PHILADELPHIA– Maxwell Football Club President, Ron Jaworski, announced the 2013 Semifinalists for the 77th Maxwell Award for the Collegiate Player of the Year and the 19th Chuck Bednarik Award for the Outstanding Defensive Player of the Year. The respective lists include a field of 16 candidates for the Maxwell and Bednarik Awards as selected by the Maxwell Football Club National Selection Committee.
Texas A&M is one of three schools to have two players—sophomore quarterback Johnny Manziel and sophomore wide receiver Mike Evans, included among the semifinalists.
The Aggie dynamic duo is a big reason the Texas A&M offense has scored 40 points or more in 11 straight games dating back to 2012 and is currently the longest streak in FBS. The Aggie offense led by quarterback and returning Heisman Trophy winner Manziel and Evans has gained at least 500 yards or more in seven straight games, the longest streak in the FBS with Oregon second with four straight games.
Evans, a strong contender for the Biletnikoff Award, is within reach of breaking Texas A&M season school records for catches, receiving yards and touchdown receptions despite playing only eight games thus far. Evans has 82 receptions (record Ryan Swope with 89 in 2012), 1,101 yards (record Ryan Swope with 1,207 yards in 2012) and 11 touchdown receptions (record Jeff Fuller with 12 in 2010).
A very strong field of Maxwell Award semifinalists includes a representative from every major FBS conference as well two student-athletes each from Baylor, Oregon State and Texas A&M. Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron and Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel are repeat semifinalists from a season ago. 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 five student-athletes from the ACC. Sophomore defensive end Leonard Williams of USC is the lone underclassman on the 2013 list.
Last season, the Maxwell and Bednarik Awards went to linebacker Manti Te’o of Notre Dame. This was the first time a player was a dual winner of the awards in the Maxwell Football Club’s history. Te’o is currently a member of the San Diego Chargers.
The winners of the 77th Maxwell Award and the 19th Chuck Bednarik Award will be announced as part of the Home Depot College Football Awards Show which will be broadcast on ESPN on December 12, 2013. Three finalists for each award will be announced on November 25, 2013 and a second round of voting will take place at that time. The formal presentation of these awards will be made at the Maxwell Football Club’s Awards Dinner on Friday, February 28, 2014 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Semifinalist voting for both of the collegiate awards presented by the Maxwell Football Club will begin on Wednesday, October 30th and close on Sunday November 24th. 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 with the player’s school, position and class designated.
The Maxwell and Chuck Bednarik Awards are members of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA) which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. The 21 awards boast 678 years of tradition-selection excellence. Visit www.NCFAA.org to learn more about our story.
2013 MAXWELL AWARD SEMIFINALISTS:
Tajh Boyd Sr. QB Clemson
Teddy Bridgewater Jr. QB Louisville
Ka’Deem Carey Jr. RB Arizona
Derek Carr Sr. QB Fresno St.
Brandin Cooks Jr. WR Oregon St.
Mike Evans So. WR Texas A&M
Melvin Gordon So. RB Wisconsin
Sean Mannion Jr. QB Oregon St.
Johnny Manziel So. QB Texas A&M
Marcus Mariota So. QB Oregon
AJ McCarron Sr. QB Alabama
Aaron Murray Sr. QB Georgia
Bryce Petty Jr. QB Baylor
Bishop Sankey Jr. RB Washington
Lache Seastrunk Jr. RB Baylor
Jameis Winston Fr. QB Florida St.
2013 CHUCK BEDNARIK AWARD SEMIFINALISTS:
Anthony Barr Sr. LB UCLA
Vic Beasley Jr. DE Clemson
Chris Borland Sr. LB Wisconsin
Aaron Donald Sr. DT Pittsburgh
Ifo Ekpre-Olomu Jr. CB Oregon
Kyle Fuller Sr. CB Virginia Tech
Jackson Jeffcoat Sr. DE Texas
Lamarcus Joyner Sr. CB Florida St.
Khalil Mack Sr. LB Buffalo
C.J. Mosley Sr. LB Alabama
Trent Murphy Sr. LB Stanford
Michael Sam Sr. DE Missouri
Ryan Shazier Jr. LB Ohio St.
Kyle Van Noy Sr. LB BYU
Nikita Whitlock Sr. DT Wake Forest
Leonard Williams So. DE USC
Story courtesy of Texas A&M Athletics