Kennesaw State’s Bryce Armstrong was named Tuesday the winner of the STATS Jerry Rice Award, given to the top freshman football player in FCS.
Armstrong led the Owls, which advanced to the quarterfinals of the playoffs before losing, in solo tackles (85), tackles (114), tackles for loss (12 1/2), forced fumbles (3) and fumbles recovered (4) and set a Big South record for sacks (11). He also had three interceptions and broke up seven passes.
“Winning such a prestigious award is a great honor for Bryson,” coach Brian Bohannon said in a statement from the team. “There is nobody more deserving of the Jerry Rice Award than him. It is a testament to his hard work on and off the field.”
The linebacker, who graduated from Kell High School in Marietta, is the first defensive player to win the award in its seven years.