CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illinois running back Chase Brown was the unanimous selection for the Jon Cornish Trophy, Football Canada announced Wednesday. The Jon Cornish Trophy goes to the best Canadian player in college football.
Brown, a London, Ontario, native, was the Power-5's leading rusher from start to finish in 2022. An All-American and Doak Walker Award finalist, Brown finished the regular season third in the nation in all-purpose yards (1,883), second in the nation in rushes of 10+ yards (48), and tied for the national lead in 100-yard games (10).
Brown rushed for at least 98 yards in 11 of Illinois' 12 games and has scored 13 total touchdowns (10 rushing, three receiving). He did his best work against some of the nation's best rushing defenses, rushing for more yards than any other opponent against Michigan's No. 3-ranked rush defense (140 yards), Wisconsin's No. 12-ranked rush defense (129 yards), and Minnesota's No. 15-ranked rush defense (180 yards).
Brown is the Big Ten's first winner of the Jon Cornish Trophy. Alabama wide receiver John Metchie III won the award in the previous two seasons, following Oklahoma State running back Chuba Hubbard in 2019 and Ohio quarterback Nathan Rourke in 2017 and 2018.
Brown's twin brother, Sydney Brown, finished third in Jon Cornish Trophy voting.
VOTING:
1. Chase Brown, Jr., RB, Illinois/London, Ontario * unanimous selection
2. Kurtis Rourke, Jr., QB, Ohio/Oakville, Ontario
3. Sydney Brown, Sr., DB, Illinois/London, Ontario
4. Jarred Wayne, Jr., WR, Pitt/Peterborough, Ontario
5. Tavius Robinson, Sr., DL, Ole Miss/Guelph, Ontario
Honourable Mentions: Matthew Bergeron, Sr./OL, Montreal, Quebec/Syracuse; Akheem Mesidor, So./DL, Ottawa, Ontario/Miami; Donate Bull, Sr./OL, Victoria, BC/Fresno State.
PREVIOUS WINNERS:
2017-18 Nathan Rourke, So., QB, Ohio/Oakville, Ontario
2018-19 Nathan Rourke, Jr., QB, Ohio/Oakville, Ontario
2019-20 Chuba Hubbard, So., RB, Oklahoma State/Sherwood Park, AB
2020-21 John Metchie III, So., WR, Alabama/Brampton, Ontario
2021-22 John Metchie III, Jr., WR, Alabama/Brampton, Ontario
2022-23 Chase Brown, Jr., RB, Illinois/London, Ontario
ABOUT THE CORNISH TROPHY: The Jon Cornish Trophy is awarded annually to the Canadian student-athlete selected as the most outstanding player in NCAA Football. The winner is chosen by voters consisting of the trustees of the award and panelists from the TSN Krown Gridiron Nation TV program.
The award is named after Jon Cornish, a former high school football player from British Columbia, a college standout running back at the University of Kansas. Cornish later went on to win three Most Outstanding Canadian awards and a 2013 Most Outstanding Player award in the CFL as a member of the Calgary Stampeders. His 2013 season was capped off by winning the Lou Marsh Trophy as Canada's top athlete.
The award has been presented since 2017. The trophy is presented at and in conjunction with the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in Hamilton, Ontario. The permanent Jon Cornish Trophy is displayed in the Canadian Football Hall of Fame lobby. The trophy was designed and donated by patrons L. David Dube and Jim Mullin in 2018.
ABOUT FOOTBALL CANADA: Established in 1880 and reconstituted in 1884, Football Canada is the national governing body of amateur football in Canada and a proud member of the International Federation of American Football (IFAF). Working closely with the provincial football associations, we develop programs and resources for players, coaches, and officials in the three disciplines of Tackle, Flag, and Touch Football. Football Canada's vision statement is "from playground to stadium," where players can participate in the game of football throughout a lifetime recreationally, competitively, and internationally.
