GRAND FORKS, N.D. – Redshirt freshman quarterback Tommy Schuster was named as a Stats Perform FCS Jerry Rice Award finalist on Monday, an award presented annually to the top freshman in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).
 
Schuster becomes the second player in program history, first on the offensive side, to be named as a finalist for the award. Current linebacker Noah Larson was also up for the award following the 2018 season.
 
The Macomb, Mich., native started all five games at quarterback for UND, helping guide the Hawks to a 4-1 record and a share of the Missouri Valley Football Conference title. The redshirt freshman rattled off three straight wins over ranked opponents to start the season and won his first five games he appeared in dating back to 2019.
 
Overall, Schuster led the conference and ranked sixth in the nation with a .656 completion percentage, a number that would place him fifth all-time at North Dakota. He also topped the league in passing efficiency at 133.6 and passing touchdowns with eight. His 1,005 passing yards were second among MVFC quarterbacks and his 201.0 yards per game sat third.
 
He had a pair of games with three passing scores, tossing a trio of touchdowns to lead UND to a season-opening win vs. No. 24 Southern Illinois before throwing for over 300 yards and adding three more scores in a victory at Western Illinois. Schuster was named the MVFC Offensive Player of the Week for his performance against the Leathernecks.
 
As a team, UND paces the MVFC in total offense, ranks third in passing offense and second in scoring. Schuster was sacked only once on the year, a number that ranks third in the nation and first in the conference. He is a finalist for the league's freshman and newcomer of the year awards.
 
A 40-member national media panel will select the winner from the unprecedented 2020-21 season on May 3, which has spanned the fall and spring semesters.
 
JERRY RICE AWARD – 16 Finalists
Bronson Barron, Weber State, QB (Big Sky)
Statistics: 56 of 101 (55.4 percent), 847 yards, 6 TDs, 0 INTs (4 games)
Notable: 17 of 27, 312 yards, 4 TDs vs. Idaho State
Quinton "Pig" Cage, Nicholls, Nickel (Southland)
Statistics: 30 tackles (22 solo), 11 TFL for 48 yards, 2.5 sacks, 1 FF, 1 INT, 2 PBU, 3 QBH (7 games)
Notable: 7 TFL in consecutive games vs. Lincoln and Lamar
Isaac Dowling, Mercer, LB (Southern)
Statistics: 90 tackles (41 solo), 8.5 TFL for 59 yards, 6.5 sacks, 2 FF, 2 QBH, 3 PBU (10 games)
Notable: back-to-back 16-tackle games to begin career; 17 tackles, FF vs. Samford
Draylen Ellis, Austin Peay, QB (Ohio Valley)
Statistics: 104 of 201 (51.7 percent), 1,270 yards, 14 TDs, 4 INT; 2 rush TDs (7 games)
Notable: 23 of 43, 262 yards, 6 TDs vs. Southeast Missouri
Ty French, Gardner-Webb, DE (Big South)
Statistics: 34 tackles (13 solo), 8 TFL for 38 yards, 4 sacks, 1 FF, 1 FR, 9 QBH, 1 PBU, 1 BK (4 games)
Notable: 12 tackles, 4 TFL, 1.5 sacks, 2 QBH vs. Elon
Mark Gronowski, South Dakota State, QB (Missouri Valley)
Statistics: 76 of 133 (57.1 percent), 1,051 yards, 8 TDs, 3 INTs; 383 rush yards, 6 TDs (6 games)
Notable: 309 pass yards, 2 TDs vs. North Dakota; 3 100-yard rush games
Billy Lucas, Duquesne, RB (Northeast)
Statistics: 66 carries, 297 yards, 4.5 ypc, 2 TDs (5 games)
Notable: 110 rush yards in consecutive games vs. Bryant and Sacred Heart
Seth Morgan, VMI, QB (Southern)
Statistics: 92 of 121 (76.0 percent), 1,088 yards, 8 TDs, 1 INT; 198 rush yards, 2 TD (6 games)
Notable: Accounted for 1,165 yards of total offense and 9 TDs in final three starts
Tony Muskett, Monmouth, QB (Big South)
Statistics: 51 of 82 (62.2 percent), 742 yards, 8 TDs, 0 INTs (3 games)
Notable: 19 of 23, 290 yards, 4 TDs vs. Kennesaw State
Ryan Nettles, Alabama State, QB (SWAC)
Statistics: 85 of 144 (59.0 percent), 917 yards, 8 TDs, 5 INTs; 110 rush yards, 1 TD (5 games)
Notable: 361 yards of total offense, 4 total TDs vs. Mississippi Valley State
Tommy Schuster, North Dakota, QB (Missouri Valley)
Statistics: 100 of 153 (65.4 percent), 992 yards, 8 TDs, 3 INTs (5 games)
Notable: 29 of 37, 328 yards, 3 TDs vs. Western Illinois
Matthew Sluka, Holy Cross, QB (Patriot)
Statistics: 10 of 14 (71.4 percent), 111 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT; 212 rush yards, 4 TDs (3 games)
Notable: 12 carries, 145 yards, 2 TDs with 1 TD pass vs. Fordham; 3 total TDs vs. Bucknell
Devon Starling, Tennessee State, RB (Ohio Valley)
Statistics: 124 carries, 647 yards, 5.2 ypc, 3 TDs (7 games)
Notable: 149 yards vs. Murray State; 134 yards, 1 TD vs. UT Martin
Keyon Turner, Valparaiso, CB (Pioneer)
Statistics: 25 tackles (7 solo), 2 TFL for 7 yards, 4 INTs with 37 return yards, 2 PBU, 2 FR, 1 QBH (6 games)
Notable: Interception or fumble recovery in all 6 games
Jared Verse, Albany, DE (CAA)
Statistics: 22 tackles (15 solo), 10 TFL for 36 yards, 4 sacks, 1 QBH, 1 BK (4 games)
Notable: 4 TFL, 2 sacks vs. Rhode Island; 10 tackles, 3 TFL vs. Stony Brook
Cameron Ward, UIW, QB (Southland)
Statistics: 183 of 303 (60.4 percent), 2,260 yards, 24 TDs, 4 INTs; 2 rush TDs (6 games)
Notable: 300+ pass yards in all 6 games; 6 TD passes vs. Southeastern Louisiana and Nicholls
 
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