Ole Miss football assistant coach Marquel Blackwell has been nominated for the Broyles Award, the Frank & Barbara Broyles Foundation announced on Tuesday.
The annual award honors college football’s top assistant coach. The 51 nominees in this year’s class were selected from approximately 1,500 assistant coaches representing 131 FBS programs across the country.
The Broyles Award selection process includes the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA), broadcasters, a college football hall-of-fame selection committee, and current college head coaches.
Blackwell, in his first season at Ole Miss, mentors one of the most dynamic running back groups in the country. Ole Miss leads the SEC and ranks No. 3 in FBS, averaging nearly 260 rushing yards per game. The Rebels feature two running backs averaging more than 75 yards per game, including true freshman Quinshon Judkins, who ranks No. 9 nationally with 1,171 yards rushing on the season.
Ole Miss ranks top 5 in the country in total rushing yards (2,598), rushing attempts (479) and rushing TDs (29). The Rebels are tied for seventh among FBS schools in rushing touchdowns with 29. Ole Miss is one of only five schools in the FBS with three players over 500 yards rushing (Ole Miss, Florida, Oregon, UCF, Georgia State).
Under Blackwell’s tutelage, Judkins is having one of the greatest seasons ever by a freshman running back in SEC history. His 15 rushing touchdowns are the most ever by any Rebel in a single season, despite classification. He needs just 142 rushing yards to set the Ole Miss single-season rushing record. Judkins ranks 11th all-time among conference freshmen with 1,171 rushing yards — seventh among true freshmen. It’s the most rushing yards by a freshman since Nick Chubb’s 2014 season at Georgia (1,547 yards).
A 43-member selection committee of distinguished former head coaches, broadcasters and a committee representing the FWAA will select 15 semi-finalists, five finalists from the list of nominees, and an overall winner.
Courtesy of Ole Miss Sports
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