CHICAGO – Nicholls State University football freshman
Pig Cage has been named one of 16 finalists for the Stats Perform FCS Jerry Rice Award, which is presented to the national freshman of the year in the Football Championship Subdivision.
A graduate of Rummel, Cage had an outstanding rookie campaign with 11.0 tackles for loss, ranking second in the Southland Conference. The defensive back totaled 30 tackles for the Colonels and had 2.5 sacks, one forced fumble and one interception.
In his showdown against fellow Rice Award finalist UIW quarterback Cameron Ward, Cage had a 20-yard sack and a tackle to stop Ward short on a fourth-down try. Cage and Ward are the two representatives for the Southland Conference.
The Rice Award is named for the legendary Hall of Fame wide receiver and is celebrating its 10th anniversary season. Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp is the most prominent winner of the award, and the most recent recipient in 2019, former North Dakota State quarterback Trey Lance, is projected to be one of the early selections in the NFL Draft on April 29.
A 40-member national media panel will select the winner from the unprecedented 2020-21 season, which has spanned the fall and spring semesters. The recipient will be announced on May 3.
