Sarratt, Vanhorse Earn Preseason Watch List Nods
8/7/2024 12:10:00 PM | Football
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – It was a busy preseason watch list day for the Indiana football program on Wednesday (Aug. 7) as both wide receiver Elijah Sarratt and running back Solomon Vanhorse earned preseason honors. Sarratt was tabbed to the Biletnikoff Award and Vanhorse earned a spot on the College Football Comeback Player of the Year.
The Tallahassee Quarterback Club (TQC) Foundation, Inc., the Florida-based creator and sponsor of the prestigious Biletnikoff Award, annually recognizes the college football season's outstanding FBS receiver. Any player, regardless of position (wide receiver, tight end, slot back, and running back) who catches a pass is eligible for the award. As such, the Biletnikoff Award recognizes college football's outstanding receiver, not merely college football's outstanding wide receiver.
The College Sports Communicators (formerly CoSIDA) in association with The Associated Press and the Fiesta Bowl Organization, award the College Football Comeback Player of the Year Award. Since 2018, the award has recognized college football student-athletes for overcoming injury, illness, or other circumstances. At the conclusion of each season, in a vote by a panel of college football writers, editors, and sports information directors, three college football student-athletes are honored as Comeback Player of the Year Award winners at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl.
Elijah Sarratt, WR - Biletnikoff Award
In 25 career games (14 starts), Sarratt enters his first season at Indiana after stops at Saint Francis (Pa.) (2022) and at James Madison (2023). He earned first-team All-Sun Belt as a sophomore at JMU and was a FCS Freshman All-America and first-team All-Northeast Conference his true freshman season at SFU.
He owns six career 100-yard receiving games (5 at JMU; 1 at SFU) and has produced multiple touchdowns in five career games. Entering the season, Sarratt leads all FBS true juniors with 21 receiving touchdowns and sits No. 2 with 1,890 yards receiving (Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona).
Last season, Sarratt caught multiple passes in all 13 games for James Madison and finished No. 11 nationally in yards receiving (1,191). He was No. 22 in the FBS in receptions (82) and receptions per game (6.2) and his eight receiving touchdowns finished No. 32 nationally.
Solomon Vanhorse, RB – College Football Comeback Player of the Year
Entering his seventh season of college football, Vanhorse has missed 20 of his potential 24 games over the last two seasons, including the final 12 of the 2023 season due to injury. Vanhorse was a third-team All-Colonial Athletic Association selection as a kick returner in 2021, he became the 39th player in FBS or FCS since 1996 to return a kickoff for a touchdown, score a rushing touchdown and have a receiving touchdown in the same game (Towson, 11/20).
He has accounted for 15 career touchdowns in his career with seven rushing, seven receiving and one return score. He owns 1,910 all-purpose yards on 165 career touches (136 rush, 55 receptions, 2 PR, 28 KR). He averages 23.6 yards per kickoff return in his career and 10.7 yards per reception.
2024 Indiana Football Preseason Accolades
James Bomba – AFCA Good Works Team Nominee, Allstate Wuerffel Trophy Watch List
James Evans – Ray Guy Award Preseason Watch List
D'Angelo Ponds – Lott Trophy Preseason Watch List
Elijah Sarratt – Bilitikoff Award Preseason Watch List
Solomon Vanhorse - College Football Comeback Player of the Year Preseason Watch List
The Tallahassee Quarterback Club (TQC) Foundation, Inc., the Florida-based creator and sponsor of the prestigious Biletnikoff Award, annually recognizes the college football season's outstanding FBS receiver. Any player, regardless of position (wide receiver, tight end, slot back, and running back) who catches a pass is eligible for the award. As such, the Biletnikoff Award recognizes college football's outstanding receiver, not merely college football's outstanding wide receiver.
The College Sports Communicators (formerly CoSIDA) in association with The Associated Press and the Fiesta Bowl Organization, award the College Football Comeback Player of the Year Award. Since 2018, the award has recognized college football student-athletes for overcoming injury, illness, or other circumstances. At the conclusion of each season, in a vote by a panel of college football writers, editors, and sports information directors, three college football student-athletes are honored as Comeback Player of the Year Award winners at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl.
Elijah Sarratt, WR - Biletnikoff Award
In 25 career games (14 starts), Sarratt enters his first season at Indiana after stops at Saint Francis (Pa.) (2022) and at James Madison (2023). He earned first-team All-Sun Belt as a sophomore at JMU and was a FCS Freshman All-America and first-team All-Northeast Conference his true freshman season at SFU.
He owns six career 100-yard receiving games (5 at JMU; 1 at SFU) and has produced multiple touchdowns in five career games. Entering the season, Sarratt leads all FBS true juniors with 21 receiving touchdowns and sits No. 2 with 1,890 yards receiving (Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona).
Last season, Sarratt caught multiple passes in all 13 games for James Madison and finished No. 11 nationally in yards receiving (1,191). He was No. 22 in the FBS in receptions (82) and receptions per game (6.2) and his eight receiving touchdowns finished No. 32 nationally.
Solomon Vanhorse, RB – College Football Comeback Player of the Year
Entering his seventh season of college football, Vanhorse has missed 20 of his potential 24 games over the last two seasons, including the final 12 of the 2023 season due to injury. Vanhorse was a third-team All-Colonial Athletic Association selection as a kick returner in 2021, he became the 39th player in FBS or FCS since 1996 to return a kickoff for a touchdown, score a rushing touchdown and have a receiving touchdown in the same game (Towson, 11/20).
He has accounted for 15 career touchdowns in his career with seven rushing, seven receiving and one return score. He owns 1,910 all-purpose yards on 165 career touches (136 rush, 55 receptions, 2 PR, 28 KR). He averages 23.6 yards per kickoff return in his career and 10.7 yards per reception.
2024 Indiana Football Preseason Accolades
James Bomba – AFCA Good Works Team Nominee, Allstate Wuerffel Trophy Watch List
James Evans – Ray Guy Award Preseason Watch List
D'Angelo Ponds – Lott Trophy Preseason Watch List
Elijah Sarratt – Bilitikoff Award Preseason Watch List
Solomon Vanhorse - College Football Comeback Player of the Year Preseason Watch List
Players Mentioned
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