Cole Johnson Wins CFPA FCS National Performer of the Year Trophy

CHARLESTON, S.C. – James Madison quarterback Cole Johnson has been chosen as the 2021 winner of the CFPA FCS National Performer of the Year Trophy, the College Football Performance Awards announced.

Johnson becomes the second JMU recipient of the award, joining Bryan Schor in 2016. He was chosen from a list of 34 student-athletes who were named to the midseason watch list.

The Virginia Beach, Va., native turned in one of JMU's best seasons at the quarterback position, as he was 287-of-422 for 3,779 yards and 41 touchdowns with just four interceptions. He also rushed for a team-best six touchdowns.

Johnson set JMU's single-season records for passing yards, passing touchdowns and completions to finish fourth in the final vote for the Stats Perform FCS Walter Payton Award. The CAA Offensive Player of the Year earned Second Team All-America honors from Stats Perform and HERO Sports and was a Third Team member by the Associated Press and Phil Steele.

Nationally, Johnson ranked second in the FCS in pass-efficiency rating (173.4), third in both completion percentage (68%) and yards per pass attempt (8.95), fourth in passing touchdowns (41), sixth in point responsibility per game (20.1) and 15th in passing yards per game (269.9).

About the CFPA: The goal of the College Football Performance Awards is to provide the most scientifically rigorous conferments in college football. Recipients are selected exclusively based upon objective scientific rankings of the extent to which individual players increase the overall effectiveness of their respective teams.

The CFPA FCS National Performer of the Year has been given out annually since 2010, with the exception of 2020 due to the pandemic.

All-Time CFPA FCS National Performers of the Year:
2021: Cole Johnson (QB), James Madison
2020: No winner selected
2019: Trey Lance (QB), North Dakota State
2018: Chandler Burks (QB), Kennesaw State
2017: Easton Stick (QB), North Dakota State
2016: Bryan Schor (QB), James Madison
2015: Case Cookus (QB), Northern Arizona
2014: John Robertson (QB), Villanova
2013: Vernon Adams (QB), Eastern Washington
2012: Colton Chapple (QB), Harvard
2011: Taylor Heinicke (QB), Old Dominion
2010: Pat Devlin (QB), Delaware

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