Chad Powers Is Nominated for a Webby Award

Penn State's famous walk-on quarterback, and Eli Manning, are up for the internet's biggest award.

Chad Powers, the Penn State walk-on quarterback who became a viral phenomenon last fall, is up for the most prestigious award on the internet.

The episode of 'Eli's Places,' in which Eli Manning introduced the world to Chad Powers, is among the Webby Award nominees in the sports video category. The Webby Awards honor the best of the internet, and fans can vote for Chad Powers in the Webby People's Choice Awards. Winners will be announced May 15.

'Eli's Places' debuted on ESPN+ in September, as Manning, the former New York Giants quarterback and new media star, visited Penn State to learn more about football walk-ons. Disguised as Chad Powers, a homeschooled substitute teacher and part-time carpenter, Manning dominated the tryout, coining the phrase, "Think fast, run fast" that became a marketing tool for the character and Penn State football.

Chad Powers, aka Eli Manning, tours the Penn State football building. Omaha Productions was nominated for a Webby Award for the ESPN+ episode of 'Eli's Corner' in which Powers participates in a Penn State walk-on tryout / Courtesy Omaha Productions

Penn State ran with Chad Powers fever, selling T-shirts, hosting a 40-yard dash competition and inviting Powers/Manning to record a video greeting shown at Beaver Stadium.

RELATED: How Penn State capitalized on Chad Powers fever

At the time, Penn State coach James Franklin said he was "all about" hosting Manning for the tryout, which only a few staffers were in on. Manning visited walk-on tryouts in August, and Franklin lifted the gag's veil by telling participants that, sadly, Powers was ineligible to play college football.

ESPN released a clip of Manning's 'Eli's Places' episode on YouTube, where it has garnered more than 14 million views. Its competition for the Webby Awards include content featuring the NFL, Kevin Durant and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Fans were part of an online voting process for the Webby People's Choice Award through April 20. The Webby Awards can be viewed online (at YouTube, Twitter and Instagram) beginning at 5:30 p.m. ET.

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