DECEMBER 17, 2009 ISSUE
Quarterback Armanti Edwards in Chattanooga Anyway
The Mountaineers didn’t advance to the FCS championship game that will be played in Chattanooga this weekend, but Armanti Edwards will be there looking for his own national title.
Edwards, the All-American quarterback who graduated from ASU on December 13, will try to become the first player to win back-to-back Walter Payton Awards in its 23-year history.
The award is given to the FCS National Player of the Year and is awarded on Thursday, December 17, at the Chattanooga Marriott Hotel.
The other two finalists for the award are Elon wide receiver Terrell Hudgins and Southern Illinois running back Deji Karim.
Edwards threw for a school-record 3,291 yards and ran for 679 more this year, which has ranked him third in the country with an average of 330.8 yards of total offense per game.
He also ranked among the nation’s top 20 in seven other categories, including rushing touchdowns (tied for third with 18), completion percentage (four at .680), passing yards (eighth) and scoring (10th with 108 points).
“I came in the same year as Armanti and have been playing in the backfield with him all these years. He’s something amazing,” running back Devon Moore said following Saturday’s 24-17 loss at top-ranked Montana. “It’s something a lot of people would love to get the chance to do. These past four years, I’ll take a lot of memories on and off the field. I’m glad I got the opportunity to play beside him.”
Moore isn’t alone in his praise of the humble quarterback as opposing players even notice Edwards’ abilities.
“Armanti is a special player,” Montana defensive tackle Austin Mullins said after the game. “He’s going to be fun to watch on Sundays.”
Before the NFL, though, Edwards has one more honor to win.
Already this season, Edwards earned his fourth All-American honor, the Southern Conference Offensive Player of the Year Award (picked by the leagues’ coaches) and the SoCon’s Roy M. “Legs” Hawley Offensive Player of the Year (picked by the league’s media).
Edwards’ competition for the award also have impressive numbers, as Hudgins broke Jerry Rice’s record for 100-yard games and finished the regular season with 1,466 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns, while Karim rushed for 1,512 yards and 16 touchdowns in the regular season.
Edwards’ time in Boone was special, to say the least.
“You can’t ask for much more than what we have,” he said after the game. “Appalachian State has three national championships. I personally have two. We won the [Southern] Conference every year. Of course you want to try and win the national championship every year, but when you look back you can’t ask for too much more.”
He won’t be alone in Chattanooga for the awards, as defensive back Mark LeGree is one of 20 finalists for the Buck Buchanan Award (FCS Defensive Player of the Year) and coach Jerry Moore is one of 20 finalists for the Eddie Robinson Award (FCS Coach of the Year).
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