JACKSON – Jerious Norwood’s grandmother, Jinnie, always told him to follow his heart in everything he did.

It helped him become a Parade All-American at Brandon High. It carried him to Mississippi State, where he set the career rushing record. And on Wednesday night, it carried him to the Cellular South Conerly Trophy at the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum.

An emotional Norwood, the second Mississippi State player to win the equivalent of the Heisman Trophy for Mississippi college players, accepted the trophy with his grandmother on his mind.

&#8220I always talked to my grandmother about football,” he said through teary pauses. &#8220She always told me to follow my heart. I wish she could be here tonight.”

Jinnie lives in Chicago and her age and the travel distance prevented her from attending the ceremony.

&#8220I try to do everything I can to make her happy,” Norwood said. &#8220It’s still kind of emotional now.”

Norwood beat out standout Ole Miss junior linebacker Patrick Willis and Delta State junior quarterback Scott Eyster. The Conerly Trophy is voted on by 60 media members in radio, television and print outlets.

It was the third time Eyster, Delta State’s all-time leading passer, earned a spot as an award finalist. In 2003, he lost out to Eli Manning and in 2004, Southern Miss linebacker Michael Boley beat out both Eyster and Norwood.

&#8220I thought we finished the season pretty strong, but I guess we have to put up some more wins,” said Eyster, a Hammond, La., native who is 39 yards shy of 10,000 in his stellar career in Cleveland. &#8220There’s always next season and I look forward to it. We have a great group of guys coming back.”

Eyster and Willis, a Bruceton, Tenn., native may well be finalists again next year, but for the senior Norwood, this was the culmination of an exciting week in Starkville.

Norwood rushed for 204 yards and three touchdowns and also caught a touchdown pass in the Bulldogs’ 35-14 win over Ole Miss in the Egg Bowl on Saturday.

&#8220As an individual, he has accomplished as much as one could possibly accomplish in a college career,” Mississippi State coach Sylvester Croom said. &#8220For a coach that has only had him for two years, it means a great deal to me because he has been the leader of our team for the past two years.”

Norwood ranked third in the Southeastern Conference in rushing with 103.3 yards per game and became the 23rd player in SEC history to rush for more than 3,000 yards in his career.

Following the Egg Bowl win, Norwood earned Southeastern Conference Player of the Week honors and is in the running for the Cingular Wireless/ABC Sports All-America Player of the Week Award.

Willis burst onto the scene in Ole Miss’ first game of the season, a 16 tackle performance against Memphis. He led the SEC with 12.8 tackles per game and is tops in America in solo tackles.

&#8220It’s not disappointing because any one of us could have gotten this award and a very deserving player got it,” Willis said. &#8220He’s a great player and he deserves the trophy.”

For the second straight year, the presentation was carried live on Mississippi Public Broadcasting. Mississippi is the only state that airs live its football player of the year award.