Cullowhee, N.C. – Even with being sidelined by a season-ending injury with four games remaining in the 2024 regular season, Western Carolina junior QB Cole Gonzales – the Southern Conference's Preseason Offensive Player of the Year and a first-team All-Southern Conference selection – was today listed among 35 national finalists for the 2024 Walter Payton Award, given to the national offensive player of the year in NCAA Division I FCS college football and announced by Stats Perform. It is the second straight year that the Catamount signal-caller has graced the finalist ballot, finishing a program-best 17th in last year's national vote.
 
Gonzales is one of just two players from the Southern Conference to be listed among the finalists, joined by Mercer RB Dwayne McGee. He was also one of 16 national quarterbacks selected as a finalist.
 
Prior to his injury, Gonzales led the NCAA in passing offense with an average of 317.9 yards per game, amassing 2,543 yards through the air – his second-best career seasonal yardage. His aerial average would rank second in the nation at the end of the regular season had he met the minimum requirements for ranking. Gonzales was 205-for-332 through the air with seven interceptions coming in just three of his eight games played with 12 touchdown passes. He added a pair of rushing scores and 212 yards on the ground before the injury giving him 2,755 yards of total offense, averaging what would amount to an NCAA FCS-leading 344.38 yards per game – nearly 20 yards ahead of the second-place QB in the rankings.
 
In WCU's seasonal ledgers, the 205 pass completions in eight games by Gonzales rank eighth all-time, just ahead of the 204 completions he had through 11 games in 2023. He finished tied for 20th with four others – redshirt freshman teammate Taron Dickens (2024), Troy Mitchell (2013), Adam Hearns (2007), and Jeff Gilbert (1984) – with 12 touchdown passes in a season. Additionally, his 2,543 yards through the air rank him eighth in WCU's single-season passing yards list.
 
Gonzales also continued his onslaught of the Catamount career offense record books through his eight starts in the 2024 regular season. The Ocala, Fla, product now enters his senior season ranked third in school history in completions (511), passing yards (6,682 yards), and total offense (7,244 yards). He has also thrown the second-most touchdown passes in WCU history with 51 – just 13 shy of all-time leader Tyrie Adams (64, 2016-19).
 
In his career, Gonzales has now thrown for 300 or more yards six times including a single-game program and Southern Conference record 620 yards in a road win at Furman this season. He has also tossed five touchdown passes in four different games including against the Paladins, earning both SoCon and Stats Perform FCS National Offensive Player of the Week plaudits in late November.
 
The Walter Payton Award, now in its 38th season and affectionately known as the "Heisman of the FCS," is named for legendary running back Walter Payton, who starred at Jackson State as part of his Hall of Fame career. Past recipients include Steve McNair (Alcorn State), Tony Romo (Eastern Illinois), Brian Westbrook (Villanova), Jimmy Garoppolo (Eastern Illinois), Armanti Edwards (Appalachian State), Devlin Hodges (Samford), Cooper Kupp (Eastern Washington), and Trey Lance (North Dakota State).
 
All 13 FCS conferences and one independent are represented by a finalist this year. The Southland Conference and United Athletic Conference both had four offensive student-athletes listed with five conferences tied with both three and two representatives.
 
Selected by a national voting panel, the winner will be announced at the Stats Perform FCS National Awards Banquet on Jan. 4 in Frisco, Texas.
 
In addition to the Walter Payton Award, the Buck Buchanan Award (FCS Defensive Player of the Year), Jerry Rice Award (FCS Freshman Player of the Year), Eddie Robinson Award (FCS Coach of the Year), Urban Edge Network HBCU+ Player of the Year and FedEx Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete of the Year will be presented at the Stats Perform awards banquet on Jan. 4 in Frisco, Texas.
 
On Monday, redshirt freshman QB Taron Dickens was listed among the 25 finalists for the Jerry Rice Award given to the national Freshman of the Year at the NCAA FCS level.
 
2024 WALTER PAYTON AWARD FINALISTS
 
QUARTERBACK
Zach Calzada, UIW, Grad, 6-4, 200 (Southland Conference)
288 of 440 (65.5%), 3,351 yards, 33 TDs, 8 INTs; 222 rush yards, 4 TDs (12 games)
Jacob Clark, Missouri State, Sr., 6-5, 220 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
262 of 376 (69.7%), 3,604 yards, 26 TDs, 6 INTs; 1 rush TD (12 games)
Jaden Craig, Harvard, Jr., 6-2, 215 (Ivy League)
169 of 279 (60.6%), 2,430 yards, 23 TDs, 3 INTs; 1 rush TD (10 games)
Paxton DeLaurent, Southeast Missouri, Sr., 6-5, 229 (Big South-OVC Football Association)
320 of 533 (60.0%), 3,520 yards, 29 TDs, 10 INTs; 96 rush yards, 3 TDs (12 games)
Cole Gonzales, Western Carolina, Jr., 6-0, 195 (Southern Conference)
205 of 332 (61.7%), 2,543 yards, 12 TDs, 7 TDs; 212 rush yards, 2 TDs (8 games)
Mark Gronowski, South Dakota State, Sr., 6-3, 225 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
173 of 280 (61.8%), 2,190 yards, 17 TDs, 6 INTs; 309 rush yards, 5 TDs (12 games)
Miles Hastings, UC Davis, Sr., 6-1, 225 (Big Sky Conference)
303 of 436 (69.5%), 3,745 yards, 32 TDs, 8 INTs; 1 rush TD (12 games)
Maverick McIvor, Abilene Christian, Grad, 6-2, 210 (United Athletic Conference)
292 of 467 (62.5%), 3,675 yards, 29 yards, 5 TDs (12 games)
Tommy Mellott, Montana State, Sr., 6-0, 209 (Big Sky Conference)
149 of 217 (68.7%), 1,980 yards, 22 TDs, 1 INT; 633 rush yards, 11 TDs (12 games)
Cam Miller, North Dakota State, Sr., 6-1, 213 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
190 of 256 (74.2%), 2,340 yards, 23 TDs, 1 INT; 370 rush yards, 7 TDs (12 games)
Eric Phoenix, South Carolina State, Grad, 6-3, 210 (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference)
170 of 261 (65.1%), 2,460 yards, 20 TDs, 7 INTs; 225 rush yards, 2 TDs (11 games)
Daniel Richardson, Florida A&M, Grad, 5-10, 205 (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
212 of 304 (69.7%), 2,469 yards, 21 TDs, 8 INTs (11 games)
Derek Robertson, Monmouth, Sr., 6-2, 200 (CAA Football)
283 of 435 (65.1%), 3,937 yards, 31 TDs, 6 INTs (12 games)
Ralph Rucker IV, Bucknell, Sr., 6-0, 210 (Patriot League)
244 of 363 (67.2%), 2,826 yards, 25 TDs, 7 INTs; 100 rush yards, 4 TDs (11 games)
Sam Vidlak, Stephen F. Austin, Jr., 6-1, 207 (Southland Conference)
174 of 257 (67.7%), 2,387 yards, 27 TDs, 4 INTs (9 games)
Jameson Wang, Cornell, Sr., 6-1, 205 (Ivy League)
244 of 378 (64.6%), 24 TDs, 11 INTs; 500 rush yards, 7 TDs (10 games)
 
RUNNING BACK
Mari Adams, Davidson, Jr., 5-10, 210 (Pioneer Football League)
187 carries, 1,231 yards (6.6 ypc), 15 TDs (11 games)
Hope Adebayo, St. Thomas, Sr., 5-8, 201 (Pioneer Football League)
180 carries, 1,137 yards (6.3 ypc), 9 TDs; 8 receptions, 29 yards (11 games)
Kayvon Britten, Tarleton State, Sr., 5-7, 195 (United Athletic Conference)
287 carries, 1,750 yards (6.1 ypc), 16 TDs; 10 receptions, 120 yards, 1 TD (12 games)
Jermaine Corbett, Merrimack, Sr., 5-9, 195 (FCS Independent)
189 carries, 1,058 yards (5.6 ypc), 9 TDs; 20 receptions, 204 yards, 1 TD; 503 KOR yards, 2 TD (11 games)
Jamar Curtis, Lafayette, Jr., 5-8, 164 (Patriot League)
229 carries, 1,139 yards (5.0 ypc), 16 TDs; 30 receptions, 232 yards, 1 TD (12 games)
Roland Dempster, Stony Brook, R-Sr., 6-0, 225 (CAA Football)
268 carries, 1,332 yards (5.0 ypc), 18 TDs; 32 receptions, 335 yards, 1 TD (12 games)
Malachi Hosley, Penn, So., 5-10, 205 (Ivy League)
191 carries, 1,192 yards (6.2 ypc), 9 TDs; 12 receptions, 89 yards (10 games)
Elijah Howard, Central Connecticut State, RB, So., 5-11, 176 (Northeast Conference)
209 carries, 833 yards (4.0 ypc), 8 TDs; 19 receptions, 193 yards, 1 (10 games)
Targhee Lambson, Southern Utah, Sr., 5-9, 200 (United Athletic Conference)
320 carries, 1,922 yards (6.0 ypc), 23 TDs; 5 receptions, 43 yards (12 games)
Lan Larison, UC Davis, Sr., 6-0, 195 (Big Sky Conference)
255 carries, 1,321 yards (5.2 ypc), 14 TDs; 58 receptions, 755 yards, 6 TDs (12 games)
Antonio Martin Jr., Southeastern Louisiana, So., 5-11, 220 (Southland Conference)
230 carries, 1,228 yards (5.3 ypc), 11 TDs; 20 receptions, 74 yards (12 games)
Dwayne McGee, Mercer, Sr., 5-8, 180 (Southern Conference)
195 carries, 1,018 yards (5.2 ypc), 8 TDs; 12 receptions, 118 yards (12 games)
Irv Mulligan, Jackson State, Grad, 5-10, 205 (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
157 carries, 1,058 yards (6.7 ypc), 10 TDs; 3 receptions, 39 yards (10 games)
ShunDerrick Powell, Central Arkansas, Sr., 5-9, 180 (United Athletic Conference)
164 carries, 1,343 yards (8.2 ypc), 14 TDs; 36 receptions, 318 yards, 3 TDs (11 games)
J'Mari Taylor, North Carolina Central, R-Jr., 5-11, 200 (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference)
196 carries, 1,148 yards (5.9 ypc), 15 TDs; 30 receptions, 271 yards, 2 TDs (11 games)
 
WIDE RECEIVER
Jeff Caldwell, Lindenwood, Jr., 6-5, 200 (Big South-OVC Football Association)
53 receptions, 1,032 yards (19.5 ypc), 11 TDs (12 games)
Efton Chism III, Eastern Washington, Sr., 5-11, 200 (Big Sky Conference)
120 receptions, 1,311 yards (10.9 ypc), 13 TDs; 67 punt return yards (12 games)
Jalen Walthall, UIW, R-Jr., 6-2, 180 (Southland Conference)
70 receptions, 1,149 yards (16.4 ypc), 14 TDs (12 games)
 
OFFENSIVE LINE
Charles Grant, William & Mary, Sr., 6-4, 280 (CAA Football)
First Senior Bowl invite; 41 career starts; allowed only two sacks last three years (12 games)

 
WCU on the Stats Perform FCS Walter Payton Award:
2015 – Troy Mitchell, QB – 25th
2017 – Detrez Newsome, RB – 24th
2018 – Tyrie Adams, QB – 19th-t
2023 – Cole Gonzales, QB – 17th
2024 – Cole Gonzales, QB