Aug. 9, 2011
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Notre Dame junior RB Cierre Wood was one of 50 college football student-athletes named to the 2011 Watch List Monday for the Paul Hornung Award presented by Texas Roadhouse. The Louisville Sports Commission and former Irish legend Paul Hornung give the award annually to the most versatile player in major college football.
Wood (Oxnard, Calif./Santa Clara) saw action in all 13 games in 2010 and started five contests. He opened the season as the backup at running back, but moved into the starting lineup when Armando Allen Jr. was lost for the season with an injury following the Navy game. Wood, a 2011 Doak Walker Award Watch List nominee, proceeded to lead Notre Dame in rushing with 603 yards on 119 carries and three rushing touchdowns. He averaged 5.1 yards per carry. Wood recorded 20 catches for 170 yards and two receiving touchdowns. He added 15 kickoff returns for 300 yards and totaled 1,073 all-purpose yards.
The 2011 Watch List was compiled by a panel of college football experts based on 2010 statistics and expectations heading into the 2011 season. There are 20 seniors, 20 juniors and ten sophomores representing 46 universities and all 11 conferences that are part of the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS).
Texas Roadhouse signed on as presenting sponsor of the Paul Hornung Award in 2011 and will team with the Louisville Sports Commission to power fan voting on Facebook. College football fans nationwide will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite player during the regular season and again during the bowl season. Fan voting will open in late September and factor into selection of the finalists and winner.
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 approximately 3-5 Finalists in early December then will select the winner from among the Finalists following the bowl season in early January. Finalists will be announced on www.paulhornungaward.com and at the Louisville Sports Commission Breakfast December 9.
2011 Watch List SelectionsJoe Adams, ArkansasKeenan Allen, CaliforniaKenjon Barner, OregonBrandon Boykin, GeorgiaChad Bumphis, Mississippi StateJesse Callier, WashingtonTyron Carrier, HoustonTim Cornett, UNLVTommy Davis, Northern IllinoisJeff Demps, FloridaJyruss Edwards, Louisiana-MonroeAndre Ellington, ClemsonTroy Evans, MarshallJerry Gates, Bowling GreenTaylor Gentry, NC StateStephon Gilmore, South CarolinaRay Graham, PittsburghCyrus Gray, Texas A&MCliff Harris, OregonT.Y. Hilton, Florida InternationalJayron Hosley, Virginia TechJosh Huff, OregonDamaris Johnson, TulsaKeShawn Martin, Michigan StateRishard Matthews, NevadaMarquis Maze, AlabamaBradley McDougald, KansasJamal Miles, Arizona StateWarren Norman, VanderbiltChris Owusu, StanfordEric Page, ToledoBobby Rainey, Western KentuckyJoseph Randle, Oklahoma StateGreg Reid, Florida StateTrent Richardson, AlabamaDenard Robinson, MichiganJosh Robinson, Central FloridaJames Rodgers, Oregon StateMohamed Sanu, RutgersPat Shed, UABEric Stephens, Texas TechTroy Stoudermire Jr., MinnesotaAlexander Teich, NavyJustin Veltung, IdahoJonathan Warzeka, Air ForceKerwynn Williams, Utah StateDavid Wilson, Virginia TechCierre Wood, Notre DameRobert Woods, USCDJ Woods, Cincinnati
— ND —