Two Mountaineers Recognized by CFPA

FOOTBALL BLOG

By Eva Buchman for WVUsports.com
January 14, 2013 01:00 PM

Tavon Austin was one of two Mountaineer players recognized this year by the College Football Performance Awards.

All-Pro Photography/Dale Sparks photo

Two West Virginia University football players were recognized by The College Football Performance Awards (CFPA), it was announced this morning.

Senior quarterback Geno Smith has been named the CFPA Elite Quarterback, while senior wide receiver Tavon Austin was named the CFPA All-Purpose Performer of the year. WVU is the only Division-I FBS program with two CFPA recipients for 2012, and they were chosen through a strict scientific and mathematical process.

Austin also earned the CFPA overall award, which recognizes FBS and FCS performers based upon the extent to which individual players increase the overall effectiveness of their team. Austin tallied 2,910 all-purpose yards this season, an average of nearly 224 yards per game. Over his four-year career at West Virginia, he holds a school-record 7,284 all-purpose yards.

Smith was named the CFPA Elite Quarterback, which looks at top cumulative performances over multiple seasons, and the performance that contributes to the most overall team success. Throughout his four seasons in Morgantown, Smith recorded 11,658 passing yards and 98 touchdowns – both WVU records. His 2012 statistics were equally impressive, as he threw for 4,356 yards and scored 42 touchdowns.

The CFPA recognized 45 college football players, and over the history of the awards, 19 recipients have been first-round NFL draft selections.

You can learn more about the College Football Performance Awards at their website http://collegefootballperformance.com/.

[View FOOTBALL BLOG Archive]