HELENA — Montana State quarterback DeNarius McGhee is among the initial 20 nominees for the 2013 Walter Payton Award, given to the top offensive player in the FCS.
The Sports Network announced its watch list Monday.
McGhee has been a finalist in each of his three seasons at MSU. He finished seventh as a freshman in the 2010 balloting, ninth last year and 13th in 2011. McGhee passed for 3,154 yards and 24 touchdowns and rushed for 364 yards and five more scores last season as the Bobcats posted an 11-2 record. He was named the Big Sky Conference offensive player of the year.
McGhee is one of 11 finalists returning from last year’s final vote. Others include running backs Zach Bauman of Northern Arizona and Timothy Flanders of Sam Houston State.
The award will be presented on Dec. 16.
Past winners include Steve McNair, Tony Romo, Armanti Edwards and Dave Dickenson.