Mr. Pennsylvania Football also referred to as Mr. PA Football is an American athletic award given to the most skilled high school football players in Pennsylvania. The award has been given out since 2010 with a two tier format, two players are awarded the award from schools competing in 1A to 3A and another from 4A to 6A.
Voting process All current high school football players in Pennsylvania are eligible. Nominations are made by the general public, with Nominees progressing through four rounds of online voting. At each stage, fans, the media, and the coaches each represent 1/3 of the vote.
Mr. PA Football Annual Awards Banquet Held in February or March, the five finalists from each category are invited to attend the annual Awards Banquet in Harrisburg, PA, where the winner is announced for the Mr. PA Football Award, the Lineman's Award, The Michael Payton Quarterback Award, and the Mickey Minnich Legendary Coach Award.
A Division 1 Football Head Coach typically serves as the Keynote Speaker.
2020 and 2021 awards program Because of the ongoing Covid-19 restrictions in Pennsylvania, the 2020 and 2021 awards programs were held online. With segments recorded over several days, the winners were announced in a Live broadcast, and the entire program was posted online. It was also shown several times on Pennsylvania Cable Network.
In 2023, the program returned to its in person format.
Mr. PA Football Award winners Year Level Player Position High School College 2010 A/AA Desimon Green DE Clairton High School Texas Tech 2010 AAA/AAAA Rushel Shell RB Hopewell High School West Virginia 2011 A/AA Tyler Boyd WR Clairton High School Pittsburgh 2011 AAA/AAAA Rushel Shell (2) RB Hopewell High School West Virginia 2012 A/AA Tyler Boyd (2) WR Clairton High School Pittsburgh 2012 AAA/AAAA Robert Foster WR Central Valley High School Alabama 2013 A/AA DeAndre Scott RB Imhotep Institute Charter High School Arizona State 2013 AAA/AAAA Andrew Ford QB Cedar Cliff High School Virginia Tech 2014 A/AA Dominick Bragalone RB South Williamsport Area High School Lehigh 2014 AAA/AAAA Saquon Barkley RB Whitehall High School Penn State 2015 A/AA Michael Shuster QB Camp Hill High School Penn State 2015 AAA/AAAA Miles Sanders RB Woodland Hills High School Penn State 2016 1A-3A Lamont Wade DB Clairton High School Penn State2016 4A-6A D'Andre Swift RB St. Joseph's Preparatory School Georgia20174A-6APhilip JurkovecQBPine-Richland High SchoolNotre Dame20171A-3ARobert KennedyDBJeannette City School DistrictEast_Carolina_University 20184A-6ADaequan HardyDBPenn Hills High SchoolPenn State20181A-3AJulian FlemingWRSouthern Columbia Area High SchoolOhio State University20194A-6AEvan SimonQBManheim Central High SchoolRutgers University20191A-3AJulian Fleming (2)WRSouthern Columbia Area High SchoolOhio State20201A-3AJosh HoughRB / OLBBeaver Falls High SchoolSyracuse University20204A-6AKyle McCordQBSt. Joseph's Preparatory SchoolOhio State20214A-6ANicholas SingletonRBGovernor Mifflin Senior High SchoolPenn State 20211A-3AGavin GarciaRBSouthern Columbia Area High SchoolKent State University20224A-6AStone SaundersQBBishop McDevitt High School (Harrisburg, Pennsylvania)Kentucky20221A-3AJeff HoenstineQBCentral High School (Martinsburg, Pennsylvania)St. Francis University20234A-6ARico ScottWR / SBishop McDevitt High SchoolUniversity of Alabama2023Tiqwai HayesRBAliquippa Junior/Senior High SchoolPenn State20231A-3AAlex ErbyQBSteelton-Highspire School DistrictUnited States Naval Academy20244A-6ATy SalazerWR/CBState College Area High SchoolDelaware20241A-3AEli ZimmermanRB/WRNorthwestern Lehigh School DistrictBloomsburg20254A-6AKemon SpellRB / DBMcKeesport Area High SchoolGeorgia20251A-3ALuca NealATH / SAvonworth High SchoolWest Liberty
Mr. PA Football Lineman Award winners +YearLevelPlayerHigh SchoolCollege20164A-6AJoshua LuggNorth AlleghenyNotre Dame20161A-3ADonovan JeterBeaver Falls High SchoolMichigan20174A-6AMicah ParsonsHarrisburg High SchoolPenn State20171A-3AJustin JohnsonNeumann-Goretti High SchoolOregon20184A-6AAndrew KristoficPine-Richland High SchoolNotre Dame20181A-3AJa Quay HubbardSharpsville High SchoolWest Virginia 20194A-6ANicholas DawkinsParkland High SchoolPenn State20191A-3ADayon HayesWestinghouse High SchoolNotre Dame20204A-6ANolan RucciWarwick High SchoolUniversity of Wisconsin20201A-3ACJ DippreLakeland High SchoolUniversity of Maryland20214A-6AEnai WhiteImhotep High SchoolTexas A&M University20221A-3AJ'Ven WilliamsWyomissing Area High SchoolPenn State University20224A-6ARiley RobellBishop McDevitt High SchoolJames Madison University20231A-3ACaleb BrewerWyomissing Area High SchoolPenn State University20234A-6AJah'Sear WhittingtonImhotep Charter High SchoolUniversity of Pittsburgh20241A-3ANoah ShimkoMount Carmel Area High SchoolMaine20244A-6AKahlil StewartSt. Joseph's Preparatory SchoolSyracuse20251A-3ALogan AnthonyPalmerton High SchoolRutgersTavian BranchRiverside High SchoolAuburn20254A-6AKevin BrownHarrisburg High SchoolWest Virginia
Michael Payton Memorial Quarterback Award winners This award, given to a Quarterback, is named in honor of College Football Hall of Fame member Michael Payton, a member of the Board of Advisors, who died in 2018. Recipients have displayed academic, athletic, and moral leadership. +YearPlayerHigh SchoolCollege2018Kane EversonHarrisburg High SchoolWilliam & Mary2019Ricky OrtegaCoatesville High SchoolVillanova University2020Ameer Dudley Central Valley High SchoolHarvard University 2021Beau PribulaCentral York High SchoolPenn State 2022Samaj JonesSt. Joseph's Prep High SchoolCincinnati2023Hayden JohnsonManheim Township High SchoolLehigh University2024Stone SaundersBishop McDevitt High SchoolKentucky2025Matt SiegFort Cherry High SchoolWest Virginia
Mickey Minnich Legendary Coach award winners This award recognizes PA high school football head coaches that have outstanding records and achievements on and off the field. It is named in honor of Coach Mickey Minnich, a long time coach, executive director of the Big 33 Football Game, and founder of Vickie's Angels Foundation. +YearLegendary CoachHigh school(s)Career win–loss–tie2011George ChaumpCentral Dauphin, CD East, Harrisburg HS190–66*2012Tim RimpfelCumberland Valley, Bishop McDevitt, Trinity HS307-100-32013George CurryBerwick, Wyoming Valley West HS455-102-52014Mike WilliamsManheim Central High School348-75-32015Jim RenderUpper St. Clair High School406-142-62016Mike PettineCentral Bucks West High School326-42-42017Joe HamiltonBlackhawk High School342-170-112018Jim RothSouthern Columbia High School456-63-22019George NovakWoodlands Hills High School306-139-32020Jack HenzesDunmore & Wyoming Area High School444-168-82021Terry VerrelliWilmington High School314-129-32022Bob WolfrumWyomissing Area High School350-87-12023Bob PalkoWest Allegheny & Mt. Lebanon High School248–872024Jim MorgansAllentown Central, Salisbury, Bethlehem Freedom and Parkland283-137-1 *Coach Chaump had an additional collegiate coaching record of 71–73–2
Keynote Speakers and Master of Ceremonies for the Awards Banquet +YearKeynote SpeakerCollege (at time of speech)Master of Ceremonies Organization2013Coach Bill O'Brien Penn StateJosh WilsonCommonwealth of PA2014Coach Randy EdsallMarylandJosh WilsonCommonwealth of PA2015Coach James FranklinPenn StateJason BristolCBS212016Coach Pat NarduzziPittsburghJason BristolCBS212017Coach Geoff CollinsTempleRoss LippmanABC272018Coach Chris AshRutgersRoss LippmanABC272019Coach James FranklinPenn StateTom RussellCBS212020Coach Pat NarduzziPittsburghTom RussellCBS212021 OnlineCoach Jordan HillTrinity High SchoolTom RussellCBS212022 OnlineEvan Simon (2019), Julian Fleming (2018 & 2019, Michael Shuster (2015), Kyle McCord (2020), Miles Sanders (2015)Replacing a keynote address, five of the prior winners gave remarks to the finalists.Tom RussellCBS212023Coach Pat FlahertyRutgersTom RussellCBS212024Coach Mark FerranteVillanovaTom RussellCBS212025Coach Terry SmithPenn StateDennis Owens ABC27
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