NFF Release

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. - Saint John's University junior quarterback Jackson Erdmann (Rosemount, Minn.) will receive the Bobby Bell Impact Player of the Year Award, presented by the Minnesota chapter of the National Football Foundation (NFF), at the 2019 Minnesota Football Awards on Saturday, April 27, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.

The doors open at 2 p.m., followed by the awards show at 4 p.m. The event is open to the public and seating is limited. Johnnies are encouraged to wear a red tie to the event. Tickets ($25-50) are available at www.nffmn.org.

Erdmann is the eighth recipient of the award, which is presented to the player in the state who has made the greatest impact in their respective division, and the third from NCAA Division III.

The award is in honor of former University of Minnesota football student-athlete Bobby Bell, who was an All-American at Minnesota and a member of the Gophers' 1960 national championship team. He went on to star for the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs and is a member of both the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame. 

Erdmann won the 2018 Gagliardi Trophy as the most outstanding football player in NCAA Division III and was named the D3football.com Offensive Player of the Year.

A consensus first-team All-American (AFCA, AP, D3football.com) and the 2018 D3football.com West Region Offensive Player of the Year, Erdmann played only five of the 13 games to completion and led NCAA Division III in three statistical categories: passing efficiency (189.8), passing touchdowns (47) and points responsible for (290). He also finished third in yards per pass attempt (10.03), fourth in passing yardage (3,450) and ninth in yards per completion (15.40). 

The 2018 MIAC Most Valuable Player, Erdmann set single-game program records this fall for passing yards (470 on Oct. 13 vs. St. Thomas) and passing touchdowns (7 on Nov. 10 vs. Thomas More). Erdmann also set a single-season school record for passing touchdowns and fell 39 passing yards short of Tom Linnemann's '00 school record of 3,489 set in 2000 (15 games).
 
SJU (12-1, 8-0 MIAC) won its MIAC-record 33rd conference title in 2018 and made its fifth consecutive appearance in the NCAA Division III playoffs, ending the season ranked No. 3 nationally. 

Bobby Bell Impact Player of the Year Award Recipients
2012: Wide receiver Fritz Waldvogel, St. Thomas
2013: Running back Rayon Simmons Jr., Winona State
2014: Defensive lineman Ra'Shede Hageman, Minnesota
2015: Running back David Cobb, Minnesota
2016: Defensive end Josh Gordon, MSU-Mankato
2017: Offensive tackle Peter Bateman, Minnesota-Duluth
2018: Running back Chad Johnson, Concordia-Moorhead
2019: Quarterback Jackson Erdmann, Saint John's