LOUISVILLE – Liberty wide receiver Julian Gray and WKU wideout Easton Messer have been named to the preseason watch list for the 2024 Paul Hornung Award presented by Texas Roadhouse, given to the nation’s most versatile player, as announced Thursday by the Louisville Sports Commission.
 
Gray enters his first year with the Flames after transferring from NC State, where he caught 30 passes for 293 yards and a touchdown, while averaging 24.9 yards per kickoff in three seasons with the Wolfpack. A member of the CUSA Preseason Watch List at kick returner, he twice finished third in the ACC and top-30 nationally in kickoff return average in 2022 (23.8) and 2023 (26.0).
 
Messer saw action in all 13 games for the Hilltoppers last fall, earning CUSA All-Freshman Team honors as a wide receiver and kick returner after catching 42 passes for 484 yards and four touchdowns and averaging 22.2 yards per kick return. He ranked third in CUSA in kick return yards (333), including a long of 39 yards.
 
Names are added to the Honor Roll as the season progresses based on performance. After the completion of week 11, LSC staff creates and distributes an informational packet on players who made the Honor Roll to the 17-member Paul Hornung Award Selection Committee. A designated number of players with the most points comprises the Finalist List.
 
In early December following conference championship weekend, the Selection Committee members choose their top three players from the finalist pool, ranked in order 1st place, 2nd place, 3rd place.
 
Fan voting accounts for the 18th vote (approximately 6 percent of the overall votes) for both finalists and the winner.