FORT COLLINS — Colorado State linebacker Jeff Horinek was named today as one of 15 candidates for the Draddy Trophy, the “academic Heisman” presented in December at the National Football Foundation dinner in New York City.
Horinek, a fifth-year senior and fourth-year starter, will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship for making the list. He will graduate in May with degrees in health and exercise science and liberal arts with a business emphasis. He carries a 3.92 GPA.
“Maybe I don’t have the biggest social life. It just my priorities,” Horinek said of balancing football and classwork. “I’ve always wanted to do well in school. My mom is a teacher so that’s an influence.”
Horinek said he would like to go to graduate school: “I’d like to stay with sports and be something like a strength coach.”
Horinek has collected numerous all-Mountain West and all-district academic honors and said just once he’d like a football-only award. Prior to his notification, Horinek said Tuesday he hadn’t put much thought into the Draddy Award.
“I’d like a chance of getting it,” he said. “I’ve got other things to worry about (like BYU this weekend).”
As for a trip to New York, the Kansas native said he never has been east of Memphis when he followed the Rams to the Liberty Bowl when his older brother, Deone, was the punter.
CSU’s last Draddy finalist was Greg Myers in 1995. The most recent area finalists were Colorado’s Brian Daniels and Wyoming’s John Wendling in 2006.
Also on the list: Harvard CB Andrew Berry; South Dakota State QB Ryan Berry; Missouri QB Chase Daniel; Carnegie Mellon (Pa.) OT Brian Freeman; Yale CB Casey Gerald; Texas Tech QB Graham Harrell; Louisiana Tech LB Quin Harris; St. Cloud State DE Ryan Kees; Cal-Berkeley C Alex Mack; Illinois OL Ryan McDonald; Mount Union College (Ohio) QB Greg Micheli; Georgia Tech DT Darryl Richard; Ohio Stat WR Brian Robiskie; and Utah kicker Louie Sakoda.
Natalie Meisler: 303-954-1295 or nmeisler@denverpost.com
