SAINT LOUIS – Butler running back Jyran Mitchell is the Pioneer Football League Offensive Player of the Year, becoming the second consecutive Bulldog student-athlete to earn the league's top offensive honor! PFL major award winners are selected by head coaches and were announced by the league office on Monday afternoon.
 
Mitchell followed 2022 honoree Bret Bushka as Butler products to win the league's top offensive player. Mitchell won the league's rushing title with 1,268 net rushing yards – fifth-most among all FCS backs during the regular season. He also was third in the league with 12 rushing touchdowns, and his 15 total touchdowns were tied for the league lead.
 
In league action, Mitchell amassed 985 rushing yards and 1,147 all-purpose yards – both tops among league runners. Nationally, he finished 10th among FCS runners with 133.64 all-purpose yards per game, fourth in total touchdowns, and eighth in scoring.
 
Mitchell topped 100 rushing yards in seven games this season. His career-high came in the PFL opener at Stetson with Mitchell running for 209 yards and two scores. He had a three-touchdown game in the Bulldog home opener vs. Taylor and would rush for a TD in every game after that until November.
 
Mitchell averaged 115.3 rushing yards per game and ranked second in the PFL in yards per carry (6.3). His longest rush was a 67-yard TD run vs. Valpo that helped the 'Dawgs keep the Hoosier Helmet. A homerun threat, Mitchell had a run of 30+ yards in six games in 2023.
 
Mitchell caught touchdown passes at Montana, at Dayton, and at Morehead State. He ended the year with 23 receptions and 202 yards, averaging 8.8 yards per catch.
 
Drake's Todd Stepsis was tabbed Coach of the Year, Finn Claypool earned Defensive Player of the Year honors, and Shane Dunning rounded out the trio as the league's Special Teams Player of the Year.
 
Stetson's Ronnell Johnson was selected as the Freshman Offensive Player of the Year and teammate Andrew Martin was the Freshman Defensive Player of the Year.
 
The annual PFL major awards announcement launches the league's annual awards week. The PFL will announce its 31st All-PFL Teams on Tuesday. The league will also announce its Scholar-Athlete of the Year Wednesday, coinciding with the announcement of the 31st Academic All-PFL teams.
 
2023 Pioneer Football League Major Award Winners
Offensive Player of the Year: Jyran Mitchell, Butler
Defensive Player of the Year: Finn Claypool, Drake
Special Teams Player of the Year: Shane Dunning, Drake
Freshman Offensive Player of the Year: Ronnell Johnson, Stetson
Freshman Defensive Player of the Year: Andrew Martin, Stetson
Coach of the Year: Todd Stepsis, Drake (unanimously)
Scholar-Athlete of the Year: To be announced Wednesday