Austin Kafentzis named to 2018 Paul Hornung Award watch list

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – BYU football player Austin Kafentzis was named to the 2018 watch list for the Paul Hornung Award presented by Texas Roadhouse. The Paul Hornung Award recognizes the most versatile player in college football.

In his first season as a Cougar, Kafentzis played multiple positions in 2017. He played running back and quarterback mostly, while occasionally lining up as a wideout. During 2018’s spring football, Kafentzis made the move to the defensive side of the ball as a safety. He could also see time during the upcoming season on special teams in coverage or as a returner, in addition to making an appearance on offense again. 

Kafentzis ran 41 times last season for 227 yards and one touchdown, averaging 5.5 yards per carry. The former two-time Utah Gatorade Player of the Year out of Jordan High School transferred to BYU prior to the 2017 season after starting his career at Wisconsin and made stops along the way at Nevada and Arizona Western College. 

The Paul Hornung Award, now in its ninth season, is given by the Louisville Sports Commission and named after football legend and Louisville native Paul Hornung. The winner and his family will be honored at the annual Paul Hornung Award dinner presented by Jewish Hospital Sports Medicine, to be held at the Galt House Hotel in downtown Louisville in March 2019. 

Hornung earned NFL MVP honors for the Packers in 1961 by setting a single-season NFL scoring record that stood 46 years. He is a member of the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame, and Vince Lombardi once called him, “The most versatile man ever to play the game.”

The 2018 Watch List is comprised of 14 seniors, 19 juniors and 10 sophomores who play a total of 10 different positions. They represent 43 universities in 27 states coast-to-coast across the 10 conferences that are part of the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), as well as three independent schools. The ACC leads the conferences with six players, followed by the Big Ten and the SEC with five players each.

Players on this year’s Watch List accounted for 11,109 rushing yards, 14,601 receiving yards, 19,281 kickoff return yards, 2,861 punt return yards and 294 total tackles in 2017. Reminiscent of Hornung during his playing days, members of the Watch List demonstrated a knack for scoring numerous ways. Last season the Watch List players combined for 229 total touchdowns in six different ways – rushing; receiving; passing; and returning punts, kickoffs and interceptions.

The 2018 Watch List was compiled by a panel of college football experts based on a combination of 2017 statistics, career performance, sports information director recommendations and expectations heading into the 2018 season. Information about the Award can be found at www.paulhornungaward.com. Players will be added to the Watch List during the 2018 regular season based on performance.