TITLE: The official title is the Cellular South Conerly Trophy.

PURPOSE: To impartially select Mississippi's top college football player for the regular season.

ELIGIBILITY: All players at all of Mississippi's four-year college football programs are eligible regardless of school size, team record, position played or class standing.

VOTERS:  Media representatives from across Mississippi affiliated with radio, television and print outlets in small, medium and large markets determine the Cellular South Conerly Trophy recipient; all players are eligible on the first ballot with only the top vote-getters from each school listed in a second and final ballot. PLEASE NOTE: Voters will rank the three players on their second round ballots in order of preference: the top player listed on your ballot will receive 3 points, #2 will receive two points and #3 1 point.

VOTING CRITERIA:  Voters should evaluate a players’ entire regular season performance and should not consider post-season honors or professional potential.

NAME:  The Cellular South Conerly Trophy is named after the late Charlie Conerly who is the only football inductee in the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame who combines all of the following accomplishments: native Mississippian who was an All-American at a Mississippi university; NFL rookie of the year; NFL All-Pro who quarterbacked a team to a world championship.

THE TROPHY: Sculpted by the late Bruce Braddy, a nationally-acclaimed sculptor from Brookhaven, MS; the Cellular South Conerly Trophy is a lost-wax bronze casting of an original clay sculpture by Mr. Braddy; 19" high x 11" long x 7.5" wide; weighs 18.5 lbs.; the original trophy is on permanent display at the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum; an exact replica of the trophy is presented to the winner each year at the announcement dinner.

HISTORY: The award was begun in 1996. Cellular South has served as title sponsor since 1998. There was no title sponsor in 1996 and 1997. The current sponsorship agreement between the Museum and Cellular South for the Cellular South Outstanding Player Awards Series extends into June 2010.

Prior Cellular South Conerly Trophy presentations have been held in four cities: Jackson, Clarksdale, Tunica and Biloxi.

The Cellular South Conerly Trophy in college football, the Cellular South Howell Trophy in men’s college basketball; the Cellular South Gillom Trophy in women's college basketball; and the Cellular South Ferriss Trophy in college baseball constitute the four elements of the Cellular South Outstanding Player Awards series.

CELLULAR SOUTH CONERLY TROPHY PAST WINNERS & PRESENTERS:
1996 Tregnel Thomas RB/DSU
Jack Kemp
1997 Stewart Patridge QB/Ole Miss Frank Gifford
1998 James Johnson RB/MSU
Tom Landry
1999 Deuce McAllister RB/Ole Miss
Pat Summerall
2000 Josh Bright QB/Delta State University-Frank Gifford
2001 Eli Manning QB/Ole Miss
Bart Starr
2002 Rod Davis LB/USM
Danny White
2003 Eli Manning QB/Ole Miss
Spencer Tillman
2004 Michael Boley LB/USM-No Presenter: Live TV
2005 Jerious Norwood RB/MSU-No Presenter: Live TV
2006  Patrick Willis LB/OM-No Presenter: Live TV
2007 Damion Fletcher RB/USM
Presenter: Hugh Green
2008 Juan Joseph QB/Millsaps
2009 Anthony Dixon RB/MSU

CELLULAR SOUTH CONERLY TROPHY FINALISTS (1996-Present)
1996: *Tregnel Thomas (DSU RB) Marchant Kenney (USM LB)
Kris Mangum (OM TE)
1997: *Stewart Patridge (OM QB)
John Avery (OM RB)
Patrick Surtain (USM DB)
1998: *James Johnson (MSU RB)
Rufus French (OM TE)
Sherrod Gideon (USM WR)
1999: * Deuce McAllister (OM RB) Ashley Cooper (MSU DB)
Adalius Thomas (USM LB)
2000: *Josh Bright (DSU QB)
Dicenzo Miller (MSU RB)
Fred Smoot (MSU DB)
2001: *Eli Manning (OM QB)
Robert Kent (JSU QB)
T.C. Taylor (JSU WR)
2002: *Rod Davis (USM LB)
Robert Kent (JSU QB)
Eli Manning (OM QB)
2003: *Eli Manning (OM QB)
Rod Davis (USM LB)
Scott Eyster (DSU QB)
2004: * Michael Boley (USM LB)
Scott Eyster (DSU QB)
Jerious Norwood (MSU RB)
2005: *Jerious Norwood (MSU RB)
Scott Eyster (DSU QB)
Patrick Willis (OM LB)
2006: * Patrick Willis (OM LB)
Scott Eyster (DSU QB)
Damion Fletcher (USM RB)
2007: *Damion Fletcher (RB/USM)
Titus Brown (MSU  DE)
Anthony Dixon (MSU RB)
2008:*Juan Joseph(Millsaps QB)
Peria Jerry (OM DL)
Michael Oher(OM OL)
2009:*Anthony Dixon (MSU RB)
Dexter McCluster(OM RB)
Adam Shaffer (MC QB)

* Trophy Recipient

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Mississippi State running
back Anthony Dixon
(left with head coach Dan Mullen) won the Cellular South Conerly Trophy after becoming the school's all-time rushing leader.

2009 Sponsors :

Platinum
Mississippi State University
UMAA Foundation

Benefactors
AT&T
Bank Plus
Jackson State University
Meyer and Rosenbaum Insurance, Inc.
Mississippi College
USM Athletics