LAKE CHARLES – McNeese true freshman running back Ryan Ross is one of 30 Football Championship Subdivision players to be named to the College Football Performance Awards (CFPA) FCS National Freshman Performer of the Year Watch List, the CFPA announced on Thursday.
 
Ross, a native of Richwood, Texas, has put up some eye-opening numbers as a true freshman since his redshirt was pulled in the third game of the season due to unexpected injuries in the backfield.
 
He's currently ranked second on the team and seventh in the Southland Conference in rushing with 478 yards and a 68.3 per game average. He's also second on the squad with seven rushing touchdowns.
 
A starter in the last two games, Ross has led the Cowboys in rushing in three straight contests and has two 90-plus yard games on the season (94 vs. Nicholls; 93 at Northwestern State). He set a McNeese freshman record against Arkansas Tech when he scored three touchdowns to become the first true freshman in school history to score three tds in a collegiate debut.
 
He is joined by Sam Houston State wide receiver Yedidiah Louis as the only representatives from the Southland Conference on the list, and in one of 16 running backs.
 
The list also includes 10 wide receivers and four quarterbacks.
 
CFPA is now in its seventh season of player and team performance recognition. Twenty-eight CFPA winners have been first-round NFL Draft selections.
 
2014 CFPA FCS National Freshman Performer of the Year Watch List:
Octayvius Miles (WR), Alabama A&M 
Josh Gontarek (WR), Albany 
Otis Gerron (RB), Austin Peay 
Larry Brihm (QB), Bethune-Cookman 
Sam Schrader (RB), Butler 
Cam Jackson (RB), The Citadel 
Osharmar Abercrombie (RB), Coastal Carolina 
Jeffrey Keil (RB), Davidson 
Nic Sblendorio (WR), Eastern Washington 
Brandon Norwood (WR), Florida A&M 
Chase Edmonds (RB), Fordham 
Semar Smith (RB), Harvard 
Troy Pelletier (WR), Lehigh 
Ryan Ross (RB), McNeese State 
Chandler Curtis (WR), Mercer 
Alex Lakes (RB), Mercer 
Calan Crowder (RB), Missouri State 
Donald Goodrich (RB), New Hampshire 
Marquell Cartwright (RB), North Carolina A&T 
RJ Urzendowski (WR), North Dakota State 
Rameses Owens (RB), Robert Morris 
Marcus Bagley (RB), Saint Francis U 
Yedidiah Louis (WR), Sam Houston State 
Jake Wieneke (WR), South Dakota State 
Cameron Walter (RB), Southern Illinois 
Austin Howard (QB), Southern University 
Brock McCoin (WR), Tennessee Tech 
Al Cobb (QB), VMI 
Detrez Newsome (RB), Western Carolina 
Hunter Wells (QB), Youngstown State