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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Manning Named Conerly Award Winner For 2003
12/4/2003 | Football
By Ralph Russo
Associated Press
Dec. 4, 2003
BILOXI, Miss. - The honors are starting to roll in for Eli Manning.
Mississippi's senior quarterback became the first player to win a second Conerly Trophy on Thursday night, earning the award as the state's best college football player by leading the Rebels to their best season in more than a decade.
Manning beat out Southern Mississippi linebacker Rod Davis, who won last year's Conerly Trophy, and Delta State quarterback Scott Eyster.
Earlier in the day, Manning won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, an honor his brother Peyton received in 1997 while playing first Tennessee.
He was named one five finalists for the Walter Camp national player of the year award earlier in the week and next week he will find out if he is a finalist for college football's most prestigious award _ the Heisman Trophy.
But first up was the Conerly, which Manning has been a finalist for in each of his three seasons as a starter at Ole Miss.
"It is special because it is a Mississippi award," Manning said.
"Charlie Conerly was a special player at Ole Miss and a great person all-around. I'm going up against two good candidates in Rod Davis and Scott. They're both good players."
Manning won the Conerly Trophy as a sophomore two years ago.
He found out about the Unitas award earlier in the day, when he received a phone call from Green Bay Packers Hall of Famer Bart Starr.
"It's been a good day for me today," Manning said.
The senior returned to Ole Miss for his final college season, passing up a shot to be a first-round NFL draft choice last April, and had his best year.
Manning led the Southeastern Conference in passing yards with 3,341, while tossing 27 touchdowns and just nine interceptions.
No. 17 Ole Miss (9-3) finished the regular season with nine victories for the first time since 1990 and wound up 7-1 in the SEC, tying for the best record in the West with LSU.
The Rebels will play in the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 2.
"It's been a special season all the way around," Manning said.
Davis was the first defensive player to win the Conerly Trophy. He also bypassed a chance to be drafted by the NFL to return for his senior season.
He led Southern Miss to its first Conference USA title since 1999, topping the team in tackles (148), solo tackles (103) and forced fumbles (four).
Eyster, a redshirt freshman, led a major turnaround for the Statesmen, who finished 9-2 a year after winning just four games.
Eyster set numerous school record by throwing for 3,485 yards with 29 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
Manning's win marks the fourth time an Ole Miss player has taken home the award, named after former Rebels great quarterback Charlie Conerly.
Running back Deuce McAllister (1999) and quarterback Stewart Patridge (1997) are the other Rebels to win the Conerly.
Delta State players have won the Conerly twice _ running back Treg Thomas in 1996 and quarterback Josh Bright in 2000.
Mississippi State running back J.J. Johnson won it in 1998.
The Conerly Trophy is sponsored by Cellular South.
Voting is done by a panel of 60 members of the Mississippi media. Votes are tabulated by the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum.