TCU’s Hodges-Tomlinson Announced As Jim Thorpe Award Finalist

The Paycom Jim Thorpe Award is given to the nation’s best defensive back each year.

TCU senior cornerback Tre’vius Hodges-Tomlinson was named a finalist for the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Tuesday morning. Hodges-Tomlinson was named alongside Utah’s Clark Phillips III and Illinois’ Devon Witherspoon. The winner will be announced on the College Football Award Show on Thursday, Dec. 8.

This award is presented annually to the nation’s best defensive back. It is based on performance on the field, plus athletic ability and character. It is one of the National College Football Awards’ most coveted honors. The award was established in 1986 and is named after Jim Thorpe, a native Oklahoman who excelled in several sports, including two gold medals in the 1912 Olympic Games. In football, he played running back, punter and placekicker but shined in his role as a defensive back.

TCU’s Tre’von Moehrig won the 2020 Jim Thorpe Award two years ago. Moehrig now plays for the Las Vegas Raiders in the NFL. Last year’s award went to Coby Bryant of Cincinnati.

Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson Named Jim Thorpe Award Finalist

Hodges-Tomlinson recently had a stretch of four consecutive games with a takeaway. He has 40 tackles on the season, including two for loss, with three interceptions, ten pass breakups, and a forced fumble.

In TCU's 17-10 win at Texas, in which it held the Longhorns without an offensive touchdown and just 199 yards of total offense, Hodges-Tomlinson had an interception and three pass breakups. His third career forced fumble came at West Virginia on a corner blitz and led to a TCU touchdown. Most recently, he had two pass breakups and a tackle for loss as part of three stops in this past Saturday's 62-14 win over Iowa State to cap a 12-0 regular season for TCU.

A senior from Waco, Texas, Hodges-Tomlinson is a two-time First-Team All-Big 12 selection and a 2020 All-American. His five career interceptions top all current Horned Frogs.

Phillips, Witherspoon Also Named Finalists

This season, Phillips has 23 tackles (2.0 TFL, 1.0 sack) and is tied for the national lead with six interceptions, with his two pick-sixes being the second-most in the country. His eleven passes defended (6 INT, 5 PBUs) all came in Pac-12 play, tying for first in the league. He earned national praise for his performance against Oregon State, notching three interceptions, including a 38-yard pick-six. His three picks against the Beavers are tied for the most in a game by a Power Five player this season, also leading the Pac-12 this season in single-game interceptions.

After his three-interception and three-tackle performance against Oregon State, he put up two stops and an 80-yard interception return for a touchdown at UCLA. His 142 interception return yards this season ranks fourth nationally. Phillips also recorded a season-high four tackles in Utah's win over USC, grabbing his first-career sack for a loss of eight yards while contributing two pass breakups.

Witherspoon has been a dominant shutdown cornerback this season, leading the country in reception percentage against (33.8) and forced incompletions (16), according to PFF. He is sixth in the nation in passes defended (17) and did not allow a touchdown all season.

While matching up against opponents' No. 1 wide receivers, Witherspoon has allowed 35 or fewer passing yards in 11 of 12 games. Witherspoon has the No. 2 corner grade in the country and No. 1 in Power-5 by PFF and ranks fourth in the nation in NFL passer rating against (24.3).

Watch the College Football Award Show on ESPN on Thursday, Dec. 8, to see if THT takes home the Jim Thorpe Award.

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