Ole Miss’ Quinshon Judkins wins Conerly Trophy

Rebel freshman leads the SEC in multiple rushing categories

Photo credit Ole Miss Athletics

For the third straight season, an Ole Miss Rebel has been recognized as the most outstanding college football player in Mississippi.

After a record-breaking freshman campaign, Ole Miss running back Quinshon Judkins was named the winner of the 2022 C Spire Conerly Trophy Tuesday night by the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame.

Judkins, a semifinalist for Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year, set the Ole Miss single-season record in both rushing yards (1,476) and rushing touchdowns (16). Besides rushing yards and TDs, Judkins also leads the SEC and ranks top 10 nationally in total touchdowns (17) and rushing yards per game (123.0).

The Pike Road, Alabama, native anchors an Ole Miss rushing attack that that leads the SEC and ranks No. 3 nationally in rushing yards per game (261.6 ypg). With a bowl game still yet to be played, Ole Miss has already broken its single-season school record in rushing yards (3,139), previously set in 1957.

Judkins is having one of the greatest seasons ever by an SEC freshman running back. He currently ranks third all-time amongst conference freshmen in rushing yards, behind only Herschel Walker (1,616 yds, Georgia, 1980) and Nick Chubb (1,547, Georgia, 2014). The five-time SEC Freshman of the Week leads all freshmen nationally in rushing yards, rushing yards per game, rushing TDs, all-purpose yards, scoring and total TDs.

Named after College Football Hall of Famer and Ole Miss legend Charlie Conerly, the Conerly Trophy was first conferred in 1996. The trophy has now been awarded to an Ole Miss player 11 times, the most by any school.

Past Ole Miss winners include: Stewart Patridge (1997), Deuce McAllister (1999), Eli Manning (2001, 2003), Patrick Willis (2006), Bo Wallace (2012), Evan Engram (2016), A.J. Brown (2017), Elijah Moore (2020) and Matt Corral (2021).

CONERLY TROPHY WINNERS

• 2022 – Quinshon Judkins, RB – Ole Miss
• 2021 – Matt Corral, QB – Ole Miss
• 2020 – Elijah Moore, WR – Ole Miss
• 2019 – Kylin Hill, RB – Mississippi State
• 2018 – Jeffery Simmons, DL – Mississippi State
• 2017 – A.J. Brown, WR – Ole Miss
• 2016 – Evan Engram, TE – Ole Miss
• 2015 – Dak Prescott, QB – Mississippi State
• 2014 – Dak Prescott, QB – Mississippi State
• 2013 – Gabe Jackson, OL – Mississippi State
• 2012 – Bo Wallace, QB – Ole Miss
• 2011 – Austin Davis, QB – Southern Miss
• 2010 – Chris White, LB – Mississippi State
• 2009 – Anthony Dixon, RB – Mississippi State
• 2008 – Juan Joseph, QB – Millsaps
• 2007 – Damion Fletcher, RB – Southern Miss
• 2006 – Patrick Willis, LB – Ole Miss
• 2005 – Jerious Norwood, RB – Mississippi State
• 2004 – Michael Boley, LB – Southern Miss
• 2003 – Eli Manning, QB – Ole Miss
• 2002 – Rod Davis, LB – Southern Miss
• 2001 – Eli Manning, QB – Ole Miss
• 2000 – Josh Bright, QB – Delta State
• 1999 – Deuce McAllister, RB – Ole Miss
• 1998 – J.J. Johnson, RB – Mississippi State
• 1997 – Stewart Patridge, QB – Ole Miss
• 1996 – Tregnel Thomas, RB – Delta State