Fan Voting Begins Today for Paul Hornung Award
Wednesday, September 28, 2011 | Football
Fan voting to select the finalists for the 2011 Paul Hornung Award is now open, the Louisville Sports Commission (LSC) announced today. Fans can vote for Gators Jeff Demps (Winter Garden, Fla.) and Chris Rainey (Lakeland, Fla.) as often as once a day by going to www.votepaulhornung.com
On the season, Demps has tallied 420 all-purpose yards on 320 rushing yards, 70 receiving yards and 30 return yards. Demps, who currently ranks second nationally with nine plays of 20-or-more yards from scrimmage, rushed for a career-high 157 yards on just 10 carries and scored two TDs against Kentucky. Additionally, in the Kentucky game, he had a career-long rush of 84 yards for a TD, the longest rush since Emmitt Smith had a 96-yard run in 1988 and the sixth-longest rush in school history. Demps is currently ranked seventh nationally in yards per carry with an impressive 9.41 yards per carry average.
Rainey has amassed 681 all-purpose yards. With his 411 rushing and 214 receiving yards he is one of only two players in the nation to lead his team in both rushing and receiving. Additionally, Rainey has returned a blocked punt for a touchdown against FAU and blocked a punt against Tennessee, the fifth blocked punt of his career. The five-career blocked punts ranks Rainey first all-time in the UF and SEC records books.
The Paul Hornung Award, presented by Texas Roadhouse, is awarded annually to the most versatile player in major college football.
College football fans nationwide will have the opportunity to vote for players on the 2011 Watch List and any player that has been named to the Paul Hornung Award Weekly Honor Roll. Results of the fans' selection on Facebook will count for one vote, adding to the votes cast by the 16-member Selection Committee.
Fans will also have the chance to vote for the winner from among the finalists in a second round of voting starting December 9.
