Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Chinn, Williams Jr. finalists for national awards
11/25/2019 | 3:05:00 | Football
STATS Release
(STATS) - The finalists were announced and voting began Monday for the 2019 STATS FCS legacy awards, which honor the national players and coach of the year in college football's Division I subdivision. SIU football was represented in two awards. Javon Williams Jr. was one of 20 finalists for the Jerry Rice Award, which goes to the nation's top freshman. Jeremy Chinn was one of 26 finalists for the Buck Buchanan Award, which is given to the nation's top defensive player.Â
Chinn, who has already accepted an invitation to the Senior Bowl, ended his storied SIU career with 243 tackles, 13 interceptions, 31 passes defended, and six forced fumbles. He ranks fifth all-time at SIU in interceptions, second in forced fumbles, and 25th in tackles despite missing seven career games with injuries. After being named a freshman All-American in 2016, he was All-MVFC in both 2017 and 2018. This year, he led an SIU defense that was among the national leaders in sacks and red zone defense. SIU went 7-3 with Chinn on the field in 2019. Chinn is the fourth Saluki to earn a spot as a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award and first since Korey Lindsey in 2010. SIU's highest finisher for the Buchanan Award was Brandin Jordan in 2009.
Every NFL team has watched Chinn practice or play in person, and the Senior Bowl named him the "Top FCS Target" heading into the season. A year ago Delaware's Nasir Adderley earned the Senior Bowl's distinction and ended up as a San Diego Chargers 2nd round pick.Â
Williams, a southern Illinois native from nearby Centralia, Ill., has rushed for 17 touchdowns and caught two more -- his 19 total touchdowns leads all Division I freshmen (FBS included) by four touchdowns, and it leads all FCS freshmen by five TDs. Williams finished his redshirt freshman season with 1,038 rushing yards (2nd nationally among freshmen) and 1,359 all-purpose yards (3rd nationally among freshmen). Williams averaged 6.4 yards per carry this year, which also led all freshman nationally with at least 1,000 yards. For good measure, Williams also passed for 160 yards and two more touchdowns. Williams is SIU's second-ever finalist for the Jerry Rice Award. His now-teammate Anthony Knighton was a finalist for the award and finished 11th in 2017.Â
WILLIAMS NATIONAL RANKS (among FCS freshmen)
(STATS) - The finalists were announced and voting began Monday for the 2019 STATS FCS legacy awards, which honor the national players and coach of the year in college football's Division I subdivision. SIU football was represented in two awards. Javon Williams Jr. was one of 20 finalists for the Jerry Rice Award, which goes to the nation's top freshman. Jeremy Chinn was one of 26 finalists for the Buck Buchanan Award, which is given to the nation's top defensive player.Â
Chinn, who has already accepted an invitation to the Senior Bowl, ended his storied SIU career with 243 tackles, 13 interceptions, 31 passes defended, and six forced fumbles. He ranks fifth all-time at SIU in interceptions, second in forced fumbles, and 25th in tackles despite missing seven career games with injuries. After being named a freshman All-American in 2016, he was All-MVFC in both 2017 and 2018. This year, he led an SIU defense that was among the national leaders in sacks and red zone defense. SIU went 7-3 with Chinn on the field in 2019. Chinn is the fourth Saluki to earn a spot as a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award and first since Korey Lindsey in 2010. SIU's highest finisher for the Buchanan Award was Brandin Jordan in 2009.
Every NFL team has watched Chinn practice or play in person, and the Senior Bowl named him the "Top FCS Target" heading into the season. A year ago Delaware's Nasir Adderley earned the Senior Bowl's distinction and ended up as a San Diego Chargers 2nd round pick.Â
Williams, a southern Illinois native from nearby Centralia, Ill., has rushed for 17 touchdowns and caught two more -- his 19 total touchdowns leads all Division I freshmen (FBS included) by four touchdowns, and it leads all FCS freshmen by five TDs. Williams finished his redshirt freshman season with 1,038 rushing yards (2nd nationally among freshmen) and 1,359 all-purpose yards (3rd nationally among freshmen). Williams averaged 6.4 yards per carry this year, which also led all freshman nationally with at least 1,000 yards. For good measure, Williams also passed for 160 yards and two more touchdowns. Williams is SIU's second-ever finalist for the Jerry Rice Award. His now-teammate Anthony Knighton was a finalist for the award and finished 11th in 2017.Â
WILLIAMS NATIONAL RANKS (among FCS freshmen)
- 1st - Total touchdowns (19) - leads by 5
- 1st - Rushing touchdowns (17) - lead by 3
- 1st - Yards per carry (6.4) - (min. 12 carries per game) - leads by 0.7 per carry
- 2nd - Rushing Yards (1,038)
- 3rd - All-Purpose Yards (1,359)
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