EWU QB Gubrud named to

Payton Award watch list

There are at least 5,160 reasons Eastern Washington quarterback Gage Gubrud is now among the favorites to win the Walter Payton Award, which is presented by STATS to the top offensive player in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision.

The junior quarterback threw for a FCS record 5,160 yards, to go along with 48 touchdown passes and more than 5,700 yards of total offense. He was among the players on the Watch List to win the award after finishing third in the voting a year ago.

In addition to the Watch List, Gubrud was also selected by College Sports Madness to win the Big Sky Conference Offensive Player of the Year award and was joined on CSM’s preseason All-Big Sky squad by eight other Eagles. Defensive nose tackle Jay-Tee Tiuli joined Gubrud on the first team, with wide receiver Nic Sblendorio, offensive tackle Nick Ellison, safety Mitch Fettig, cornerback Nzuzi Webster and defensive end Albert Havili picked for the second team, and center Spencer Blackburn and linebacker Ketner Kupp chosen to the third team.

As a first-year starter, Gubrud broke the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision record for passing yards with 5,160. In all, he broke three FCS records, seven Big Sky Conference marks and 18 EWU records. He finished with 48 touchdown passes and a Big Sky record of 5,766 yards of total offense, and was also the team’s leading rusher with 606 yards and five more scores. Best of all, Eastern won 11 of 13 games with Gubrud as the starter.

Gubrud was joined on the Watch List by Chase Edmonds from Fordham, which hosts EWU in The Bronx, N.Y., on Sept. 16. Edmonds was first in the nation in rushing yards per game (163.5), and second in all-purpose yards per game (194.6) and points per game (10.9). He finished fourth in the voting for last year’s Payton Award, right behind Gubrud.