BIRMINGHAM, Ala.—Samford senior
Fabian Truss has been named to the College Football Performance Awards' (CFPA) preseason watch list for its Kickoff Returner Award, the organization announced on Monday.
The Kickoff Returner Award goes to the top kickoff returner in all of Division I-FCS football. This marks the second CFPA preseason watch list Truss has been named to this preseason, as he was named to the watch list for the Running Back Award earlier this summer.
Truss ranked third in the SoCon, averaging 27.1 yards per return in 2012. Overall, Truss led the league in all-purpose yards per game, averaging 179.8 yards per contest. Truss was named second team All-Southern Conference by the media as a kick returner at the conclusion of last season.
As a running back, Truss rushed for 1,063 yards and 11 touchdowns as a junior. He averaged 5.2 yards per carry and 96.6 yards per game. Truss was also named second team All-Conference by the Southern Conference's coaches and media.
Truss helped lead Samford to a 7-4 overall record in 2012, the program's best mark since 2003. The Bulldogs went 5-3 in SoCon play, the team's best league record since joining the SoCon in 2008.
Truss and the Bulldogs will open the 2013 season on Friday, Aug. 30, taking on Georgia State in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. The game is scheduled for a 6 p.m. (CT) kickoff.
2013 CFPA KICKOFF RETURNER AWARD WATCH LIST
• Kevin Chillis, Albany
• Chris Nicholls, Cal Poly
• Kirby Schoenthaler, Dartmouth
• Michael Johnson, Delaware
• Ryan Ho, Duquesne
• Shaquille Hill, Eastern Washington
• Jorrian Washington, Hampton
• Rodney Tyson, Howard
• Tanner Riley, Indiana State
• Gabriel Chambers, Jacksonville State
• Kevin Johnson, Lamar
• Kevin Fogg, Liberty
• Cyrus Strahm, Morehead State
• Chris Flowers, Morgan State
• Duane Brady, Murray State
• Julian Stafford, MVSU
• Greg Hardin, North Dakota
• Marcus Williams, North Dakota State
• Wes Smith, Northern Iowa
• Ed Eagan, Northwestern State
• Eric Fiore, Pennsylvania
• Johnta Hebert, Prairie View A&M
• Anthony Gaffney, Princeton
• Justin Grant, Richmond
• Fabian Truss, Samford
• Xavier Roberson, Southeastern Louisiana
• Josh Smith, Southern Utah
• Dane Domonkos, St. Francis (PA)
• Ladarius Vanlier, Tennessee Tech
• Derrick Joseph, Towson
• Jonathan Perkins, UC Davis
• Kevin Barfield, UT-Martin
• Otis Wright, Wagner
• Cordero Dixon, Weber State
