Notre Dame vs. Stanford is Hornung Award Game of the Week

Louisville, Ky. (Wednesday, November 23, 2011) – Notre Dame travels to Stanford in this week’s Paul Hornung Award Game of the Week. A year ago, the game featured one of the highlight plays of the 2010 season that came to define the 2010 race to the Paul Hornung Award when Owen Marecic scored on consecutive plays on offense and defense.

The Paul Hornung Award, presented by Texas Roadhouse, is awarded annually by the Louisville Sports Commission to the most versatile player in major college football.

Marecic had a day to remember last season on the road at Notre Dame when he scored touchdowns on both sides of the ball on back-to-back plays from scrimmage. He capped an 11-play, 49-yard scoring drive with a one-yard TD run and following the ensuing kickoff intercepted a Dayne Crist pass and returned it 20 yards for a touchdown to give Stanford a 34-6 lead.

The Cardinal senior started in all 13 Stanford games, nine on both sides of the ball, earning first team All-Pac 10 honors at fullback and honorable mention at linebacker. He logged an average of 110 plays per game - equivalent to nearly two full seasons - and was the only two-way starting player among Football Bowl Subdivision teams in 2010. Marecic was named American Football Coaches Association First Team All-America as the All-Purpose Player.

This year, Stanford’s Chris Owusu and Notre Dame’s Cierre Wood are among the notable versatile stars for the Cardinal and Fighting Irish. 

Owusu has been hampered by a concussion in recent weeks, but has put together an impressive season. He had caught 35 passes for 376 yards and two touchdowns while returning eight kickoffs. He also has two carries on the season for 35 and 43 yards.

Wood, a past Weekly Honor Roll recipient, has over 1,000 rushing yards in 2011 with nine touchdowns. He has also caught 25 passes for 175 yards.

Kickoff is set for 8pm ET on Saturday on ABC.

Fan Voting Continues: A total of 63 players are listed at www.votepaulhornung.com where voting for finalists of the Paul Hornung Award will continue until December 4. Fans can vote once daily to help select the finalists on the Facebook page powered by Texas Roadhouse.

Although all players in FBS are eligible for the award, fans can currently vote for 63 players eligible for fan voting on the Facebook page. To be eligible for fan voting, a player must be selected to the Weekly Honor Roll or be a member of the preseason watch list.

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Texas Roadhouse

Based in Louisville, Kentucky, Texas Roadhouse opened its doors in 1993. In just 18 years, Texas Roadhouse has grown to more than 350 locations in 46 states. The company is famous for hand-cut steaks, made-from-scratch sides, fresh-baked bread, and its lively atmosphere. In 2007 and 2008 Forbes magazine ranked the company as one of the 200 Best Small Companies and in 2009 the company was ranked “Best Value” by readers of Consumer Reports magazine. For more information, visit www.texasroadhouse.com. 

Paul Hornung Award presented by Texas Roadhouse

Created by the Louisville Sports Commission in 2010, the Paul Hornung Award presented by Texas Roadhouse is given annually to the most versatile player in major college football. The Award is designed to promote college football and help preserve the legacy of one of Kentucky's best-known and accomplished athletes who has always called Louisville home. Hornung, the 1956 Heisman Trophy winner at Notre Dame and NFL MVP for the Green Bay Packers, set a single season NFL scoring record that stood 46 years. Paul is a member of the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame, and Vince Lombardi once called Hornung, “The most versatile man ever to play the game.” A national selection committee comprised of 16 sports journalists and former NFL stars votes for the Hornung Award, and this year fan voting on Facebook powered by Texas Roadhouse will comprise the 17th vote. All votes are tabulated independently by regional accounting firm Dean Dorton Allen Ford. The winner is honored at a banquet presented by Jewish Hospital Sports Medicine in late January each year in downtown Louisville. For more information, visit www.paulhornungaward.com Fans can also follow online on Twitter (@hornungaward) and Become a Fan on Facebook.

Louisville Sports Commission

The Louisville Sports Commission is a Kentucky-based 501 c-3 organization whose mission is to attract, host and create quality sporting events and activities in the Louisville area that increase economic vitality; enhance the quality of life; promote healthy lifestyles; and brand Louisville as a great sports town. For more information, visit www.louisvillesports.org and follow the Louisville Sports Commission on Twitter (@SportsinLou).