Garoppolo, Lora Remain On Walter Payton Award Watch List

Oct 2, 2013 6:39 AM

The Sports Network has released its first mid-season update for the 2013 Walter Payton Award with Eastern Illinois the only FCS school with two players on the top 20 list with senior quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and senior wide receiver Erik Lora. Last season EIU became the first school in award history to have two players finish in the top ten in award voting. Lora was fourth and Garoppolo was tenth.

The three new additions to the mid-season list were Vernon Adams of Eastern Washington, Isaiah Crowell of Alabama State and Kyle Harbridge of Saint Francis.

Garoppolo leads the FCS in several offensive categories as the senior quarterback just won his fourth straight Ohio Valley Conference Offensive Player of the Week Award following the Panthers 42-7 win over Eastern Kentucky. In that game Garoppolo became the OVC career leader in both touchdown passes and passing yards. He broke former EIU signal caller and 2002 Walter Payton Award winner Tony Romo’s OVC and EIU record for touchdown passes. He broke Murray State’s Casey Brockman’s OVC record for career passing. Garoppolo is 30th on the FCS career passing list with 10,159 career yards. He is 22nd on the FCS career touchdown passes list with 88. This season Garoppolo leads the FCS in passing yards, passing touchdowns and total offense.

Lora, who set the FCS single season record for receptions last year, once again leads the FCS ranks in pass receptions this year through the Panthers first five games. Lora has hauled in 52 passes this year for 664 yards with nine touchdown receptions. He is first in the FCS in pass receptions and touchdown receptions while ranking second in the nation in receiving yards per game. Lora is 22nd in the nation in all-purpose yardage. Lora became the OVC career leader in pass receptions earlier this year in a win over Illinois State. He now ranks 11th in FCS history with 261 career catches. '

EIU has a bye this week and will return to action on Oct. 10 at Austin Peay. The Panthers moved up to No. 5 in both the Sports Network and FCS Coaches Top 25 polls this week.