Toledo junior Eric Page has been named one of four finalists for the 2011 Paul Hornung Award, the Louisville Sports Commission announced today.
Eric Page was named the national wide receiver of the week last month by the College Football Performance Awards for his play in Toledo’s 63-60 loss to Northern Illinois. He caught five touchdown passes and tied the MAC record set by Marshall’s Randy Moss in 1997.
Page joins Arkansas wide receiver Joe Adams, Georgia defensive back Brandon Boykin and Oregon running back LaMichael James as finalists.
The winner, chosen by a selection committee of 16 national sports journalists and former college and NFL players, will be announced Sunday, Jan. 8, and will receive the honor Thursday, Feb. 2, at the Galt House in Louisville during the annual Paul Hornung Award banquet, sponsored by Jewish Hospital Sports Medicine.
Page, a first-team All-MAC selection at wide receiver, kickoff returner and punt returner this year, is Toledo’s all-time leading receiver with 293 career receptions. He has caught a school-record 112 receptions this year, ranking third in the nation and second in the MAC in receptions per game (9.3). He is 17th in the nation and third in the MAC in punt returns (10.9), and sixth in the MAC in kickoff returns (23.4). He leads the conference and is seventh in the nation in all-purpose yards (169.3). He is one for three passing with one touchdown throw, and he also has thrown for a two-point conversion.
The Toledo native was a first-team All-America selection at kickoff returner in 2010, averaging 31.1 yards per kickoff return and scoring three TDs on kickoff returns.
The Louisville Sports Commission launched the Paul Hornung Award in 2010 to honor its namesake and native son and to promote outstanding performances by versatile college football players that often go unnoticed. Owen Marecic of Stanford, a two-way starter and All Pac-10 performer at fullback and linebacker, won the inaugural Paul Hornung Award in 2010.
The Paul Hornung Award winner will be selected from among the four finalists following their participation in bowl games. Fan voting to select the winner is open on Facebook. Fans can vote as often as once a day by going to www.votepaulhornung.com.
