Nashville, Tenn. – Youngstown State quarterback Beau Brungard capped off a clean sweep of FCS National Player of the Year awards claiming the distinguished Walter Payton Award as the top 2025 Offensive Player in the FCS on Saturday evening at the FCS Awards Banquet held at the Woolworth Theatre in downtown Nashville.
The best players and coaches in the FCS were in attendance as Stats Perform honored the 2025 winners of the Payton Award (FCS Offensive Player of the Year), Buck Buchanan Award (FCS Defensive Player of the Year), Eddie Robinson Award (FCS Coach of the Year), Jerry Rice Award (FCS Freshman Player of the Year), Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete Award (FCS excellence on and off the field) and the HBCU National Player of the Year.
Brungard, North Dakota State quarterback Cole Payton and Western Carolina quarterback Taron Dickens were the three in-person finalists at the ceremony.
In the Payton Award voting, Brungard tallied 177 points highlighted by 28 first-place votes. He also had seven second-place votes and three third-place votes. Dickens was second with 138 points while Payton was third with 94.
Brungard had already been named the Walter Camp FCS Offensive Player of the Year presented by Crabtree Lexus of New Haven, the NACDA FCS Offensive Player of the Year and the Phil Steele FCS Offensive Player of the Year in recent weeks. He was also a unanimous first-team All-American by all outlets and organizations that cover the FCS.
Presenting the awards were Dom Izzo and Kendra Sheehan while the event was organized by Craig Haley of Stats Perform. Eddie Payton, brother of Walter Payton, was on hand to take part in the event. After visiting with Sheehan on stage in front of the audience, he posed for photos with Brungard and spent time speaking with the large Penguins' contingent.
YSU was well represented at the event led by President Bill Johnson. Vice President of Intercollegiate Athletics Ron Strollo, Head Football Coach Doug Phillips, Offensive Coordinator Mike Yurcich, Advisor to the Head Coach Mike Tomczak and Associate Athletic Director for Athletic Communications Trevor Parks were all in attendance on Brungard's behalf.
Brungard had a group of nearly a dozen family members and friends at the event along with a contingent of other YSU fans and supporters. Tomczak and Eddie Payton spent time speaking afterwards. Walter Payton and Tomczak were teammates on the 1986 Chicago Bears Super Bowl Champion team. The Brungard family members in attendance and YSU coaching staff went on stage afterwards for group photos.
In December, Brungard announced he will return to YSU for his senior campaign in 2026. In 38 games played, including 25 consecutive starts, he has 2,595 yards rushing on 429 carries with 29 touchdowns, while completing 500-of-737 passes for 5,483 yards and 38 scores. He also has two receptions, one for a touchdown, and a 27-yard punt return that came in 2023, which is still the longest by a Penguin since Oct. 26, 2019.
Final Voting
1. Beau Brungard, YSU: 177 (28 first-place votes)
2. Taron Dickens, Western Carolina: 138 (10 first-place votes)
3. Cole Payton, North Dakota State: 94 (6 first-place votes)
4. Joshua Dye, Southern Utah: 92 (1 first-place vote)
5. Braden Atkinson, Mercer: 48 (2 first-place votes)
6. Rodney Nelson, Monmouth: 44 (1 first-place vote)
7. Justin Lamson, Montana State: 40 (1 first-place vote)
8. DJ Williams, Southern Illinois: 34 (1 first-place vote)
9. Keali'I Ah Yat, Montana: 30
10. Chris Parson, Austin Peay: 23
11. Luke Yoder, Lehigh: 21
12 Bryce Lance, North Dakota State: 15
13. Kekoa Visperas, Tennessee Tech: 14
14. Marquis Gillis, Delaware State: 10
15. Kente Edwards, Lafayette: 8
T16. Andrew Body, Alabama State: 7
T16. L.J. Phillips Jr. South Dakota: 7
T18. Joey Isabella, Duquesne: 6
T18. Marquise Buchanan, Rhode Island: 6
T18. Michael Wortham, Montana: 6
T21. Collin Hurst, Presbyterian: 5
T21. Walker Harris, North Carolina Central: 5
T23. Devin Farrell, Rhode Island: 3
T23. Jared Richardson, Penn: 3
T25. Eddie Lee Marburger, UT Rio Grande Valley: 1
T25. Jaden Craig, Harvard: 1
T25. Josh Pitsenberger, Yale: 1
T25. Victor Gabalis, Tarleton State: 1
