Penn State's Journey Brown Nominated for Paul Hornung Award

The Paul Hornung Award, which Saquon Barkley won in 2017, recognizes the nation's most versatile player.

Penn State running back Journey Brown has made his second college football watch list, being nominated for the Paul Hornung Award.

The Hornung Award, in its 11th season, recognizes the most versatile player in college football. Brown is among 50 nominees for the award, which former Penn State running back Saquon Barkley won in 2017. Former receiver KJ Hamler was a finalist in 2018.

Brown and teammate Noah Cain are on the watch list for the Doak Walker Award, presented to the nation's top running back.

Brown delivered his breakthrough performance at the Cotton Bowl, where he set a Penn State bowl-rushing record with 207 yards. The game continued a superb finishing run in which Brown rushed for 100 yards in four of his last five games.

Penn State running backs coach Ja'Juan Seider said that Brown was among the nation's top backs in the second half of last season.

“The way he was making safeties miss and erasing the defense, that’s impressive," Seider said. "You don’t wake up with that gift every day. He’s tapping into it, and I don’t think he’s satisfied. I think he’s hungry, because he got a taste of it and he realized how good he can be."

Brown likely will be Penn State's top kickoff-returner this season as well.

As college football's watch-list season rolls on, here's a look at Penn State's preseason awards candidates:

Biletnikoff Award: Tight end Pat Freiermuth

Bronko Nagurski Trophy: Linebacker Micah Parsons, defensive end Shaka Toney

Butkus Award: Linebacker Micah Parsons

Chuck Bednarik Award: Linebacker Micah Parsons

Doak Walker Award: Running backs Journey Brown, Noah Cain

Jim Thorpe Award: Safety Lamont Wade

John Mackey Award: Tight end Pat Freiermuth

Davey O’Brien Award: Quarterback Sean Clifford

Lott IMPACT Trophy: Linebacker Micah Parsons

Paul Hornung Award: Running back Journey Brown

Ray Guy Award: Kicker Jake Pinegar

Wuerffel Trophy: Quarterback Sean Clifford

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