Elijah Owens

2025 (R-So.): Started the first two games of the season before suffering a season-ending injury on the field against Eastern Illinois … Went 28-of-37 for 317 yards over the two games … Recorded three touchdowns to one interception … Averaged 158.50 passing yards per game … Went 19-of-27 for 250 passing yards and two touchdowns, while adding 22 carries for 62 yards on Aug. 28 against McKendree … Went 9-of-10 for 67 yards and a touchdown, while adding nine carries for 50 yards on Sept. 6 against Eastern Illinois … 31 carries for 112 rushing yards … 3.6 yards per carry and 56.0 rushing yards per game. 2024: 2024 Team Captain … 2024 Jerry Rice Award Finalist … Ninth in the 2024 Jerry Rice Award Voting … 2024 FCS Football Central Freshman All-American selection … 2024 STATS Perform FCS Freshman All-American selection … 2024 Phil Steele Freshman All-American Second Team … 2024 MVFC All-Newcomer Team … Sept. 9 MVFC Newcomer of the Week … Oct. 14 MVFC Newcomer of the Week … Eighth in the NCAA FCS in completion percentage (68.8%) … 43rd in the NCAA FCS in completions per game (16.45) … 48th in the NCAA FCS in passing efficiency (134.9) … 43rd in the NCAA FCS in points responsible for per game (10.9) … 40th in the NCAA FCS in total offense per game (214.7) … Lined up and started in 11 games in the 2024 season … Went 181-263 through the air for 1,717 passing yards, 12 touchdowns, and five interceptions … Recorded a 68.8% completion percentage averaging 156.09 passing yards per game … Recorded a 134.92 passer rating … Season-high 30-of-37 for 260 yards, three touchdowns, and three interceptions on Sept. 7 at Eastern Illinois … 25-of-34 for 218 yards and a score on Oct. 12 against Murray State … 22-of-32 for 213 yards and two touchdowns against Illinois State … Led the team with 157 carries for 598 yards and eight rushing touchdowns … Averaged 3.8 yards per carry and 59.8 yards per game on the ground … Recorded three 100-yard rushing games … Season-high 25 carries for 127 yards and a touchdown on Oct. 5 at Youngstown State … 15 carries for 119 yards and a score on Oct. 26 against Southern Illinois … 20 carries for 107 yards and two touchdowns on Nov. 23 at Northern Iowa … Season-long 54-yard carry on Oct. 5 at Youngstown State 2023: Finished second on the team going 22-of-47 through the air for 310 passing yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions in his true freshman campaign … Averaged 77.5 passing yards over his four appearances … Finished with 18 carries for 67 rushing yards averaging 3.7 yards per carry and 16.8 yards per game on the ground … Finished second on the team averaging 94.3 yards of total offense per game … Earned his first collegiate start at Ball State (Sept. 16) … Also lined up and played against Illinois State, South Dakota, and North Dakota … Season debut against Ball State finishing 9-of-21 through the air for 157 yards with an interception and touchdown, while adding 10 carries for 17 yards on the ground … Posted his second 100-yard passing effort at North Dakota (Oct. 28) going 7-of-13 through the air for 113 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions … Added five carries for 22 yards, including a season-long 20-yard carry at UND. High School/Personal: Recorded 5,498 yards and 65 total touchdowns while at Jacksonville High School… Two-time First Team All-State selection in both 2021 and 2022 … Two-time Academic All-State selection … Received Team MVP honors … Lined up at Jacksonville High School under Coach Mark Grounds … Son of Jafre Owens and Bethany Allen … Plans on majoring in sport management.