Watch lists for 16 NCFAA awards will be unveiled in late July and early August 2024. We expect to see plenty of current Ole Miss players make the lists, with the potential for some winners.
The Rebels are on a dry patch regarding end-of-season awards, so when was the last time an Ole Miss player was awarded one of the NCFAA end-of-season trophies?
Maxwell Award - College football player of the year
The only winner of the Maxwell Trophy for Ole Miss was quarterback Eli Manning in 2003. He was chosen ahead of Piitsburgh's Larry Fitzgerald and Oklahoma's Jason White.
In the same season, Eli won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, awarded to the top upperclassman quarterback, and he also won SEC Offensive Player of the Year.
Wuerffel Trophy
The Wuerffel Trophy is given to the college football player "who best combines exemplary community service with athletic and academic achievement." The award was first awarded in 2005.
One Ole Miss player has won this award: in 2014, Linebacker Deterrian Shackelford beat out several names, including Georgia's Chris Conley and Nebraska's Ameer Abdullah.
Lou Groza Award - The top college football placekicker
Ole Miss has had one winner of the Lou Groza Award, Jonathan Nichols, in 2003. Nichols kicked 25 successful field goals from 29 attempts, Including his longest from 54 yards. He was awarded All-American honors in the same year.
Butkus Award - The top college football linebacker
Patrick Willis, one of history's greatest Ole Miss players, won the Butkus Award in 2006. He beat the great Paul Posluszny of Penn State. Willis is one of only three to win the Butkus Award as a college and NFL player. In 2009, he won it as a professional with the San Francisco 49ers.