Aug. 17, 2010

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -

Air Force senior defensive back Reggie Rembert, TCU senior wide receiver Jeremy Kerley and Utah wide receiver Shaky Smithson are among 48 football student-athletes that comprise the Watch List for the inaugural Paul Hornung Award, which will be given annually to the most versatile player in college football.

Rembert, a 2009 first-team all-Mountain West Conference selection, started 11 games during his junior campaign, notching 43 total tackles and three interceptions. The Flower Mound, Texas native also averaged 25.1 yards per kickoff return and returned 10 punts for 58 yards in 2009. Rembert, a member of the 2010 preseason all-Conference team, is Air Force's all-time leader in kickoff returns (65) and return yardage (1,388), and ranks third and fifth in MWC history in those categories, respectively.

Kerley, the 2009 MWC Special Teams Player of the Year, led the Conference in punt return (14.4 yards) and kickoff return (26.6 yards) average and returned two punts for touchdowns last season. A product of Hutto, Texas, Kerley led the league with 1,624 all-purpose yards, while also notching a team-high 44 receptions for 532 yards and two scores in 2009. Kerley was a unanimous 2010 MWC preseason selection and was voted the Preseason Special Teams Player of the Year.

Hailing from Baltimore, Md., Smithson appeared in 10 games for Utah in 2009, spending time at wide receiver and running back. During his junior season, Smithson rushed for 99 yards and three touchdowns on 27 carries and recorded 13 catches for 100 yards. He also led Utah with 22 kickoff returns for 543 yards.

Created by the Louisville Sports Commission, the award is named after Paul Hornung and is designed to recognize versatile, high-level performers in major college football. A member of the College and NFL Halls of Fame, Hornung won the 1956 Heisman Trophy at quarterback for Notre Dame and was the No. 1 pick in the 1957 NFL draft. He played every position in the backfield during his career with the Irish, where he also punted, kicked, returned kicks and played defensive back and was a multi-threat offensive back and prolific kicker in the pros.

A panel of college football experts will select the inaugural winner in early January 2011.

2010 PAUL HORNUNG AWARD WATCH LIST
Reggie Rembert, Air Force
Jeremy Kerley, TCU
Shaky Smithson, Utah
Douglas Beaumont, Louisville
Leon Berry, Mississippi State
Brandon Boykin, Georgia
LaVon Brazill, Ohio
Ryan Broyles, Oklahoma
Tyron Carrier, Houston
Randall Cobb, Kentucky
Graig Cooper, Miami
Dwight Dasher, Middle Tennessee
Ricky Dobbs, Navy
Tandon Doss, Indiana
Stephon Gilmore, South Carolina
David Gilreath, Wisconsin
Dwayne Harris, East Carolina
T.Y. Hilton, Florida International
Jerrel Jernigan, Troy
Damaris Johnson, Tulsa
Derrell Johnson-Koulianos, Iowa
Colin Kaepernick, Nevada
Derrick Locke, Kentucky
Owen Marecic, Stanford
Doug Martin, Boise State
Keshawn Martin, Michigan State
Josh Nesbitt, Georgia Tech
James Nixon, Temple
Warren Norman, Vanderbilt
Chris Owusu, Stanford
Eric Page, Toledo
Niles Paul, Nebraska
DeVier Posey, Ohio State
Terrelle Pryor, Ohio State
Bobby Rainey, Western Kentucky
Chris Rainey, Florida
Greg Reid, Florida State
Dyrell Roberts, Virginia Tech
James Rodgers, Oregon St.
Jock Sanders, West Virginia
Mohamed Sanu, Rutgers
Da'Norris Searcy, North Carolina
Torrey Smith, Maryland
Jerrard Tarrant, Georgia Tech
Daniel Thomas, Kansas State
Shane Vereen, California
Demond Washington, Auburn
Devon Wylie, Fresno State