Photo by: Matthew Mitchell Photography
Payton Thorne Named to Walter Camp Player of the Year Award Watch List
7/29/2022 11:00:00 AM | Football
EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State redshirt junior quarterback Payton Thorne has been named to the preseason watch list for the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award, which has been given to the college football player of the year by the Walter Camp Football Foundation since 1967. It is the nation's fourth-oldest individual college football accolade.
Last year, MSU's Kenneth Walker III became the first Spartan to win the Walter Camp Award.
Thorne previously was named to watch lists for the Maxwell Award (college player of the year) and the Davey O'Brien Award (nation's best quarterback).
After a record-setting season in his first year as the starting quarterback, Thorne is back for the Spartans in 2022. Thorne set a school single-season record with 27 touchdown passes in 2021, surpassing Kirk Cousins, who previously held the record with 25 TDs in 2011. Thorne also ranked among MSU's single-season leaders in total offense (third with 3,414 yards), passing yards (third with 3,233), passing yards per game (third with 248.7), passing efficiency (sixth with 148.1 rating), pass completions (tied for sixth with 234) and pass attempts (seventh with 388). Overall in his first year as the starting quarterback, Thorne was 234-of-388 passing (.603) for 3,233 yards, 27 TDs and 10 interceptions.
An honorable mention All-Big Ten selection by the coaches and media, Thorne was especially effective at throwing the ball downfield, ranking tied for sixth in the FBS with 14 TD passes of 20-plus yards and tied for ninth with eight completions for 50-plus yards. He threw for 200-plus yards in eight games and 300-plus yards in three games, including a career-high 354 yards in MSU's Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl victory over No. 12 Pitt.
The 2022 watch list will be narrowed to 10 semifinalists in mid-November. The 2022 Walter Camp Player of the Year recipient, which is voted on by the 130 NCAA Bowl Subdivision head coaches and sports information directors, will be announced on ESPN's College Football Awards Show.
The winner will then receive his trophy at the Foundation's 55th annual national awards banquet in New Haven, Connecticut, in early 2023.
Last year, MSU's Kenneth Walker III became the first Spartan to win the Walter Camp Award.
Thorne previously was named to watch lists for the Maxwell Award (college player of the year) and the Davey O'Brien Award (nation's best quarterback).
After a record-setting season in his first year as the starting quarterback, Thorne is back for the Spartans in 2022. Thorne set a school single-season record with 27 touchdown passes in 2021, surpassing Kirk Cousins, who previously held the record with 25 TDs in 2011. Thorne also ranked among MSU's single-season leaders in total offense (third with 3,414 yards), passing yards (third with 3,233), passing yards per game (third with 248.7), passing efficiency (sixth with 148.1 rating), pass completions (tied for sixth with 234) and pass attempts (seventh with 388). Overall in his first year as the starting quarterback, Thorne was 234-of-388 passing (.603) for 3,233 yards, 27 TDs and 10 interceptions.
An honorable mention All-Big Ten selection by the coaches and media, Thorne was especially effective at throwing the ball downfield, ranking tied for sixth in the FBS with 14 TD passes of 20-plus yards and tied for ninth with eight completions for 50-plus yards. He threw for 200-plus yards in eight games and 300-plus yards in three games, including a career-high 354 yards in MSU's Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl victory over No. 12 Pitt.
The 2022 watch list will be narrowed to 10 semifinalists in mid-November. The 2022 Walter Camp Player of the Year recipient, which is voted on by the 130 NCAA Bowl Subdivision head coaches and sports information directors, will be announced on ESPN's College Football Awards Show.
The winner will then receive his trophy at the Foundation's 55th annual national awards banquet in New Haven, Connecticut, in early 2023.
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