Chris Rainey makes preseason watch list with versatility

Posted Aug 17, 2010 by Aaron Oberlin

Updated Aug 17, 2010 at 09:28 PM

He’s a star on special teams. He can run the ball out of the backfield. And he lines up well at wide receiver.

There’s no doubt junior wide receiver Chris Rainey has a wide range of talents on the football field. So it makes sense the Louisville Sports Commission and Paul Hornung announced today that Rainey (Lakeland, Fla.) was named to the 2010 Hornung Award Watch List.

The award makes its debut this year, and it will be given annually to the most versatile player in major college football.

Paul Hornung is regarded as on the most versatile football players ever to play, both in college and the pros. He won the 1956 Heisman Trophy at quarterback for Notre Dame and was the No. 1 pick in the 1957 NFL draft. He played every position in the backfield during his career with the Irish, where he played on special teams and at defensive back. He was a running back and kicker in the pros.

Rainey has appeared in 32 games as a Gator, tallying 1,237 yards rushing on 174 attempts with nine touchdowns. He’ll continue to return kicks this year along with his wide receiver duties.

Forty-eight players were selected for the list, based on 2009 statistics and expectations heading into the 2010 season. The Southeastern Conference boasts eight players, the most of any conference.

The Hornung Award winner will be announced at or near the end of the bowl season in early January.

The inaugural watch list for the Paul Hornung Award
Douglas Beaumont, Louisville
Leon Berry, Mississippi State
Brandon Boykin, Georgia
LaVon Brazill, Ohio
Ryan Broyles, Oklahoma
Tyron Carrier, Houston
Randall Cobb, Kentucky
Graig Cooper, Miami
Dwight Dasher, Middle Tennessee
Ricky Dobbs, Navy
Tandon Doss, Indiana
Stephon Gilmore, South Carolina
David Gilreath, Wisconsin
Dwayne Harris, East Carolina
T.Y. Hilton, Florida International
Jerrel Jernigan, Troy
Damaris Johnson, Tulsa
Derrell Johnson-Koulianos, Iowa
Colin Kaepernick, Nevada
Jeremy Kerley, TCU
Derrick Locke, Kentucky
Owen Marecic, Stanford
Doug Martin, Boise State
Keshawn Martin, Michigan State
Josh Nesbitt, Georgia Tech
James Nixon, Temple
Warren Norman, Vanderbilt
Chris Owusu, Stanford
Eric Page, Toledo
Niles Paul, Nebraska
DeVier Posey, Ohio State
Terrelle Pryor, Ohio State
Bobby Rainey, Western Kentucky
Chris Rainey, Florida
Greg Reid, Florida State
Reggie Rembert, Air Force
Dyrell Roberts, Virginia Tech
James Rodgers, Oregon St.
Jock Sanders, West Virginia
Mohamed Sanu, Rutgers
Da’Norris Searcy, North Carolina
Torrey Smith, Maryland
Shaky Smithson, Utah
Jerrard Tarrant, Georgia Tech
Daniel Thomas, Kansas State
Shane Vereen, California
Demond Washington, Auburn
Devon Wylie, Fresno State