Dec. 6, 2010

By Jeff Honza
Southeast Missouri State Sports Information

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Southeast Missouri senior tailback Henry Harris finished fifth in the overall voting for the 2010 Walter Payton Award, which honors the Football Championship Subdivision Player of the Year.

A native of Memphis, Tenn., Harris earned a total of 155 votes, including 11 first-place nods. He finished behind Eastern Washington's Taiwan Jones, who received 169 votes.

Quarterbacks Matt Barr (Western Illinois), Jeremy Moses (Stephen F. Austin) and DeAndre Presley (Appalachian State) have been invited to the 24th Annual FCS Awards Presentation on the evening of Thursday, Jan. 6. The Sports Network presents and Fathead.com sponsors the Walter Payton Award that is bestowed on the outstanding player in the FCS.

In addition to the Payton Award, the Buck Buchanan Award, which goes to the FCS' outstanding defensive player, and the Eddie Robinson Award, which honors the FCS' coach of the year, will be announced at the national awards ceremony.

Harris is the first Ohio Valley Conference player to finish among the top-five in the Payton Award voting since Tennessee State's Barrick Nealy placed fifth in 2005. Tony Romo won the award as Eastern Illinois University's quarterback in 2002.