The C Spire Conerly Trophy is an award given annually to the best college football player in the state of Mississippi by the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame.[1]

Conerly Trophy
Awarded forThe best college football player in the state of Mississippi
LocationMississippi
CountryUnited States
Presented byMississippi Sports Hall of Fame
History
First award1996
Most recentPatrick Shegog, QB, Delta State
WebsiteMississippi Sports Hall of Fame Events

Voting

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Sixty media representatives from across Mississippi determine the Trophy recipient. All players at Mississippi's four-year college football programs are eligible on the first ballot. Previously, the top three vote-getters were listed on a second and final ballot, but starting with the 2011 award, each of the four-year colleges and universities in Mississippi that field football teams are represented by one finalist.[2] In 2013, fans were allowed to vote on the award for the first time. Fan voting accounted for 10 percent of the total vote.[3]

Voters are instructed to evaluate a player's entire regular season performance and ignore post-season honors or professional potential.

The trophy

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The Conerly Trophy is a bronze casting, 19" high x 11" long x 7.5" wide, weighing 18.5 lbs. (8.4 kg).[4] The trophy was sculpted by Bruce Holmes Brady, a Brookhaven, Mississippi native and graduate of the University of Mississippi.[5] The original trophy is on permanent display at the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum. A replica of the trophy is presented to the winner each year at the announcement dinner.[4]

History

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The award was begun in 1996 and has been sponsored by C Spire Wireless, formerly known as Cellular South, since 1998. Previous presentations have been held in Jackson, Clarksdale, Tunica and Biloxi. The namesake of the award is Mississippi-born Charlie Conerly who also starred as quarterback at the University of Mississippi, and was later a star for the New York Giants.[4]

Winners and finalists

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Ole Miss quarterback Eli Manning won the Conerly Trophy in 2001 and 2003.
 
Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott won the Conerly Trophy in 2014 and 2015.
Year Winner Pos School Ref Other Finalists
1996 Tregnel Thomas RB Delta State [6] Marchant Kenney, LB, Southern Miss
Kris Mangum, TE, Ole Miss
1997 Stewart Patridge QB Ole Miss [7] John Avery, RB, Ole Miss
Patrick Surtain, CB, Southern Miss
1998 J. J. Johnson RB Mississippi State [8] Rufus French, TE, Ole Miss
Sherrod Gideon, WR, Southern Miss
1999 Deuce McAllister RB Ole Miss [9] Ashley Cooper, S, Mississippi State
Adalius Thomas, LB, Southern Miss
2000 Josh Bright QB Delta State [10] Dicenzo Miller, RB, Mississippi State
Fred Smoot, CB, Mississippi State
2001 Eli Manning QB Ole Miss [11] Robert Kent, QB, Jackson State
T. C. Taylor, WR, Jackson State
2002 Rod Davis LB Southern Miss [12][13] Robert Kent, QB, Jackson State
Eli Manning, QB, Ole Miss
2003 Eli Manning QB Ole Miss [14][15] Rod Davis, LB, Southern Miss
Scott Eyster, QB, Delta State
2004 Michael Boley LB Southern Miss [16] Scott Eyster, QB, Delta State
Jerious Norwood, RB, Mississippi State
2005 Jerious Norwood RB Mississippi State [17] Scott Eyster, QB, Delta State
Patrick Willis, LB, Ole Miss
2006 Patrick Willis LB Ole Miss [18] Scott Eyster, QB, Delta State
Damion Fletcher, RB, Southern Miss
2007 Damion Fletcher RB Southern Miss [19] Titus Brown, DE, Mississippi State
Anthony Dixon, RB, Mississippi State
2008 Juan Joseph QB Millsaps [20][21] Peria Jerry, DT, Ole Miss
Michael Oher, OT Ole Miss
2009 Anthony Dixon RB Mississippi State [22] Dexter McCluster, RB/WR, Ole Miss
Adam Shaffer, QB, Mississippi College
2010 Chris White LB Mississippi State [23][24] Austin Davis, QB, Southern Miss
Casey Therriault, QB, Jackson State
2011 Austin Davis QB Southern Miss [25][26] Johnthan Banks, CB, Mississippi State
Paul Cox, WR, Mississippi Valley State
Jarrad Craine, CB, Mississippi College
Micah Davis, QB, Delta State
Justin Gaines, RB, Belhaven
Terrence Lewis, WR/PR, Alcorn State
Jason O'Rear, WR, Millsaps
Charles Sawyer, S/CB, Ole Miss
Casey Therriault, QB, Jackson State
2012 Bo Wallace QB Ole Miss [27][28] Johnthan Banks, CB, Mississippi State
Cornelius Brown, OT, Alcorn State
Jamie Collins, DE, Southern Miss
Kendall Hunter, OT, Delta State
Garrett Pinciotti, QB, Millsaps
Rico Richardson, WR, Jackson State
Robert Simpson, DT, Mississippi Valley State
Keith Villafranco, S, Mississippi College
Isiah Wiley, CB/KR, Belhaven
2013 Gabe Jackson G Mississippi State [29][30] Mike Barthelemy, RB, Millsaps
Avery Boykin, CB, Mississippi Valley State
Matt Hall, OT, Belhaven
Ricky Hunt, WR, Delta State
Clayton Moore, QB, Jackson State
Jonathan Redd, QB, Mississippi College
Khyri Thornton, DT, Southern Miss
Arnold Walker, RB, Alcorn State
Bo Wallace, QB, Ole Miss
2014 Dak Prescott QB Mississippi State [31] Zach Bell, DE, Millsaps
John Gibbs Jr., QB, Alcorn State
Senquez Golson, CB, Ole Miss
Dylan Klibert, S, Mississippi College
Greg Livingston, WR, Belhaven
Dasman McCullum, DE, Southern Miss
Julian Stafford, WR, Mississippi Valley State
Tyler Sullivan, QB, Delta State
Daniel Williams, WR, Jackson State
2015 Dak Prescott QB Mississippi State [32][33] Marquis Green, S, Mississippi Valley State
Javancy Jones, DE, Jackson State
Nick Mullens, QB, Southern Miss
Marcel Newsome, WR, Mississippi College
Darryan Ragsdale, RB, Alcorn State
Hector Sandoval, LB, Millsaps
Isaiah Swopes, CB, Belhaven
Laquon Treadwell, WR, Ole Miss
Jarvis York, WR, Delta State
2016 Evan Engram TE Ole Miss [34] Darien Anderson, LB, Alcorn State
Austin Bray, QB, Mississippi Valley State
Alex Foust, DT, Millsaps
Javancy Jones, DE, Jackson State
Hunter McEachern, QB, Belhaven
Marcel Newsome, WR, Mississippi College
Chris Robinson, RB, Delta State
Fred Ross, WR, Mississippi State
Ito Smith, RB, Southern Miss
2017 A. J. Brown WR Ole Miss [35] De'Lance Turner, RB, Alcorn State
Shawn Bishop, LB, Jackson State
Mark Pegues, DB, Mississippi Valley State
Chris Robinson, RB, Delta State
Hunter McEachern, QB, Belhaven
Jacob Kendall, LB, Millsaps
Chris Manning, DB, Mississippi College
Nick Fitzgerald, QB, Mississippi State
Ito Smith, RB, Southern Miss
2018 Jeffery Simmons DL Mississippi State [36] Noah Johnson, QB, Alcorn State
Christian Jacquemin, K, Jackson State
Booker Chambers, WR, Mississippi Valley State
Patrick Shegog, QB, Delta State
Dennarrios Noel, LB, Belhaven
Chandler Coleman, LB, Millsaps
Tiberias Lampkin , RB, Mississippi College
A. J. Brown, WR, Ole Miss
Quez Watkins, WR, Southern Miss
2019 Kylin Hill RB Mississippi State [37] Felix Harper, QB, Alcorn State
Keonte Hampton, LB, Jackson State
Tracy Thompkins, DB, Mississippi Valley State
Junior Faulk, DB, Delta State
Hunter McEachern, QB, Belhaven
Liam Vincfora, DL, Millsaps
Detric Hawthorn, QB, Mississippi College
John Rhys Plumlee, QB, Ole Miss
Jack Abraham, QB, Southern Miss
2020 Elijah Moore WR Ole Miss [38] Daylen Baldwin, WR, Jackson State
Jerry Garner, LB, Mississippi Valley State
Brad Foley, RB, Belhaven
Christian Roberts , DB, Millsaps
Cole Fagan , RB, Mississippi College
Emmanuel Forbes, CB, Mississippi State
Arvin Fletcher, G, Southern Miss
2021 Matt Corral QB Ole Miss [39][40] Matt Corral, QB, Ole Miss
Brad Foley, RB, Belhaven
Caleb Johnson, RB, Mississippi Valley State
Jonathan Jones, LB, Mississippi College
Will Rogers, QB, Mississippi State
Shedeur Sanders, QB, Jackson State
Malik Shorts, CB, Southern Miss
Juwan Taylor, S, Alcorn State
Marvin Terry, LB, Delta State
Moïse Tezzo, WR, Millsaps
2022 Quinshon Judkins RB Ole Miss [41][42] Jarveon Howard, RB, Alcorn State
Connor Fordham, LB, Belhaven
Patrick Shegog, QB, Delta State
Shedeur Sanders, QB, Jackson State
Moïse Tezzo, WR/KR, Millsaps
Marcus Williams, RB, Mississippi College
Emmanuel Forbes, DB, Mississippi State
Ronnie Thomas, DL, Mississippi Valley State
Quinshon Judkins, RB, Ole Miss
Jason Brownlee, WR, Southern Miss
2023 Patrick Shegog QB Delta State [43][44] Aaron Allen, QB, Alcorn State
Kolbe Blunt, RB, Belhaven
Patrick Shegog, QB, Delta State
Irv Mulligan, RB, Jackson State
Ethan Klapatch, P, Millsaps
Marcus Williams, RB, Mississippi College
Nathaniel Watson, LB, Mississippi State
Rondey Luckett, C, Mississippi Valley State
Quinshon Judkins, RB, Ole Miss
Frank Gore Jr., RB, Southern Miss

Kent Hull Trophy

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Starting in 2013, the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame began awarding a second award, the Kent Hull Trophy, for the best college offensive lineman in Mississippi.[45]

Year Winner Pos School Ref
2013 Gabe Jackson G Mississippi State [46]
2014 Laremy Tunsil T Ole Miss [47]
2015 Fahn Cooper T Ole Miss [48]
2016 Justin Senior T Mississippi State [49]
2017 Martinas Rankin T Mississippi State [50]
2018 Elgton Jenkins C Mississippi State [51]
2019 Drake Dorbeck T Southern Miss [52]
2020 Royce Newman G Ole Miss [53]
2021 Charles Cross T Mississippi State [54]
2022 Nick Broeker G Ole Miss [55]
2023 Cole Smith C Mississippi State [56]

Trophies won by school

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Conerly Trophy
Rank School Won
1 Ole Miss 10
2 Mississippi State 9
3 Southern Miss 4
4 Delta State 3
5 Millsaps 1
Hull Trophy
Rank School Hull
1 Mississippi State 6
2 Ole Miss 5
3 Southern Miss 1

See also

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  • Howell Trophy - award given annually to the best men's college basketball player in the state of Mississippi by the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame.
  • Gillom Trophy - award given annually to the best women's college basketball player in the state of Mississippi by the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame.
  • C Spire Ferriss Trophy - award given annually to the best men's college baseball player in the state of Mississippi by the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame.

References

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  1. ^ "Cellular South Outstanding Player Awards". Archived from the original on 2009-05-22. Retrieved 2009-08-05.
  2. ^ Talbott, Chris (2009-11-30). "Dixon wins Conerly Trophy". SDNMSU.Wordpress.com. The Starkville Daily News Bulldog Blog. Archived from the original on 2015-12-22.
  3. ^ MBJ Staff (2013-11-26). "Fan voting opens for first time in Conerly Trophy history". MSBusiness.com. Mississippi Business Journal.
  4. ^ a b c Blevins, Dave (2012). College Football Awards: All National and Conference Winners Through 2010. McFarland. ISBN 978-0-7864-9080-6.
  5. ^ "Senate Concurrent Resolution SB589, 2000 Regular Session" (PDF). Mississippi State Legislature. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
  6. ^ The Best - and Worst - of 1996 Season
  7. ^ Mississippi House Concurrent Resolution 103
  8. ^ J.J. Johnson @ Debate.org Archived 2013-12-17 at the Wayback Machine
  9. ^ "Deuce McAllister Bio" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-12-07. Retrieved 2013-12-17.
  10. ^ Delta State honors its student-athletes
  11. ^ "Eli Manning's College Statistics & Records". Archived from the original on 2021-02-25. Retrieved 2013-12-17.
  12. ^ Davis Wins Conerly Trophy, "Mississippi's Heisman"
  13. ^ Davis Named Finalist For Conerly Trophy
  14. ^ "Mississippi Senate Concurrent Resolution 542". Archived from the original on 2013-12-17. Retrieved 2013-12-17.
  15. ^ Davis Named Finalist For Conerly Trophy
  16. ^ "USM's Boley Wins Conerly Trophy". Archived from the original on 2013-12-17. Retrieved 2013-12-17.
  17. ^ Mississippi House Resolution 19
  18. ^ Patrick Willis Honored with Conerly Trophy
  19. ^ "Southern Miss' Fletcher Wins Conerly Trophy". Archived from the original on 2013-12-17. Retrieved 2013-12-17.
  20. ^ Joseph Wins 2008 Cellular South Conerly Trophy
  21. ^ 2008 CellularSouth Conerly Trophy Finalists Archived 2013-12-17 at the Wayback Machine
  22. ^ "State's Dixon Awarded Conerly Trophy As Best Collegiate Football Player In Mississippi". Archived from the original on 2013-12-17. Retrieved 2013-12-17.
  23. ^ Miss St. LB Chris White wins Conerly Trophy
  24. ^ Therriault Among Top Three in Conerly Trophy
  25. ^ USM Quarterback Austin Davis Wins 2011 Conerly Trophy as Top College Football Player in Mississippi
  26. ^ Conerly trophy Nominees Gifted
  27. ^ Bo Wallace wins 2012 Conerly Trophy
  28. ^ "10 Nominees for 2012 Conerly Trophy". Archived from the original on 2013-12-17. Retrieved 2013-12-17.
  29. ^ Gabe Jackson Wins 2013 Conerly Trophy Archived 2015-09-08 at the Wayback Machine
  30. ^ Ten Finalists Announced for C Spire Conerly Trophy
  31. ^ Prescott Claims 2014 C Spire Conerly Award
  32. ^ "Mississippi State QB Prescott wins Conerly Trophy". USA Today. Archived from the original on 2015-12-08.
  33. ^ 2015 C Spire Conerly Trophy nominees
  34. ^ This year's C Spire Conerly Trophy nominees
  35. ^ Ole Miss receiver A. J. Brown wins 2017 C Spire Conerly Trophy
  36. ^ MSU's Jeffery Simmons, Elgton Jenkins collect Conerly and Hull awards
  37. ^ Kylin Hill wins 24th Annual C-Spire Connerly Trophy
  38. ^ C Spire Outstanding Player Award Winners Announced for the 2020-2021 Seasons
  39. ^ "Matt Corral wins 2021 C Spire Conerly Trophy as best college football player in Mississippi". Business Insider. Archived from the original on 2021-12-01.
  40. ^ Conerly winner Matt Corral says he won’t skip the Ole Miss bowl game
  41. ^ Busby, Garrett (November 14, 2022). "Mississippi sports museum announces 2022 C Spire Conerly trophy nominees". wlbt.com. Retrieved March 16, 2023.
  42. ^ Busby, Garrett (November 29, 2022). "Ole Missl freshman sensation claims 2022 Conerly Trophy". wlbt.com. Retrieved March 16, 2023.
  43. ^ Johnstone, Patrick (November 14, 2023). "Nominees announced for 2023 C Spire Conerly Trophy". wlbt.com. Retrieved April 11, 2024.
  44. ^ "Delta State's Patrick Shegog wins 2023 C Spire Conerly Trophy". msfame.com. Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum. November 28, 2023. Retrieved April 11, 2024.
  45. ^ Kent Hull Trophy, tribute banquet announced
  46. ^ State's Gabe Jackson wins first Hull Trophy
  47. ^ Laremy Tunsil wins Kent Hull Trophy
  48. ^ Ole Miss’ Fahn Cooper wins 2015 Kent Hull Trophy
  49. ^ Justin Senior wins Kent Hull Trophy as top OL in state
  50. ^ Senior Martinas Rankin Wins 2017 Kent Hull Trophy
  51. ^ Senior State’s Elgton Jenkins wins Kent Hull Trophy
  52. ^ USM standout Dorbeck wins Kent Hull Trophy
  53. ^ The Kent Hull Trophy
  54. ^ Cross Earns 2021 Kent Hull Trophy
  55. ^ "Nick Broeker Earns 2022 Kent Hull Trophy". olemisssports.com. November 29, 2022. Retrieved April 11, 2024.
  56. ^ "Cole Smith Named Winner of Kent Hull Trophy". hailstate.com. November 22, 2023. Retrieved April 11, 2024.
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