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GSU QB named to Manning Award watch list
ellison
Georgia Southern quarterback Kevin Ellison is up for a national award. - photo by Statesboro Herald photo

NEW ORLEANS — Georgia Southern quarterback Kevin Ellison has been named to the Manning Award watch list, announced July 23 by the Allstate Sugar Bowl.

The list includes 30 of the top quarterbacks in the nation heading into the 2015 season. The winner will again be selected by a voting panel, which includes national media and each of the Mannings, after the bowls.

The Manning Award was created by the Allstate Sugar Bowl in honor of the college-football accomplishments of Archie, Peyton and Eli Manning. It is the only quarterback award that includes the candidates’ bowl performances in its balloting.

A second-team All-Sun Belt selection a season ago, Ellison, who was twice named the Sun Belt Conference Offensive Player of the Week, registered 1,096 rushing yards to go along with 1,001 passing yards. He rushed for a season-high 159 yards at New Mexico State and rushed for 151 yards against Appalachian State. He totaled 300 yards (184 passing, 116 rushing) at North Carolina State and had 271 (164 passing, 107 rushing) at Georgia Tech. He enters his junior campaign seeking to become the sixth Eagle to rush (1,982) and pass (1,757) for more than 2,000 career yards.

Inclusion on the watch list is not necessary for the quarterbacks to be selected for the honor. Midseason additions to the Watch List will be announced Wednesday, Oct. 14. The list of 10 finalists will be released Wednesday, Nov. 25. The winner will be announced Wednesday, Jan. 13.

In addition to the Manning Award’s yearly honor, each week during the regular season, eight quarterbacks are recognized as Manning Quarterbacks of the Week. Sixty-two players from 58 schools were honored during the 2014 season.    

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