Atlanta, GA – The Black College Football Hall of Fame (BCFHOF) announced Wednesday the four finalists for the inaugural Black College Football Player of the Year Award. It will be presented annually to the most outstanding football player from a Historically Black College & University (HBCU) that embodies the rich tradition of athletic excellence and integrity associated with HBCUs.
The finalists include QB Malcolm Bell (North Carolina Central University), RB Tarik Cohen (North Carolina A&T University), QB DeVante Kincade (Grambling State University) and RB Lenard Tillery (Southern University).
The finalists were chosen by a five-member Selection Committee, which is composed of Black College Football Hall of Fame founders James “Shack” Harris and Doug Williams, Sheridan Broadcast Network’s Director of Sports Ty Miller, former USA Today sports writer Roscoe Nance, and ESPN College Football Analyst Jay Walker.
“On behalf of the Black College Football Hall of Fame Trustees, we congratulate the inaugural Black College Football Player of the Year finalists,” said Doug Williams, BCFHOF Co-Founder and 2011 inductee. “These student-athletes represent the best of HBCU Football today.”
The winner of the 2016 Black College Football Player of the Year Award will be announced on February 25, 2017 at the Eighth Annual Black College Football Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in Atlanta, Georgia. He will be presented with the Deacon Jones Trophy, named in honor of the football legend and inaugural BCFHOF inductee.
“Players from Historically Black Colleges and Universities have had a tremendous impact on the game of football,” said BCFHOF founder and 2012 inductee James Harris. “This award will allow us to highlight the great student athletes from today’s HBCUs and recognize them in front of the legends that paved the way.”
