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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Past recipients of the Jerry Rice Award include Cooper Kupp, Chase Edmonds, Trey Lance and Shedeur Sanders.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Past recipients of the Jerry Rice Award include Cooper Kupp, Chase Edmonds, Trey Lance and Shedeur Sanders.
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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