2012 SEC Media Day Cliffs Notes

Quick recap of Mike Slive’s SEC Media Day press conference

2012 Rimington Trophy Watch List

Top centers in college football introduced

Alabama’s Barrett Jones is among the big names on the 2012 Rimington Trophy watch list. Photo: Getty Images

The watch list for the Rimington Trophy was released Monday. The award is presented annually to college football’s top center. The trophy is organized and managed by the Boomer Esiason Foundation and since the inception of the post-season award the foundation has credited $2 million in funds to fight cystic fibrosis.

2012 Rimington Trophy Watch List

• Eloy Atkinson, UTEP
• Mario Benavides, Louisville
• Nick Carlson, Wyoming
• Braxton Cave, Notre Dame
• Dillon Day, Mississippi State
• Reese Dismukes, Auburn
• Trent Dupy, Tulsa
• Dillon Farrell, New Mexico
• James Ferentz, Iowa
• Jay Finch, Georgia Tech
• B.J. Finney, Kansas State
• Travis Frederick, Wisconsin
• Dalton Freeman, Clemson
• James Fry, TCU
• Kevin Galeher, Western Michigan
• Hroniss Grasu, Oregon
• Ben Habern, Oklahoma
• Gus Handler, Colorado
• Jonotthan Harrison, Florida
• Khaled Holmes, USC
• Andre Huval, Louisiana-Lafayette
• Alec Johnson, San Diego State
• T.J. Johnson, South Carolina
• Barrett Jones, Alabama
• Zac Kerin, Toledo
• Tyler Larsen, Utah State
• Patrick Lewis, Texas A&M
• P.J. Lonergan, LSU
• Macky MacPherson, Syracuse
• Joe Madsen, West Virginia
• Mike Marboe, Idaho
• Will Matte, Indiana
• Blake McJunkin, SMU
• Andrew Miller, Virginia Tech
• Brian Moore, Duke
• Graham Pocic, Illinois
• Ryan Powis, Army
• Austin Quattrochi, Southern Mississippi
• Jordan Rae, Central Florida
• Weston Richburg, Colorado State
• Sam Schwartzstein, Stanford
• Matt Smith, Kentucky
• Matt Stankiewitch, Penn State
• Tevita Stevens, Utah
• Travis Swanson, Arkansas
• Evan Swindall, Ole Miss
• Ryan Turnley, Pittsburgh
• Brandon Vitabile, Northwestern
• Stephen Warner, Louisiana Tech
• Robert Waterman, UNLV
• Camden Wentz, NC State

… Continue Reading

2012 Mackey Award Watch List

Nation’s top tight ends unveiled on watch list

Arkansas tight end Chriss Gragg is one of the top tight ends in the country. Will he win the Mackey Award? Photo: Getty Images

The Nassau County Sports Commission released the pre-season watch list for the John Mackey Award, which is presented annually to college football’s bets tight end.

2012 John Mackey Award Preseason Watch List

• Alex Bayer,  Bowling Green
• Ted Bolser, Indiana *
• Chase Clement, LSU
• Jack Doyle, WKU *
• Tyler Eifert, Notre Dame *
• Gavin Escobar, San Diego State
• Joseph Fauria, UCLA
• C.J. Fiedorowicz, Iowa
• Brandon Ford, Clemson
• Matt Furstenburg, Maryland
• Crockett Gillmore, Colorado State
• Chris Gragg, Arkansas
• Hubie Graham, Pittsburgh
• Ryan Griffin, Connecticut *
• Chase Harper, Texas State
• Garrett Hoskins, Eastern Michigan
• Malcolm Johnson, Mississippi State *
• Phil Lutzenkirchen, Auburn
• Ryan Najvar, Baylor
• Ryan Otten, San Jose State
• Chris Pantale, Boston College *
• Jacob Pedersen, Wisconsin
• Mike Ragone, Kansas
• Kyler Reed, Nebraska *
• Lucus Reed, New Mexico *
• Jordan Reed, Florida
• Mychal Rivera, Tennessee
• Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Washington
• Dion Sims, Michigan State
• Jake Stoneburner, Ohio State *
• Levine Toilolo, Stanford
• Michael Williams, Alabama *
• Luke Willson, Rice *

… Continue Reading

2012 Maxwell Award Watch List

Will a quarterback once again win the Maxwell Award?

The Maxwell Football Club unveiled the official watch list for the Maxwell Award today. The Maxwell Award is presented to the top player in college football. Last year Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck was honored with the top honor from the Maxwell Football Club. Luck was the first Stanford player to win the award since Jim Plunkett won the award in the 1970 season. The award has been presented to Yale’s Clinton Frank in 1937 (he also won the Heisman Trophy that season).

No school has had more Maxwell Award winners than Penn State, with seven. Notre Dame is second on the all-time list with six winners, and Navy, Ohio State and Texas are tied for third with four winners each. The award has gone to a quarterback nine straight years, starting with Eli Manning (Ole Miss) in 2003), and has gone to a quarterback all but one year since 2000, when Drew Brees (Purdue) was awarded the honor. Only Penn State running back Larry Johnson has managed to break up the quarterback dominance.

A list of past winners after the jump… … Continue Reading

2012 Bednarik Award Watch List

LSU’s Tyran Mathieu looks to become first repeat winner

The Maxwell Football Club unveiled the official watch list for the Chuck Bednarik Award today. The Bednarik Award is presented to college football’s top defensive player. Last year LSU defensive back Tyrann Mathieu was awarded the top defensive honor from the Maxwell Football Club, and he looks to become the award’s third repeat winner, joining Penn State linebacker Paul Posluszny and Northwestern linebacker (now head coach) Pat Fitzgerald. Mathieu can also make it three straight years an LSU player has won the award, joining Patrick Peterson in 2010. Penn State is the only school to have a player win the award three consecutive seasons.

A full list of past winners after the jump… … Continue Reading