Atlanta, GA — Bowie State junior quarterback Amir Hall has been selected as the 2017 recipient of the Black College Football Player of the Year Award. He was presented with the Deacon Jones Trophy, named in honor of the football legend and inaugural Black College Football Hall of Fame inductee.
Black College Football Hall of Fame Trustees Mel Blount, James “Shack” Harris, Art Shell and Doug Williams made the announcement during the 2018 Black College Football Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in Atlanta on Saturday night. The Award recognizes 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.
Hall led the Bulldogs to a 9-2 regular season record and a berth in the NCAA Division II playoffs. He threw for 3,519 yards and 41 touchdowns in 11 games. He completed 65 percent of his passes while throwing just four interceptions in 381 attempts, leading the nation’s top Division II offense. Hall threw for at least 300 yards in a game seven times and surpassed 400 yards twice. Perhaps most impressively, he accounted for 294 points between passing and rushing touchdowns.
In just two years as the Bulldogs starting quarterback, Hall is already the all-time school leader in passing yards, touchdowns and passing efficiency. Additionally, he was the 2017 SBN Doug Williams Offensive Player of the Year, which was also awarded Saturday night.
“This was an outstanding group of Finalists this year,” said Harris. “Amir had one of the most prolific seasons for a quarterback in CIAA history, and we congratulate him on winning this prestigious award.”
The Player of the Year was voted on by a five-member Selection Committee, which is composed of Black College Football Hall of Fame Co-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.
Hall is just the second recipient of the Deacon Jones Trophy. The inaugural winner, Tarik Cohen (North Carolina A&T State University), was selected in the 3rd Round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears, where he recently completed a standout rookie campaign.
Other Black College Football Player of the Year Award Finalists included RB Trenton Cannon (Virginia State University), QB DeVante Kincade (Grambling State University) and QB Lamar Raynard (North Carolina A&T State University).
Courtesy: BCFHOF
