Springfield Standard

Missouri State quarterback Jacob Clark has been named to the 13th annual Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Watch List, announced Wednesday in Tyler, Texas. The list features 102 players from nine conferences and highlights top offensive talent in Division I football.

The Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award honors a player who demonstrates integrity, performance, teamwork, sportsmanship, drive, community involvement and tenacity. The nominee must also have either played high school football in Texas or be currently playing at a Texas Division I college.

Clark, who is from Rockwall, Texas, had a strong season last year. He finished 14th in Walter Payton Award voting for FCS Offensive Player of the Year and earned first-team All-MVFC honors. He was third in the MVFC Offensive Player of the Year voting and completed 262-of-376 passes for 3,604 yards with 26 touchdowns and six interceptions over 12 games. His completion percentage was .697 and his efficiency rating was 169.8.

In national FCS statistics for the season, Clark ranked second in yards per pass attempt (9.59), fourth in pass efficiency (169.8), fourth in passing yards per game (300.3), sixth in passing yards (3,604), sixth in completion percentage (.697), sixth in total offense (300.7) and eleventh in touchdown passes (26). He led the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) in completions per game, passing yards, passing yards per game and total offense; he was second in completion percentage, pass efficiency, passing touchdowns and yards per completion. Clark set new Missouri State single-season records for passing yards (3,604), completions (262) and touchdowns (26).

“The Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award recognizes the top offensive player in Division I football who also exhibits the enduring characteristics that define Earl Campbell: integrity, performance, teamwork, sportsmanship, drive, community and tenacity; specifically, tenacity to persist and determination to overcome adversity and injury in pursuit of reaching goals. In addition, the nominee must meet one or more of the following criteria: Played football at and graduated from a Texas high school and/or currently playing at Texas D1 four-year college.”

The Watch List will be narrowed to up to 16 semifinalists by November before being reduced further to five finalists by December through votes from broadcasters, commentators, journalists, fans and previous winners. The winner will be announced later that month at The Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Banquet on January 21 in Tyler.

Missouri State is entering its first season competing as part of Conference USA at the NCAA’s Football Bowl Subdivision level this fall under coach Ryan Beard’s leadership. Last season saw an overall record of 8-4 with a conference record of 6-2—just one win shy of league tri-champions—and included an eight-game winning streak from September to November as well as over 5,000 total offensive yards scored.

Tickets for all six home games are available through the Great Southern Bank Arena Box Office or online at MissouriStateBears.com/Tickets.