By ISU Sports Information
NORMAL – Illinois State seniors Marshaun Coprich and Tre Roberson combined to become one of the best backfield tandems in FCS football in 2014 and head into the 2015 season on the national stage, as each was named to the College Football Performance Awards (CFPA) 2015 FCS National Performer of the Year Trophy Watch List.
The list includes 32 returning performers from the FCS and the winner will be presented with the 2015 FCS National Performer of the Year Trophy, a 22-inch K-9 optic crystal trophy with an eight-inch crystal football on top. All FCS players are eligible for the award and the winner will be announced January 13, 2016.
Coprich and Roberson were also named among 22 players on the STATS FCS Offensive Player of the Year Watch List, which can undergo revision during the 2015 season, and both were selected as preseason All-Americans by the organization as well.
Coprich, who earned the 2014 CFPA Running Back of the Year Award, led the FCS in rushing yards (2,274) and rushing touchdowns (27) last season, and was second in rushing yards per game (151.6). He was a First-Team All-America selection by The Associated Press, The Sports Network and the Walter Camp Football Foundation, and was named to the College Sporting News 2014 Fabulous Fifty FCS All-America Team. The Missouri Valley Football Conference Offensive Player of the Year and First-Team All-MVFC honoree finished fifth in the voting for the outstanding offensive player in the FCS last season.
In his first season at Illinois State, Roberson was named the MVFC Newcomer of the Year and an All-MVFC First-Team selection at quarterback, while leading the Redbirds to the FCS title game and a school-record 13 wins. Roberson set single-season records for passing touchdowns (30), passing efficiency (155.3), total offense yards (4,250) and also set a school single-season record for rushing yards in a season by a quarterback with 1,029, becoming the only quarterback in school history to rush for over 1,000 yards. He threw for 3,221 yards and was instrumental in the Redbirds’ playoff run, with a game-winning touchdown run in the semifinals at New Hampshire and four touchdowns in the FCS Championship game vs. NDSU.