Ah Yat and Wortham named Finalists for Walter Payton Award

For the first time in Montana history, two Grizzly standouts have been named finalists for the Walter Payton Award, the honor presented annually to the FCS national offensive player of the year.

Quarterback Keali'i Ah Yat and receiver Michael Wortham are two of 30 finalists for the 2025 Payton Award and two of just four selections from the Big Sky Conference.

The award, in its 39th season and affectionately known as the Heisman of the FCS, is named for legendary running back Walter Payton, who starred at Jackson State as part of his Hall of Fame career. Past recipients include Steve McNair, Tony Romo, Brian Westbrook, Jimmy Garoppolo, Cooper Kupp, Taylor Heinicke and Trey Lance.

All 13 FCS conferences are represented by a finalist. The winner, to be selected by a national voting panel, will be announced at the Stats Perform FCS National Awards Show on Jan. 3 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Ah Yat, one of just four sophomore QBs to be named a finalist, is in the midst of a breakout season in his first year as a full-time starter for the Grizzlies. He's been a catalyst in making the balanced Grizzly offense the No. 4 scoring unit in the FCS and No. 1 in the Big Sky, and top 10 in the FCS in passing, total, and red zone offense.

At the end of the regular season, he leads the Big Sky in passing yards (3,154 – 4th in FCS), passing TDs (25), and points responsible for (192). A dual threat, he leads the Big Sky in total offense yards (3154), No. 2 in Yds/completion (13), No. 3 in pass completion percentage (.687), Yds/attempt (9), and has the second-fewest interceptions in the Big Sky among QBs with 200-plus attempts at eight.

Ah Yat is a two-time Big Sky Offensive Player of the Week this season and was named to the Walter Camp FCS Player of the Year Watch List last week. His dad, Grizzly Hall of Famer Brian Ah Yat, was a three-time finalist for the Payton Award in 1996, 1997, and 1998.

Wortham has done it all for Montana this season as one of Pro Football Focus' highest rated wide receivers in all D-I football.

He concluded the regular season leading the Big Sky (3rd in FCS) in all-purpose yards with 156.6/game. The senior also leads league in combined kick returns (781 – 3rd FCS) as both a kickoff and punt return dynamo.

As a receiver, he's currently top 4 in the Big Sky in receiving TDs (7), top 6 in receiving yards (822), and receptions/game (5.18).

He was named FCS Offensive Player of the Week on Oct. 27 after leading Montana to a 49-35 road win at Sacraemento State with a hat trick of touchdowns and 238 all-purpose yards. He was UM's leader in rushing, receiving, and combined returns in that game, rushing for a season and game-high 89 yards and two touchdowns, catching five passes for 80 yards that included a 64-yard strike, and returning two kickoffs for 69 yards including a long of 44. He's also a two-time Big Sky Player of the Week.

Montana last had a finalist for the Payton Award in 2010 when Hall of Famer Chase Reynolds was named a finalist for the second time in his historic career. To this day, Dave Dickenson remains Montana's only winner of the award.

2025 Walter Payton Award Finalists

Quarterbacks
Keali'i Ah Yat, Montana, R-So., 6-1, 200 (Big Sky Conference)
248 of 361 (68.7%), 3,154 yards, 25 TDs, 7 INTs, 160.5 pass efficiency; 83 rush yards, 7 TDs (12 games)

Braden Atkinson, Mercer, Fr., 6-1, 215 (Southern Conference)
250 of 367 (68.1%), 3,448 yards, 34 TDs, 7 INTs, 173.8 pass efficiency; 1 rush TD (10 games)

Andrew Body, Alabama State, R-Jr., 6-0, 205 (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
113 of 160 (70.6%), 1,770 yards, 20 TDs, 1 INT, 203.6 pass efficiency; 518 rush yards, 4 TDs (8 games)

Beau Brungard, Youngstown State, Jr., 6-0, 215 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
254 of 368 (69.0%), 2,917 yards, 23 TDs, 3 INTs, 154.6 pass efficiency; 225 carries, 1,378 yards, 24 TDs; 50-yard TD catch (12 games)

Jaden Craig, Harvard, Sr., 6-2, 215 (Ivy League)
195 of 310 (62.9%), 2,722 yards, 24 TDs, 5 INT, 159.0 pass efficiency; 84 rush yards, 3 TDs (10 games)

Taron Dickens, Western Carolina, R-So., 5-11, 180 (Southern Conference)
271 of 365 (74.2%), 3,508 yards, 38 TDs, 2 INT, 188.2 pass efficiency; 321 rush yards, 1 TD (9 games)

Devin Farrell, Rhode Island, R-Jr., 6-0, 195 (CAA Football)
221 of 332 (66.6%), 3,087 yards, 20 TDs, 7 INTs, 160.3 pass efficiency; 60 rush yards, 2 TDs (12 games)

Victor Gabalis, Tarleton State, Sr., 6-3, 210 (United Athletic Conference)
160 of 268 (59.7%), 2,395 yards, 25 TDs, 4 INTs, 162.6 pass efficiency; 1 rush TD (10 games)

Walker Harris, North Carolina Central, R-Sr., 6-1, 195 (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference)
234 of 375 (62.4%), 3,214 yards, 24 TDs, 9 INTs, 150.7 pass efficiency; 77 rush yards, 5 TDs (12 games)

Collin Hurst, Presbyterian, R-So., 5-10, 185 (Pioneer Football League)
197 of 289 (68.2%), 2,684 yards, 26 TDs, 11 INTs, 168.3 pass efficiency; 56 rush yards, 2 TDs (12 games)

Justin Lamson, Montana State, Jr., 6-2, 210 (Big Sky Conference)
194 of 268 (72.4%), 2,345 yards, 20 TDs, 2 INTs, 169.0 pass efficiency; 589 rush yards, 11 TDs; 23 receiving yards (12 games)

Eddie Lee Marburger, UT Rio Grande Valley, R-Sr., 6-2, 215 (Southland Conference)
199 of 305 (65.2%), 2,780 yards, 31 TDs, 7 INTs, 170.8 pass efficiency; 308 yards, 4 TDs (12 games)

Chris Parson, Austin Peay, R-So., 5-11, 224 (United Athletic Conference)
206 of 326 (63.2%), 3,003 yards, 23 TDs, 5 TDs, 160.8 pass efficiency; 743 rush yards, 14 TDs (12 games)

Cole Payton, North Dakota State, Sr., 6-3, 233 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
157 of 212 (74.1%), 2,618 yards, 15 TDs, 4 INTs, 107.4 pass efficiency; 791 rush yards, 13 TDs (12 games)

Kekoa Visperas, Tennessee Tech, R-Sr., 6-0, 193 (OVC-Big South Football Association)
212 of 323 (65.6%), 2,486 yards, 25 TDs, 5 INTs, 152.7 pass efficiency; 484 rush yards, 3 TDs (12 games)

DJ Williams, Southern Illinois, Sr., 6-3, 218 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
222 of 352 (63.1%), 2,846 yards, 22 TDs, 5 INTs, 148.8 pass efficiency; 847 rush yards, 18 TDs (12 games)

Running Backs
Joshua Dye, Southern Utah, R-So., 5-11, 205 (United Athletic Conference)
295 carries, 1,831 yards (6.2 ypc), 28 TDs, 7 receptions, 40 yards; 51 KOR yards (12 games)

Kente Edwards, Lafayette, Jr., 5-9, 197 (Patriot League)
199 carries, 1,454 yards (7.3 ypc), 20 TDs, 10 receptions 67 yards (10 games)

Marquis Gillis, Delaware State, RB, Grad, 6-0, 210 (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference)
182 carries, 1,166 yards (6.4 ypc), 8 TDs; 11 receptions, 98 yards, 1 TD (12 games)

Rodney Hammond Jr., Sacramento State, Sr., 5-9, 195 (Big Sky Conference)
188 carries, 1,216 yards (6.5 ypc), 13 TDs, 15 receptions, 147 yards; 1 TD pass; 455 KOR yards, 1 TD (12 games)

Elijah Howard, Central Connecticut State, Sr., 5-10, 185 (NEC Football)
188 carries, 1,078 yards (5.7 ypc), 11 TDs; 36 receptions, 296 yards, 4 TDs (11 games)

Rodney Nelson, Monmouth, R-So., 5-8, 195 (CAA Football)
293 carries, 1,802 yards (6.2 ypc), 18 TDs; 30 receptions, 229 yards, 1 TD (12 games)

L.J. Phillips Jr., South Dakota, R-So., 5-9, 225 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
250 carries, 1,556 yards (6.2 ypc), 15 TDs; 25 receptions, 192 yards, 1 TD (12 games)

Josh Pitsenberger, Yale, Sr., 6-0, 220 (Ivy League)
255 carries, 1,238 yards (4.9 ypc), 15 TDs; 12 receptions, 87 yards (10 games)

Luke Yoder, Lehigh, Jr., 5-11, 205 (Patriot League)
187 carries, 1,329 yards (7.1 ypc), 15 TDs; 11 receptions, 96 yards, 1 TD (12 games)

Wide Receivers
Marquis Buchanan, Rhode Island, R-So., 6-4, 175 (CAA Football)
66 receptions, 1,123 yards (17.0 ypc), 5 TDs (12 games)

Joey Isabella, Duquesne, Grad, 5-9, 185 (NEC Football)
63 receptions, 839 yards (13.3 ypc), 13 TDs, 211 KOR return yards (12 games)

Bryce Lance, North Dakota State, R-Sr., 6-3, 209 (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
50 receptions, 1,001 yards (20.0 ypc), 7 TDs; 92 rush yards, 1 TD (12 games)

Jared Richardson, Penn, Sr., 6-2, 220 (Ivy League)
80 receptions, 1,033 yards (12.9 ypc), 12 TDs (10 games)

Michael Wortham, Montana, R-Sr., 5-9, 190 (Big Sky Conference)
58 receptions, 825 yards (14.2), 7 TDs; 46 carries, 273 yards, 6 TDs; 1 TD pass; 701 KOR yards (12 games)

Also this season, the Buck Buchanan Award (FCS Defensive Player of the Year), Jerry Rice Award (FCS Freshman Player of the Year), Eddie Robinson Award (FCS Coach of the Year), HBCU National Player of the Year and Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete of the Year will be presented at the Stats Perform FCS National Awards Show.

University of Montana Athletics

Ah Yat and Wortham named Finalists for Walter Payton Award

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