Armanti Edwards

wins Walter Payton Award

By Steve Behr
 
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - Appalachian State quarterback Armanti Edwards gave the Mountaineers a rare trifecta Thursday night when he was awarded the Walter Payton Award, given to the top player in the Football Championship Subdivision.

Edwards is the first Appalachian State player to earn the award, which is given by The Sports Network.

Combined with the Buck Buchanan Award former linebacker Dexter Coakley won in 1995 and 1996, and the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award given to Jerry Moore in 2006, Appalachian State is the only program to have somebody win each award at least once.

“It’s a great night for Armanti, it’s a great night for Appalachian State football and it’s a great night for our university and our fans,” Moore said. “Even after our loss to Richmond, it was a great closing exit to our stadium when everybody was chanting ASU, ASU ASU. I hope Armanti takes this and builds on it.”

Edwards, a junior, received 53 first-place votes and 398 total points. James Madison quarterback Rodney Landers was second with 17 first-place votes and 290 points. Western Illinois running back Herb Donaldson was third with 14 first-place votes and 209 points.

James Madison did not walk away empty handed. Introduced by Moore, Dukes coach Mickey Matthews earned the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award. Matthews led the Dukes to a 13-2 record and into the semifinals of the FCS playoffs. Moore was fourth in the voting behind Cal Poly’s Rich Ellerson and Weber State’s Ron McBride.

The Buck Buchanan Award went to Eastern Washington defensive end Greg Peach. Peach earned 39 first-place votes and 313 points. Appalachian State safety, sophomore Mark LeGree, was third in the voting with 183 points and seven first-place votes.

Edwards, the Southern Conference Offensive Player of the Year, passed for 2,902 yards and 30 touchdowns, while running for 941 yards and 11 touchdowns. In the first round of the playoffs against South Carolina State, Edwards completed 29-of-41 passes for a school record 433 yards and four touchdowns in the Mountaineers’ 37-21 victory.

His yardage total broke the old record of 413 yards by Richie Williams in 2004.

“All the praise goes to my teammates,” Edwards said. “They worked just as hard. It’s a great accomplishment just to be a candidate for this award, let alone win it.”

Edwards spent much of the end of the season fighting injuries. He hurt both his knee and his hip in a win over Elon and sat out the following week against Western Carolina.

He returned to play against South Carolina State in the playoffs, but his injuries bothered him in a 33-13 loss to Richmond in the quarterfinals.

It was a hard way to see a string of three national championships, two engineered by Edwards. In the Mountaineers’ semifinal game last season, he gained 313 yards and scored four touchdowns rushing in a 55-35 victory.

“We had a good season,” Edwards said. “Not the season we wanted in the playoffs, but we won the Southern Conference and put in a lot of hard work.”

Edwards said winning the award was better than the Mountaineers beating Michigan, but not as good as winning a national championship.

“Of course, it’s before Michigan, but I’ll take a championship,” Edwards said. “I’ll take the championship any day.”

Edwards knows that when he returns for his senior season, defenses will scheme to stop him. However, teams have done that the past two years and Edwards is not worried that the Payton Award will make him a bigger target in 2009.

“We have a target on our backs by winning three national championships,” Edwards said. “I think I can deal with it.”

Landers led James Madison to a No. 1 ranking for most of the season after the Dukes beat Appalachian State 35-32 on Sept. 20. His combination of passing and running is similar to Edwards’ style.

“We’re very similar,” Landers said. “We just have this desire that burns in us that we don’t want to let our team lose. I watched a couple of his games and I’ve seen the amazing talent he is. He has this determination and I think I have that as well.”

Donaldson led the nation in rushing and scoring, averaging 162.1 yards and 12 points per game. He finished with 1,784 yards and 21 touchdowns in 11 games.

However, Donaldson did not appear on national television as did Edwards, who led the Mountaineers to a 70-24 victory over Wofford on Halloween. Landers also appeared on television during the Dukes’ loss to Montana in the semifinals.

“Maybe a few more wins and my footing would have been a little more steady,” Donaldson said. “I definitely have no problem losing to either of those guys because they were the best players on two of the best teams in the FCS. I think they could have beaten up on some FBS schools.”

Donaldson, like Landers, graduated this semester. Donaldson has a degree in broadcasting, but he’s cautiously hopeful he has a future in the NFL.

“If I listen to what everybody says, then I’m the greatest thing since sliced bread,” Donaldson said. “I’m graduating on Saturday, so I’ll be able to get right into training without it affecting anything.”

Matthews, who joked that he’ll have to retire now that Landers is graduating, was introduced by Moore, a fellow Texan and longtime friend.
“Coaching is all I ever wanted to do,” Matthews said. “Everyone, growing up in the South, knows who Eddie Robinson is. To be linked to that name is truly an honor and it is a humbling experience.”

Peach had 18 sacks for 103 yards in losses and 22.5 overall tackles behind the line of scrimmage for 133 yards in losses. He had four sacks in a game against FCS finalist Montana on Oct. 11.

“Coming in as a freshman, you see the award and think about it,” Peach said. “I never thought I would have won it. To even be a top-16 guy on the Buchanan watch list was unbelievable for me.”