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 carries, 857 yards (5.6 ypc), 10 TDs; 11 receptions, 103 yards (11 games)
Malachi Hosley, Penn, RB, 5-10, 185 (Ivy League)
121 carries, 723 yards (6.0 ypc), 7 TDs; 22 receptions, 246 yards, 1 TD (9 games)
Jawarn Howell, South Carolina State, RB, 6-1, 215 (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference)
102 carries, 809 yards (7.9 ypc), 7 TDs; 10 receptions, 149 yards, 2 TDs (9 games)
Brendan Jenkins, Samford, WR, 6-1, 200 (Southern Conference)
41 receptions, 312 yards, (7.6 ypc) 4 TDs (11 games)
Anthony Johnson, Stony Brook, WR, 5-11, 190 (CAA Football)
59 receptions, 714 yards (12.1 ypc), 3 TDs (10 games)
Jaylen King, Gardner-Webb, QB, 6-4, 200 (Big South-OVC Football Association)
86 of 163 (52.8%), 992 yards, 10 TDs, 5 INTs, 118.0 pass efficiency; 392 rush yards, 5 TDs (8 games)
Gavin Lochow, Dayton, WR, 6-0, 195 (Pioneer Football League)
35 receptions, 402 yards (11.5 ypc), 5 TDs; 17 kickoff returns, 412 yards (11 games)
Connor Moore, Montana State, LT, 6-5, 306 (Big Sky Conference)
Starting left tackle for an offense that has averaged 40.5 points and 293.7 rushing yards per game
Dom Nankil, San Diego, QB, 6-0, 180 (Pioneer Football League)
109 of 186 (58.6%), 1,158 yards, 5 TDs, 4 INTs, 115.5 pass efficiency; 1 rush TD (8 games)
Beau Sparks, Utah Tech, WR, 5-11, 180 (United Athletic Conference)
74 receptions, 723 yards (9.8 ypc), 7 TDs (11 games)
VJ Wilkins, Campbell, WR, 5-10, 160 (CAA Football)
52 receptions, 546 yards (10.5 ypc), 4 TDs; 588 kickoff return yards (11 games)
Ty'Jarian Williams, Mississippi Valley State, QB, 6-3, 240 (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
123 of 199 (61.8%), 1,197 yards, 6 TDs, 6 INTs, 116.3 pass efficiency; 2 rush TDs (10 games)
Griffin Woodell, UAlbany, RB, 5-10, 194 (CAA Football)
143 carries, 694 yards (4.9 ypc), 6 TDs; 24 receptions, 231 yards, 4 TDs (12 games)
Luke Yoder, Lehigh, RB, 5-11, 195 (Patriot League)
135 carries, 644 yards (4.8 ypc), 13 receptions, 87 yards (9 games)
 
DEFENSE
Carter Glassmyer, Saint Francis, LB, 6-1, 210 (Northeast Conference)
89 tackles (50 solos), 6.5 TFL (21 yards), 2.5 sacks, 1 FF, 1 FR, 1 QBH (10 games)
Jaylon Joseph, Lafayette, DE, 6-2, 240 (Patriot League)
26 tackles (13 solos), 5.5 TFLs (31 yards), 4 sacks, 8 QBH, 1 BK (11 games)
Rasheed Lovelace, Nicholls, DT, 6-3, 310 (Southland Conference)
25 tackles (6 solos), 2.5 TFL (3 yards), 1 sack, 1 INT (10 games)
Tye Niekamp, Illinois State, LB, 6-3, 230 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
74 tackles (42 solos), 9 TFL (26 yards), 1.5 sacks, 7 QBH, 7 PBU (11 games)
Aaron Sears, Stephen F. Austin, CB, 5-10, 190 (United Athletic Conference)
55 tackles (26 solos), 1.5 TFL, 3 PBU (8 games)
 
SPECIAL TEAMS
Hunter Green, Northern Colorado, PK/P, 6-3, 200 (Big Sky Conference)
68 punts, 43.7 ypp, 70 long, 19 50+, 26 FC, 21 IN20; 9 of 12 FG (75%), 50 long (11 games)
Owen Zalc, Dartmouth, PK, 5-10, 160 (Ivy League)
17 of 21 FG (81%), 47 long, 76 points (10 games)
 
UAlbany earned the No. 5 overall seed in the FCS Playoffs as well as a first-round bye. The Great Danes will host either NC Central or CAA foe Richmond on Dec. 2 at Casey Stadium.

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