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Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Finalists Announced

Earl Campbell Tyler Rose AwardTyler, Texas (SPORTyler) — The Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award has announced the 2014 finalists as determined by the selection committee.

Finalists:

  • Jay Ajayi, RB, Boise State, Junior – Plano, Texas (Frisco Liberty HS)
  • J. T. Barrett, QB, Ohio State, RS Freshman – Wichita Falls, Texas (Rider HS)
  • Trevone Boykin, QB, TCU, Junior – Dallas, Texas (West Mesquite HS)
  • Samaje Perine, RB, Oklahoma, Freshman – Pflugerville, Texas (Hendrickson HS)
  • Bryce Petty, QB, Baylor, Senior – Midlothian, Texas (Midlothian HS)

Ajayi has been named to the All-Mountain West First Team each of the last two seasons. Ajayi, a 2014 Doak Walker semifinalist, has rushed 303 times for 1,619 yards and 24 touchdowns. The marks rank second, fifth and tied for second nationally, respectively. Ajayi’s 28 total touchdowns and per-game scoring average (14.0) each also rank second nationally. His 134.9 yards rushing per game ranks seventh nationally, and his all-purpose average of 179.58 yards per game is the nation’s third-best mark. Ajayi, the only three-time Mountain West Offensive Player of the Week this season and one of just two players to earn the honor more than once, posted a pair of 200-plus-yard performances as well as nine efforts of at least 100 yards, including seven in a row to end the regular season. In the conference’s most decisive game of the season, Boise State’s 50-19 win over Utah State that clinched the Mountain Division, Ajayi excelled under pressure by rushing for a career-best 229 yards and five touchdowns, including a season-long 62-yard scoring dash. Boise State will be playing Arizona in the 2014 Vizio Fiesta Bowl.

Barrett, 11-1 as Ohio State’s starting quarterback before suffering a season-ending injury against Michigan, became a Heisman Trophy candidate after finishing his campaign with school record totals of 3,772 total yards and 45 touchdowns responsible for. His touchdowns total is a Big Ten record. He passed for 2,834 yards and a school-record 34 touchdowns and he rushed for an additional 938 yards and 11 touchdowns. Barrett etched his name throughout the Ohio State record book in 2014, setting school records in seven different categories. Barrett was awarded 2014 Big Ten Quarterback of the Year and 2014 Big Ten Freshman of the Year. He also was tabbed as the CFPA National Freshman Performer of the Year. He was a semifinalist for the Davey O’Brien national quarterback award. Ohio State ranked #4 will play in the Sugar bowl in one of two semi-final games for the National Championship against #1 Alabama.

Boykin has been named as the Big 12 Conference Offensive Player of the year. Boykin tops the Big 12 and is third nationally in total offense (363.0 yards per game). He is on pace to become just the third quarterback since 2009 to average over 300 yards passing (309.5) and 50 yards rushing (53.5). The other two were Heisman Trophy winners Robert Griffin III and Johnny Manziel. Boykin has set TCU single-season records for passing yards (3,174), touchdown passes (30), total offense (4,356) and touchdowns responsible for (39). Boykin is also a finalist for the Davey O’Brien Award and Manning Award. TCU will be playing in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl against Ole Miss.

Perine, a Pflugerville, Texas, native led the Big 12 in rushing, totaling 1,579 yards on the year, including an FBS single game record-setting performance of 427 yards against Kansas. Perine also scored 21 rushing touchdowns, a Big 12 record for rushing touchdowns in a season by a freshman. Perine is 5th nationally in rushing touchdowns with 21. He ranks 8th in the nation in total rush yards (1,579), rush yards per game (131.6) and in scoring (10.5 points per game). He also ranks 11th nationally in yards per carry (6.58). Perine also received All Big 12 First Team honors, Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year, AP All Big 12 First Team honors and AP Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year. Oklahoma will be playing in the Russell Athletic Bowl against Clemson.

Petty, the inaugural winner of The Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award, leads the Big 12 in touchdown-to-interception ratio (26/6) and is third with a 155.3 passing efficiency rating. The senior has a career-high in completion percentage (62.1) while going 234-for-377 with 3,305 yards (300.5/game) and 26 touchdowns. In his second year as a starter, the Midlothian, Texas, native helped Baylor win its second straight Big 12 title. Petty is 14th in the FBS with 14.12 passing yards per completion and 16.9 points responsible for per game. Petty’s 300.5 passing yards per game is eighth-best in the nation. He has thrown a TD in 24 straight games in which he has played. Petty directed an offense that is No. 1 in the country in total (581.3 yards per game) and scoring (48.8 points per game). Petty is also a finalist for the Manning Award and was a finalist for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award. Baylor will play in the Cotton Bowl against Michigan State.

The winner will be announced at the award banquet in Tyler, Texas on January 14, 2015. Thank you to the award sponsors: City of Tyler, Azalea Orthopedics, Brookshire Grocery Company, Clements Fluids Management, Kitchens Unique, R. W. Fair Foundation, Patterson Commercial Property Group, Suddenlink Communications, Trinity Mother Frances Health Systems, Tyler Morning Telegraph, Chesley and Ted W. Walters, Austin Bank, Southside Bank, Citizen’s 1st Bank, Prothro, Wilhelmi & Co., and Tyler Junior College.

YOU CAN VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE FINALIST FOR THE EARL CAMPBELL TYLER ROSE AWARD AT WWW.EARLCAMPBELLAWARD.COM. ONE VOTE DAILY.

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