards and two touchdowns.
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King showed off his athleticism in the second quarter, avoiding a sack before firing a pass to the back of the endzone from 24-yards out to Caleb Borders, giving GWU a 21-10 lead at the time. The freshman also came up clutch for the Runnin' Bulldogs on the game-tying drive in the fourth quarter, picking up 14 yards on a fourth down run.
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King is one of 22 finalists for the award, and joins MJ Flowers of Eastern Illinois as the only two representatives from the Big South-OVC.
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Past recipients of the Jerry Rice Award include Cooper Kupp, Chase Edmonds, Trey Lance and Shedeur Sanders.
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All 13 FCS leagues, comprised from 15 conferences overall, are represented by a Jerry Rice Award finalist. The winner, to be selected by a national voting panel, will be announced on Dec. 6 and honored at the FCS National Awards Banquet on Jan. 6 in Frisco, Texas – the eve of the FCS championship game.
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The Jerry Rice Award, named after NFL Hall of Famer and former Mississippi Valley State wide receiver Jerry Rice, honors the national freshman of the year in Division I FCS college football and is presented by FedEx Ground. To be eligible for the Jerry Rice Award, a player must be considered a freshman by his conference in his first or second academic year without surpassing four games played in the previous academic year.
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King stepped up for the Runnin' Bulldogs at quarterback this season, going 5-1 as a starter, winning his final five games as he helped guide Gardner-Webb to a share of the Big South-OVC Championship and the automatic bid to the FCS Playoffs. King was efficient through the air, going 86-for-163 with 992 yards and 10 touchdowns. The Folkston, Ga. native was dangerous on the ground as well, rushing for 392 yards and five touchdowns.
Â
King was honored by the conference twice this season as the Big South-OVC Freshman of the Week, while also being selected to the FedEx Ground FCS National Freshman Honorable Mention Team three times.
Â
In back-to-back week's King was a pivotal part in a pair of exciting victories for Gardner-Webb. King recorded 254 yards of total offense and three touchdowns on Oct. 28, as the quarterback helped lead Gardner-Webb to a 38-34 upset victory over #13/14 UT Martin. King came up big on the final drive of the game, leading a 16-play, 90-yard drive to score a 10-yard rushing TD with 0:13 left in the contest. The Runnin' Bulldogs also converted three fourth downs on the final drive.
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The Folkston, Ga. native showed off his arm as well, finding Jayden Brown for a 71-yard passing touchdown in the first quarter, and also ending the first half with a one-yard strike to Karim Page to put GWU up 31-20 at the break.
Â
Against one of the best defenses in the FCS, King was 16-for-33 with 216 passing yards and two touchdowns. On the ground, King had 17 rushes, for 38 yards with the game-winning rushing touchdown.
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The next week, King accounted for four total touchdowns in Gardner-Webb's 45-44 overtime win over Bryant on Saturday, Nov. 4. The Folkston, Ga. native ran the ball 24 times for 108 yards, scoring twice. Through the air, King went 18-for-36 for 160 yards and two touchdowns.
Â
King showed off his athleticism in the second quarter, avoiding a sack before firing a pass to the back of the endzone from 24-yards out to Caleb Borders, giving GWU a 21-10 lead at the time. The freshman also came up clutch for the Runnin' Bulldogs on the game-tying drive in the fourth quarter, picking up 14 yards on a fourth down run.
Â
King is one of 22 finalists for the award, and joins MJ Flowers of Eastern Illinois as the only two representatives from the Big South-OVC.
Â
Past recipients of the Jerry Rice Award include Cooper Kupp, Chase Edmonds, Trey Lance and Shedeur Sanders.
Â
All 13 FCS leagues, comprised from 15 conferences overall, are represented by a Jerry Rice Award finalist. The winner, to be selected by a national voting panel, will be announced on Dec. 6 and honored at the FCS National Awards Banquet on Jan. 6 in Frisco, Texas – the eve of the FCS championship game.
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