Conerly Trophy


The C Spire Conerly Trophy is an award given annually to the best college football player in the state of Mississippi by the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame.

Background

The award was begun in 1996 and has been sponsored by C Spire Wireless, formerly known as Cellular South, since 1998. Previous presentations have been held in Jackson, Clarksdale, Tunica and Biloxi. The namesake of the award is Mississippi-born Charlie Conerly who played quarterback for the Ole Miss Rebels.
Sixty media representatives from across Mississippi determine the winner. All players at Mississippi's four-year college football programs are eligible on the first ballot. Previously, the top three vote-getters were listed on a second and final ballot, but starting with the 2011 award, each of the four-year colleges and universities in Mississippi that field football teams are represented by one finalist. In 2013, fans were allowed to vote on the award for the first time. Fan voting accounted for 10 percent of the total vote.
The trophy itself is a bronze casting, 19" high x 11" long x 7.5" wide, weighing 18.5 lbs.. The trophy was sculpted by Bruce Holmes Brady, a Brookhaven, Mississippi native and graduate of the University of Mississippi. The original trophy is on permanent display at the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum. A replica of the trophy is presented to the winner each year at the announcement dinner.

Winners

YearWinnerPosSchoolRef
1996Tregnel ThomasRBDelta State
1997Stewart PatridgeQBOle Miss
1998J. J. JohnsonRBMississippi State
1999Deuce McAllisterRBOle Miss
2000Josh BrightQBDelta State
2001Eli ManningQBOle Miss
2002Rod DavisLBSouthern Miss
2003Eli ManningQBOle Miss
2004Michael BoleyLBSouthern Miss
2005Jerious NorwoodRBMississippi State
2006Patrick WillisLBOle Miss
2007Damion FletcherRBSouthern Miss
2008Juan JosephQBMillsaps
2009Anthony DixonRBMississippi State
2010Chris WhiteLBMississippi State
2011Austin DavisQBSouthern Miss
2012Bo WallaceQBOle Miss
2013Gabe JacksonGMississippi State
2014Dak PrescottQBMississippi State
2015Dak PrescottQBMississippi State
2016Evan EngramTEOle Miss
2017A. J. BrownWROle Miss
2018Jeffery SimmonsDLMississippi State
2019Kylin HillRBMississippi State
2020Elijah MooreWROle Miss
2021Matt CorralQBOle Miss
2022Quinshon JudkinsRBOle Miss
2023Patrick ShegogQBDelta State
2024Jaxson DartQBOle Miss
2025Trinidad ChamblissQBOle Miss

Kent Hull Trophy

Starting in 2013, the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame began awarding a second award, the Kent Hull Trophy, for the best college offensive lineman in Mississippi.
YearWinnerPosSchool
2013Gabe JacksonGMississippi State
2014Laremy TunsilTOle Miss
2015Fahn CooperTOle Miss
2016Justin SeniorTMississippi State
2017Martinas RankinTMississippi State
2018Elgton JenkinsCMississippi State
2019Drake DorbeckTSouthern Miss
2020Royce NewmanGOle Miss
2021Charles CrossTMississippi State
2022Nick BroekerGOle Miss
2023Cole SmithCMississippi State
2024Albert Reese IVTMississippi State
2025Patrick KutasGOle Miss