As the current No. 2 punter in FCS football and a catalyst on the best punting unit in the subdivision, Montana freshman Patrick Rohrbach was named a finalist for the 2022 Stats Perform Jerry Rice Award Monday, given annually to the top freshman in the country.
The Kalispell native is the only specialist among the 25 finalists for the award and is one of just three players from the Big Sky Conference to be listed.
Rohrbach has been remarkable in his first season as a Grizzly, averaging 46.2 yards per punt on 40 attempts with 16 dropped inside the 20 and 14 traveling 50-plus yards. With his help, the Grizzlies lead the FCS in net punt average at 42.15 yards per attempt, meaning the average punt return for UM’s opponents is a mere 4.05 yards.
Photo by Tommy Martino/UM Athletics
His average of 46.2 yards is not only second-best in the FCS behind Southern Utah’s Jake Gerardi (48.0), it’s also a top-five average at the FBS level as well. Only five punters in all of D-I football have a better average per punt, and Rohrbach is the only freshman among them.
As a unit, Montana’s FCS-best net put average is also a top-10 average at the FBS level, with Michigan State leading the nation at 45 yards per attempt.
To be eligible for the Jerry Rice Award, a freshman must be in his first or second academic year and can’t have surpassed four games played in the previous academic year – similar to the NCAA’s regular redshirt rule.
A national media panel will select the winner, with voting based on the regular season. The recipient will be announced on Dec. 7 and honored at the FCS National Awards banquet on Jan. 7 in Frisco, Texas – on the eve of the national championship game.
Also this season, Stats Perform will present the Walter Payton Award (FCS offensive player of the year), Buck Buchanan Award (FCS defensive player of the year), Eddie Robinson Award (FCS coach of the year), and FedEx Ground Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
Quarterback
Cade Chambers, Indiana State, R-Fr., 6-4, 215 (MVFC)
Statistics: 65 of 146 (44.5%), 938 yards, 8 TDs, 3 INTs, 112.5 pass efficiency; 111 rush yards, 4 TDs (9 games)
Brady Meitz, R-Fr., 6-1, 182, Stetson (Pioneer)
Statistics: 203 of 345 (58.8%), 2,522 yards, 17 TDs, 10 INTs, 130.7 pass efficiency; 1 rush TD (9 games)
Gevani McCoy, Idaho, R-Fr., 6-0, 175 (Big Sky)
Statistics: 185 of 272 (68.0%), 2,376 TDs, 25 TDs, 5 INTs, 168.1 pass efficiency; 2 rush TDs (10 games)
Reese Poffenbarger, UAlbany, R-Fr., 6-0, 210 (CAA)
Statistics: 227 of 369 (61.5%), 2,999 yards, 24 TDs, 4 INTs, 149.1 pass efficiency; 2 rush TDs (11 games)
Noah Walters, North Alabama, Fr., 6-0, 190 (ASUN)
Statistics: 151 of 285 (60.0%), 2,149 yards, 19 TDs, 12 INTs, 129.9 pass efficiency; 212 rush yards, 2 TDs (11 games)
Running Back
Ryan Butler, Princeton, Fr., 5-11, 225 (Ivy)
Statistics: 128 carries, 501 yards (3.9 ypc), 11 TDs; 12 receptions, 1 TD (10 games)
Marquis Gillis, Delaware State, R-Fr., 6-0, 200 (MEAC)
Statistics: 112 carries, 545 yards (4.9 ypc), 5 TDs; 11 receptions (11 games)
Ismail Mahdi, Houston Baptist, Fr., 5-9, 180 (Southland)
Statistics: 112 carries, 568 yards (5.1 ypc), 2 TDs; 32 receptions, 333 yards, 3 TDs (8 games)
Joshua Pitsenberger, Yale, Fr., 6-0, 205 (Ivy)
Statistics: 120 carries, 667 yards (5.6 ypc), 7 TDs; 1 TD reception (10 games)
Sam Franklin, UT Martin, R-Fr., 5-10, 195 (Ohio Valley)
Statistics: 85 carries, 676 yards (8.0 ypc), 8 TDs; 12 receptions (11 games)
Desmond Reid, Western Carolina, Fr., 5-8, 170 (Southern)
Statistics: 119 carries, 826 yards (6.9 ypc), 4 TDs; 21 receptions, 212 yards, 1 TD (10 games)
Jerrell Wimbley, Stephen F. Austin, Fr., 5-11, 195 (WAC)
Statistics: 106 carries, 604 yards (5.7 ypc), 5 TDs; 12 receptions, 168 yards, 1 TD (10 games)
Wide Receiver
Seth Anderson, Charleston Southern, R-Fr., 6-0, 178 (Big South)
Statistics: 42 receptions, 612 yards (14.6 ypc), 7 TDs (10 games)
Makai Jackson, Saint Francis, Fr., 6-0, 190 (Northeast)
Statistics: 80 receptions, 920 yards (11.5 ypc), 8 TDs (11 games)
Defensive Line
Finn Claypool, Drake, R-Fr., 6-1, 240 (Pioneer)
Statistics: 48 tackles (28 solos), 14.5 TFLs (74 yards), 8 sacks, 11 QBH, 1 FR, 1 FF (11 games)
Eric O’Neill, LIU, R-Fr., 6-3, 240 (NEC)
Statistics: 51 tackles (32 solos), 21 TFLs (100 yards), 10 sacks, 1 PBU, 9 QBH, 2 FF (11 games)
Linebacker
Kohner Cullimore, Southern Utah, Fr., 5-11, 225 (WAC)
Statistics: 76 tackles (42 solos), 10 TFLs (60 yards), 2.5 sacks, 4 QBH, 1 FR, 1 FF (10 games)
Mason Woods, Towson R-Fr., 6-0, 200 (CAA)
Statistics: 77 tackles (27 solos), 5.5 TFL (12 yards), 1.5 sacks, 1 INT, 3 PBU (11 games)
Defensive Back
Wedner Cadet, Georgetown, Fr., 6-1, 170 (Patriot)
Statistics: 35 tackles (24 solos), 5 INTs, 6 PBU, 1 FR (10 games)
Rex Connors, UC Davis, R-Fr., 6-1, 203 (Big Sky)
Statistics: 92 tackles (56 solos), 4 TFL (7 yards), 5 INTs, 5 PBU (10 games)
Eli Ennis, Nicholls, Fr., 6-2, 205 (Southland)
Statistics: 45 tackles (26 solos), 10 TFLs (30 yards), 2.5 sacks, 4 PBU, 7 QBH, 1 FF, 1 safety (9 games)
Travis Hunter, Jackson State, Fr., 6-1, 165 (SWAC)
Statistics: 12 tackles (8 solos), 2 INTs, 1 FR, 13 receptions, 140 yards (10.8 ypc), 2 TDs (6 games)
Jalen Jones, William & Mary, R-Fr., 6-0, 185 (CAA)
Statistics: 19 tackles (19 solos), 1 TFL (2 yards), 4 INTs, 7 PBU, 1 FR (10 games)
Adrian Maddox, Alabama State, Fr., 6-3, 200 (SWAC)
Statistics: 41 tackles (23 solos), 6 TFLs (24 yards), 1 sack, 2 INTs, 1 QBH, 1 FR, 1 BK (9 games)
Punter
Patrick Rohrbach, Montana, Fr., 5-11, 177 (Big Sky)
Statistics: 40 punts, 46.2 ypp, 42.2 net ypp, 68 long, 14 50+ yards (11 games)