Can players like Taylor Heinicke win the Walter Payton Award this year?

[FCS_pwns_FBS]

Does anyone know if players from playoff-ineligible teams (e.g. ODU, Georgia Southern, Appalachian State) can win the national FCS awards like the Payton?

I see Heineke having another big year this year and it would be a different race with him not eligible. I also think (call me a homer if you want) that Jerick McKinnon could be in the conversation by years in when you consider his playoff stats from last year.

[blueballs]

It is my understanding that players on transitional teams are ineligible for any awards, just like the team is ineligible for conference and national titles.

[TheDancinMonarch]

This doesn't answer the specific question but does provide some info.

http://hamptonroads.com/2013/05/taylor-heinicke-fcs-performance-award-list

[Lehigh Football Nation]

That's TSN's call. Personally I think it would be stupid if they were eligible because those schools are 1) not operating under the same rules as the rest of FCS (i.e. the 63 scholarship maximum), and 2) are not operating under the same goals as FCS. For example, DeNarius McGhee late in the year might need to win a late-season game to get the playoffs, while Heinicke might be running up a 70-3 score against, say, Campbell just to get the award.

Furthermore, ostensibly ODU would have more "scholarship athletes" and thus would have an unfair advantage. There's a reason why the NCAA separates the transitioning schools and doesn't list them (and their statistics) with the rest of the schools in the subdivision.

[smallcollegefbfan]

ODU players are not eligible this year. Teams moving up have agreed to forfeiting those awards.

[UNH Fanboi]

Who cares, they're playing for the Heisman now!

[justintyem]

That's TSN's call. Personally I think it would be stupid if they were eligible because those schools are 1) not operating under the same rules as the rest of FCS (i.e. the 63 scholarship maximum), and 2) are not operating under the same goals as FCS. For example, DeNarius McGhee late in the year might need to win a late-season game to get the playoffs, while Heinicke might be running up a 70-3 score against, say, Campbell just to get the award.

Furthermore, ostensibly ODU would have more "scholarship athletes" and thus would have an unfair advantage. There's a reason why the NCAA separates the transitioning schools and doesn't list them with the rest of the schools in the subdivision.I would love to see these players against the NDSU Defense. And Im thinking Taylor would have Skid Marks before Halftime,LoL

[eaglewraith]

I do think they're able to be All-Americans though. I could be wrong but they're outside of the FBS/FCS and conference bodies.

[danefan]

I do think they're able to be All-Americans though. I could be wrong but they're outside of the FBS/FCS and conference bodies.

So are the national awards like the Payton. They're run by TSN, not the NCAA.

[eaglewraith]

So are the national awards like the Payton. They're run by TSN, not the NCAA.

Payton/Buchanon awards are a little more specific though.