FOOTBALL
ASU's Adams, Rice named award semifinalists
Arkansas State University senior wide receiver Jonathan Adams Jr. was named Monday as one of 11 semifinalists for the Biletnikoff Award, while senior linebacker Justin Rice was announced as one of 18 semifinalists for the Chuck Bednarik Award.
The Biletnikoff Award is presented annually to the outstanding FBS receiver. The Bednarik award is given each year to the nation's outstanding defensive player of the year
Adams, a Jonesboro native, currently ranks third in the nation in total receptions (79), receiving yards (1,111) and receiving touchdowns (12). His 7.9 catches and 111.1 receiving yards per game also rank ninth and 10th in the country, respectively.
The three Biletnikoff finalists will be announced Dec. 22.
Rice has 18.5 tackles for loss this season to go along with 76 tackles and 7.0 sacks. The Modesto, Calif., native was named the Mountain West Conference preseason Defensive Player of the Year before transferring to Arkansas State from Fresno State.
The three Bednarik finalists will be announced Dec. 21.
Both the Biletnikoff and Bednarik awards will be handed out Jan. 7 on the college football awards show on ESPN.
Red Wolves' Rucker wins Sun Belt award
Arkansas State University wide receiver Corey Rucker was named the Sun Belt Conference Offensive Player of the Week on Monday after breaking the NCAA FBS record for single-game receiving yards by a freshman during the Red Wolves' 48-15 victory over Louisiana-Monroe.
Making his first career start at ASU, the true freshman from Yazoo City, Miss., recorded a career-high nine receptions for a school-record 310 yards and 4 touchdowns to help the Red Wolves pile up 511 passing yards that were the third most in program history.
The previous FBS record for receiving yards by a freshman in a game was 283 yards, recorded by East Carolina's C.J. Johnson against Cincinnati on Nov. 2, 2019. Rucker's 310 yards were also the second most in Sun Belt Conference history and the most by an FBS player since 2016.
Rucker's four touchdown catches tied the school record and matched the second most ever by a Sun Belt Conference player.
-- Democrat-Gazette press services