December 4, 2000
GREENVILLE -- Furman University junior tailback Louis Ivory today was named the recipient of the Walter Payton Award, which is given annually by The Sports Network to the top offensive player in NCAA I-AA football.
Ivory,
who rushed for a Southern Conference record 2,079 yards and 16 touchdowns in
11 regular season games this year, received the award in ceremonies at the Downtown
Athletic Club in New York City earlier this afternoon. Accompanying him were
his parents Louis and Gloria Ivory, Furman head coach Bobby Johnson, and school
sports information director Hunter Reid.
"I'm very excited," said Ivory after receiving the award. "It's almost unbelievable. This eases the hurt a bit of being put out of the playoffs. This is extra motivation for me to go out and work even harder next year."
"For Louis Ivory to be recognized as the top offensive player in the country and have his name placed on a trophy named for the greatest running back of all time, Walter Payton, is the thrill of a lifetime for him, but itıs an honor that he has earned through a lot of hard work, preparation, and execution," said Furman head coach Bobby Johnson following the awards ceremony. "Louis has had a fine career at Furman, and his remarkable season was a major factor in our teamıs success this fall. Everybody associated with our football program is very happy for Louis and pleased with the fact that voters around the country recognized his consistent excellence this year."
Ivory became the first player in Southern Conference and state football history to rush for 2,000 yards in a season this fall while leading Furman to a 9-3 record, Sports Network No. 4 final regular season ranking, and NCAA I-AA playoff invitation. His season featured five 200-yard performances, including a Southern Conference single game record 301-yard, three-touchdown outing in a 45-10 win over top-ranked and defending national champion Georgia Southern. He also posted five scoring runs over 50 yards, including a career best 88-yard sprint in a 34-10 win over William & Mary.Ivory, who averaged 7.3 yards per on 319 carries, headlined a Paladin ground game that averaged a school single season record 307.5 rushing yards per game.
A consensus Southern Conference Offensive Player-of-the-Year selection in separate balloting by league coaches and media last month, the Fort Valley, Ga., product has rushed for 100 yards 20 times and has averaged 157.1 yards per game in 24 starts at tailback over the past two seasons. In 1999 he rushed for 177 yards and a touchdown in the Paladins' 28-3 win over North Carolina.
Ivory, who ranks second on Furman's career rushing charts with 4,176 yards and 36 touchdowns, is the second straight Southern Conference player to capture the Walter Payton Award and third league recipient. Last year Georgia Southern fullback Adrian Peterson was accorded the honor, and in 1992 Marshall quarterback Michael Payton garnered the award.
Named for the late Walter Payton, star running back at Jackson State University and the NFL's all-time leading rusher with the Chicago Bears, the award has been presented since 1987. Previous recipients include Steve McNair (Alcorn State), John Friesz (Idaho), and Dave Meggett (Towson State).