The Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum has announced the 2022 C Spire Conerly Trophy nominees. The trophy was first created in 1996 and named after Charlie Conerly, a Mississippi Hall of Famer and an Ole Miss legend. The nominees hail from all ten schools in the state of Mississippi with a football program. Making up the list are two quarterbacks, three running backs, two wide receivers, and three defensive players.
This is a prestigious award. Players who have won it have gone on to have great careers in the NFL. It features super bowl winners like Eli Manning and NFL legend Deuce McAlister. The Conerly Trophy has also been awarded to several current NFL players like Dak Prescott, Jeffery Simmons, and AJ Brown. This year’s list could feature the next great player out of Mississippi to make his way to the NFL.
Shedeur Sanders
The Conerly Trophy winner list has been dominated by the top three schools in the State. Players out of Ole Miss, Mississippi State, and Southern Miss have won the award every single year except for 1996, 2000, and 2008. In fact, players from Ole Miss or Mississippi State have taken home the trophy every year since 2012. A player from Jackson State has never won the award. Shedeur Sanders could change that.
The son of the legendary NFL wide receiver Deion Sanders, the sophomore has helped his father change the landscape of JSU football. As the starting quarterback for the Tigers, Sanders has led JSU to an undefeated season and will look to cap off the regular season with a win over Alcorn. The Tigers have also clinched a spot in the SWAC championship game, where they will look to take the conference title for the second year in a row.
If you simply look at Sanders’ stats through the 10 games he has played this season, it’s easy to see why he could be the best Mississippi has to offer. So far this season, Sanders has thrown for 2,867 yards with an average of 286.7 a game. But, if you really want to know how good Sanders is, just look at his touchdown to interception ratio. This season Sanders has thrown for 31 touchdowns as opposed to 5 interceptions. That’s not including his 5 rushing touchdowns. Sanders has improved in every category in his sophomore year and is making it very clear why he is the best football player in Mississippi.
Quinshon Judkins
If you had asked Ole Miss fans before the season started, most would have told you that quarterback Jaxson Dart would be fighting for the Conerly Trophy. However, it’s freshman running back Quinshon Judkins who is looking to become the third Rebel in a row to win the coveted award.
Judkins has been a force to be reckoned with this season for the Rebels. He had a slow start to the season but has still been dominant in the backfield. Judkins has scored a rushing touchdown in nine out of the 10 games he has played this season. With a total of 15 touchdowns and 1171 rushing yards on the season, is the number 1 running back in the SEC. Judkins leads college football’s premier conference in rushing yards, rushing attempts and rushing touchdowns.
Judkins had one of his best games against Texas A&M, where he recorded season-highs in rushing attempts and yards while showing off some serious athleticism. Judkins also had his longest run of the season against the Aggies, finding a hole and making tacklers miss as he broke free for a 61-yard gain.
It’s worth noting that Judkins is putting up these numbers as a freshman against tough SEC defenses. The Rebels have faced tough programs like Alabama and LSU and Judkins has performed consistently. Judkins is making his name known outside of the SEC as well. He is currently ranked the number ten running back in the country while Ole Miss is ranked the number three rushing attack in the country. With the numbers he’s putting up and the impact he is having on the national rankings, Judkins has made a great case for the Conerly Trophy.
Emmanuel Forbes Jr.
Emmanuel Forbes Jr is the Conerly Trophy nominee from Mississippi State and one of three defensive players nominated. Forbes finds himself in the same boat as Quinshon Judkins. Before the season, most would have picked quarterback Will Rogers as the Mississippi State nominee, having broken records and leading the SEC in passing yards this season. However, Forbes has performed extremely well and has played a key role in the Bulldogs defense.
Forbes has 28 tackles this season, which is impressive for a cornerback, but not a number that makes your eyes pop. What has established the junior out of Grenada, Mississippi as a premier defender in the SEC is the disruption he has caused in the opponents’ passing games. Forbes has six pass breakups and leads the SEC with five interceptions this season.
Forbes had his best game by far against Texas A&M, a key upset victory for the Bulldogs. In the game, Forbes snagged two interceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown. In addition to disrupting the Aggies passing game, Forbes blocked a field goal attempt that was scooped up by Decamerion Richardson and returned for a touchdown. Forbes’ performance against the Aggies earned him SEC defensive player of the week and Bronko Nagurski national defensive player of the week honors.
Forbes is battling hard for the Conerly Trophy, and with two games left in the season, he has a good chance to prove that he is the best college football player in Mississippi.
Patrick Shegog
Patrick Shegog, the Delta State nominee, and the Delta State Statesmen have been very impressive this season. Last season the team finished 5-6. Now the Statesmen are 10-1, and this Saturday will take on Fayetteville State University in the NCAA Division 2 Championship Playoff. Their quarterback, Patrick Shegog, has been phenomenal. The graduate student out of South Panola high school leads the team in both passing and rushing yards.
Shegog has made a huge leap in performance since last season. He has played more games and put up much higher numbers. Through 11 games, Shegog has thrown for 2480 yards, 866 more than the 2021 season, and 43 touchdowns. Shegog’s best game came in week five against Valdosta State. The Mississippi native balled out in the game, throwing 346 yards and four touchdowns. Shegog also completed a staggering 89.7% of his passes. Shegog hasn’t just been a dominant passer, he has also performed well on the ground. He leads the Statesmen in rushing with 656 yards and 13 rushing touchdowns.
Patrick Shegog has put up some truly incredible numbers. He has proven that he can lead a team and be a real game-changer on the field. His Statesmen are playing for a shot at a national title, something they haven’t won since 2000. It just so happens that 2000 is the last time a Delta State player won the Conerly Trophy. Statesmen quarterback Josh Bright won the award in 2000 after leading his team to a national title win over Bloomsburg 63-34. Shegog has a chance to be the second Delta State quarterback to win a championship and the Conerly Trophy.
