Woodell Named Jerry Rice Award Finalist

ALBANY, N.Y. – Stats Perform has announced 22 finalists for the 2023 Jerry Rice Award, which honors the national freshman of the year in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) and is presented by FedEx Ground. University at Albany freshman running back Griffin Woodell has officially been named a finalist for the prestigious award.
 

The Rice Award, first presented in 2011 and now in its 13th season, is named after legendary wide receiver Jerry Rice, who starred at Mississippi Valley State as part of his Hall of Fame career. Past recipients include Cooper Kupp, Chase Edmonds, Trey Lance and Shedeur Sanders.
 
Woodell has played in all of UAlbany’s 12 games, netting 694 yards on the ground over 143 attempts for an average of 4.9 yards per carry. He’s averaging 57.83 yards per game and has compiled six rushing TDs. Through the air, Woodell has brought in 24 receptions for 231 yards and an additional four TDs to bring his season total to an even 10. He has been named to Coastal Athletic Association’s (CAA) Rookie of the Week four times.
 
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.
 
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.
 
For the full list of finalists, see below.
 
OFFENSE
MJ Flowers, Eastern Illinois, RB, 6-1, 195 (Big South-OVC Football Association)
157 carries, 854 yards (5.4 ypc), 8 TDs; 35 receptions, 192 yards (11 games)
Eli Gillman, Montana, RB, 6-0, 206 (Big Sky Conference)
152…