Conerly Trophy

Background

The award was begun in 1996 and has been sponsored by C Spire Wireless, formerly known as Cellular South, since 1998. Previous presentations have been held in Jackson, Clarksdale, Tunica and Biloxi. The namesake of the award is Mississippi-born Charlie Conerly who played quarterback for the Ole Miss Rebels.

Sixty media representatives from across Mississippi determine the winner. All players at Mississippi's four-year college football programs are eligible on the first ballot. Previously, the top three vote-getters were listed on a second and final ballot, but starting with the 2011 award, each of the four-year colleges and universities in Mississippi that field football teams are represented by one finalist. In 2013, fans were allowed to vote on the award for the first time. Fan voting accounted for 10 percent of the total vote.

The trophy itself is a bronze casting, 19" high x 11" long x 7.5" wide, weighing 18.5 lbs. (8.4 kg). The trophy was sculpted by Bruce Holmes Brady, a Brookhaven, Mississippi native and graduate of the University of Mississippi. The original trophy is on permanent display at the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum. A replica of the trophy is presented to the winner each year at the announcement dinner.

Winners

Kent Hull Trophy

Starting in 2013, the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame began awarding a second award, the Kent Hull Trophy, for the best college offensive lineman in Mississippi.

References

References

1. "Cellular South Outstanding Player Awards".
2. Talbott, Chris. (2009-11-30). "Dixon wins Conerly Trophy". The Starkville Daily News Bulldog Blog.
3. MBJ Staff. (2013-11-26). "Fan voting opens for first time in Conerly Trophy history". Mississippi Business Journal.
4. (2012). "College Football Awards: All National and Conference Winners Through 2010". McFarland.
5. "Senate Concurrent Resolution SB589, 2000 Regular Session".
6. [https://web.archive.org/web/20131217225226/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/529135/THE-BEST---AND-WORST---OF-1996-SEASON.html?pg=all The Best - and Worst - of 1996 Season]
7. [http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/1998/HC/HC0103SG.htm Mississippi House Concurrent Resolution 103]
8. [http://www.debate.org/reference/j-j-johnson J.J. Johnson @ Debate.org] {{webarchive. link. (2013-12-17)
9. "Deuce McAllister Bio".
10. [http://www.ddtonline.com/article_ff01ca80-4358-5fa1-9fad-389e6084bf5f.html Delta State honors its student-athletes]
11. "Eli Manning's College Statistics & Records".
12. [http://www.southernmiss.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/120502aab.html Davis Wins Conerly Trophy, "Mississippi's Heisman"]
13. [http://www.southernmiss.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/120102aaa.html Davis Named Finalist For Conerly Trophy]
14. "Mississippi Senate Concurrent Resolution 542".
15. [http://www.southernmiss.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/113003aab.html?1051780207 Davis Named Finalist For Conerly Trophy]
16. "USM's Boley Wins Conerly Trophy".
17. [http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2006/html/HR/HR0019PS.htm Mississippi House Resolution 19]
18. [http://www.olemisssports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/112906aab.html Patrick Willis Honored with Conerly Trophy]
19. "Southern Miss' Fletcher Wins Conerly Trophy".
20. [http://www.wlox.com/Global/story.asp?s=9448521&clienttype=printable Joseph Wins 2008 Cellular South Conerly Trophy]
21. [http://www.wjtv.com/story/21278425/2008-cellular-south-conerly-trophy-finalists 2008 CellularSouth Conerly Trophy Finalists] {{webarchive. link. (2013-12-17)
22. "State's Dixon Awarded Conerly Trophy As Best Collegiate Football Player In Mississippi".
23. [http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/2010-11-30-3122626950_x.htm Miss St. LB Chris White wins Conerly Trophy]
24. [http://www.anygivensaturday.com/showthread.php?79799-Therriault-among-top-three-in-Conerly-Trophy Therriault Among Top Three in Conerly Trophy]
25. [http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20111129006979/en USM Quarterback Austin Davis Wins 2011 Conerly Trophy as Top College Football Player in Mississippi]
26. [http://dailyleader.com/2011/11/10/conerly-trophy-nominees-gifted/ Conerly trophy Nominees Gifted]
27. [https://www.espn.com/blog/sec/post/_/id/56807/bo-wallace-wins-2012-conerly-trophy Bo Wallace wins 2012 Conerly Trophy]
28. "10 Nominees for 2012 Conerly Trophy".
29. link. (2015-09-08)
30. [http://msfame.com/news-updates/ten-finalists-announced-for-c-spire-conerly/ Ten Finalists Announced for C Spire Conerly Trophy]
31. [http://msfame.com/news-updates/prescott-claims-2014-c-spire-conerly-award/ Prescott Claims 2014 C Spire Conerly Award]
32. "Mississippi State QB Prescott wins Conerly Trophy".
33. [http://www.clarionledger.com/story/sports/college/football/2015/11/11/2015-c-spire-conerly-trophy-nominees/75574292/ 2015 C Spire Conerly Trophy nominees]
34. [http://www.clarionledger.com/story/sports/college/mississippi-state/2016/11/16/years-conerly-trophy-nominees/93981084/ This year's C Spire Conerly Trophy nominees]
35. [http://www.clarionledger.com/story/sports/college/football/2017/11/28/j/903240001/ Ole Miss receiver A. J. Brown wins 2017 C Spire Conerly Trophy]
36. [https://www.clarionledger.com/story/sports/2018/11/27/msus-jeffery-simmons-wins-2018-conerly-trophy/2132735002/ MSU's Jeffery Simmons, Elgton Jenkins collect Conerly and Hull awards]
37. [https://hailstate.com/news/2019/12/3/football-kylin-hill-wins-24th-annual-c-spire-conerly-trophy.aspx Kylin Hill wins 24th Annual C-Spire Connerly Trophy]
38. [https://msfame.com/csopa-winners-announced/ C Spire Outstanding Player Award Winners Announced for the 2020-2021 Seasons]
39. "Matt Corral wins 2021 C Spire Conerly Trophy as best college football player in Mississippi".
40. [https://mississippitoday.org/2021/12/01/matt-corral-ole-miss-bowl-game-conerly-winner/ Conerly winner Matt Corral says he won’t skip the Ole Miss bowl game]
41. Busby, Garrett. (November 14, 2022). "Mississippi sports museum announces 2022 C Spire Conerly trophy nominees".
42. Busby, Garrett. (November 29, 2022). "Ole Missl freshman sensation claims 2022 Conerly Trophy".
43. Johnstone, Patrick. (November 14, 2023). "Nominees announced for 2023 C Spire Conerly Trophy".
44. (November 28, 2023). "Delta State’s Patrick Shegog wins 2023 C Spire Conerly Trophy". Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum.
45. "Jaxson Dart Wins Conerly Trophy".
46. (2024-11-19). "Finalists announced for 2024 C Spire Conerly Trophy".
47. Lee, Nathan. (2025-12-03). "Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss wins the 2025 Conerly Trophy; find out other award winners as well".
48. [http://msfame.com/news-updates/kent-hull-trophy-tribute-banquet-announced/ Kent Hull Trophy, tribute banquet announced]
49. [http://msfame.com/news-updates/states-gabe-jackson-wins-first-hull-trophy/ State's Gabe Jackson wins first Hull Trophy]
50. [http://www.olemisssports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/112514aab.html Laremy Tunsil wins Kent Hull Trophy]
51. [http://msfame.com/news-updates/ole-miss-fahn-cooper-wins-2015-kent-hull-trophy/ Ole Miss’ Fahn Cooper wins 2015 Kent Hull Trophy]
52. [http://www.clarionledger.com/story/sports/college/mississippi-state/2016/11/22/justin-senior-wins-kent-hull-trophy-top-ol-state/94292022/ Justin Senior wins Kent Hull Trophy as top OL in state]
53. [http://hailstate.com/news/2017/11/21/football-senior-martins-rankin-wins-2017-kent-hull-trophy.aspx Senior Martinas Rankin Wins 2017 Kent Hull Trophy]
54. [https://mississippitoday.org/2018/11/21/states-elgin-jenkins-wins-kent-hull-trophy/ Senior State’s Elgton Jenkins wins Kent Hull Trophy]
55. [https://mississippitoday.org/2019/11/19/usm-standout-dorbeck-wins-kent-hull-trophy/ USM standout Dorbeck wins Kent Hull Trophy]
56. [https://msfame.com/the-kent-hull-trophy%EF%BB%BF/ The Kent Hull Trophy]
57. [https://hailstate.com/news/2021/11/22/football-cross-earns-2021-kent-hull-trophy.aspx Cross Earns 2021 Kent Hull Trophy]
58. (November 29, 2022). "Nick Broeker Earns 2022 Kent Hull Trophy".
59. (November 22, 2023). "Cole Smith Named Winner of Kent Hull Trophy".
60. "Albert Reese IV Wins Kent Hull Trophy".
61. "Football’s Patrick Kutas Named Kent Hull Trophy Winner".