Two Tigers named as National Award Semi-finalists |
| - Tuesday, October 29, 2019, 2:04 PM |
PHILADELPHIA — Maxwell Football Club President, Mark Dianno, announced the 2019 semifinalists for the 83rd Maxwell Award for the Collegiate Player of the Year and the 25th Chuck Bednarik Award for the Outstanding Defensive Player of the Year. The respective lists include a field of 20 candidates for the Maxwell and Bednarik Awards as selected by the Maxwell Football Club National Selection Committee. The Maxwell Football Club has once again teamed with Pro Football Focus (PFF) and Phil Steele Publications as selection committee partners. PFF provides detailed statistical and performance based assessments to selection committee staff, and several senior PFF analysts have been added to the selection committee and have participated in the process. Phil Steele’s Football Guide is generally recognized as the most complete football reference in the country.
A strong field of Maxwell Award semifinalists includes a representative from every Power Five conference as well as one student-athlete from a Group of Five school. The 2018 Maxwell Award winner Tua Tagovailoa (Alabama) leads an impressive list of returnees which includes Justin Herbert (Oregon), Jonathan Taylor (Wisconsin), Zack Moss (Utah), AJ Dillon (Boston College) and Travis Etienne (Clemson). On the defensive side of the ball, the field of contenders is comprised of fresh faces, all of whom are making their debuts as Bednarik Award semifinalists. Six different conferences are represented, led by six student-athletes from the SEC and five from the Big Ten. Last season, the Maxwell Award was presented to Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and the Bednarik Award went to Kentucky defensive end Josh Allen. Tagovailoa has returned for his junior season at Alabama and has led the Crimson Tide to an 8-0 record this season. Allen was a first round draft pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars and has posted 7 sacks thus far during his rookie campaign. 2019 MAXWELL AWARD SEMIFINALISTS WR Jerry Jeudy, Alabama QB Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama DT Derrick Brown, Auburn QB Charlie Brewer, Baylor RB AJ Dillon, Boston College RB Travis Etienne, Clemson RB Cam Akers, Florida State RB D’Andre Swift, Georgia QB Joe Burrow, LSU QB Justin Fields, Ohio State DE Chase Young, Ohio State QB Jalen Hurts, Oklahoma WR CeeDee Lamb, Oklahoma RB Chuba Hubbard, Oklahoma State QB Justin Herbert, Oregon WR KJ Hamler, Penn State QB Shane Buechele, SMU QB Sam Ehlinger, Texas RB Zack Moss, Utah RB Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin 2019 CHUCK BEDNARIK AWARD SEMIFINALISTS S Xavier McKinney, Alabama DT Derrick Brown, Auburn DE Curtis Weaver , Boise State LB Evan Weaver, Cal LB Isaiah Simmons, Clemson NG Marvin Wilson, Florida State S J.R. Reed, Georgia CB Derek Stingley, LSU CB Jeffrey Okudah, Ohio State DE Chase Young, Ohio State DT Neville Gallimore, Oklahoma LB Kenneth Murray, Oklahoma DE Yetur Gross-Matos, Penn State LB Micah Parsons, Penn State DT Javon Kinlaw, South Carolina DL Justin Madubuike, Texas A&M LB Jordyn Brooks, Texas Tech DE Bradlee Anae, Utah LB David Woodward, Utah State DE Zack Baun, Wisconsin Semifinalist voting for both of the collegiate awards presented by the Maxwell Football Club will begin on Wednesday Oct. 30 and will close on Nov. 24. Three finalists for each award will be announced on Nov. 25 and a second round of voting will take place at that time. Eligible voters include Maxwell Football Club members, NCAA head football coaches, sports information directors and selected national media. All semifinalists are listed in alphabetical order by school with the player’s school, position and class designated. The winners of the 83rd Maxwell Award and the 25th Chuck Bednarik Award will be announced as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show presented by Gildanwhich will be broadcast live on ESPN on Dec. 12, 2019. The formal presentation of these awards will be made at the Maxwell Football Club’s Awards Dinner on Friday, March 6, 2020
