Walter Payton FCS Award Finalists

The list of finalists for the 2018 STATS FCS Walter Payton Award was released recently. STATS named 25 finalists for this prestigious award. The annual Walter Payton Award is given to the Offensive Player of the Year in the FCS. A national panel of over 150 sports information and media relations directors, broadcasters, writers and other dignitaries will select the winner following the regular season.

The Payton Award, first presented in 1987, has watched past winners such as Steve McNair, Tony Romo, Brian Westbrook, John Friesz, Brian Finneran, Jimmy Garoppolo and Cooper Kupp move on to the NFL.

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The bust was named in honor of the late National Football League (NFL) legend Walter Payton, who starred at Jackson State University in the early 1970s.

Among the many schools in the division, only nine have claimed more than one award, and only seven have had more than one player win the award. Eastern Washington and Villanova had three players win the award, and five have had two players win: Colgate, Georgia Southern, Idaho, New Hampshire, and Eastern Illinois. Two players have won the award twice, with both being the only players from their institutions to win. In 2009, Armanti Edwards from Appalachian St became the first to receive the award twice, followed in 2017 by Jeremiah Briscoe from Sam Houston St.

Both the Walter Payton award and the FCS’ top defensive player, the Buck Buchanan Award will be honored at the STATS FCS Awards Banquet, which is held in Frisco, Texas, on the night before the FCS National Championship Game.

Walter Payton Award Finalists
FCS Offensive Player of the Year

Tyrie Adams, QB, Jr. – Western Carolina
Michael Bandy, WR, Jr. – San Diego
Chandler Burks, QB, Sr. – Kennesaw State
Taryn Christion, QB, Sr. – South Dakota State
Ra’Quanne Dickens, RB, Sr. – Incarnate Word
Keelan Doss, WR, Sr. – UC Davis
Tom Flacco, QB, Jr. – Towson
Ryan Fulse, RB, Sr. – Wagner
A.J. Hines, RB, Jr. – Duquesne
Devlin Hodges, QB, Sr. – Samford
James Holland Jr., RB, Sr. – Colgate
Alexander Hollins, WR, Sr. – Eastern Illinois
Noah Johnson, QB, Jr. – Alcorn State
Anthony Lawrence, QB, Sr. – San Diego
John Lovett, QB, Sr. – Princeton
Jake Maier, QB, Jr. – UC Davis
Kelvin McKnight, WR, Sr. – Samford
Caylin Newton, QB, So. – Howard
Donald Parham, TE, Sr. – Stetson
Joh Pearson, WR, Jr. – Jacksonville State
Joe Protheroe, FB, Sr. – Cal Poly
James Robinson, RB, Jr. – Illinois State
Easton Stick, QB, Sr. – North Dakota State
Marquis Terry, RB, Sr. – Southeast Missouri
Reggie White Jr., WR, Sr. – Monmouth

Frank Coyle is a longtime member of the FWAA and a voter for the Heisman Trophy, Outland Trophy, Maxwell Award, Chuck Bednarik, Bronko Nagurski, Jim Thorpe, Fred Biletnikoff and Eddie Robinson awards annually for over 25 years.

Draft Insiders’ and Coaches Top 25 Teams – Week Thirteen

Top Three – Bama, Clemson & Notre Dame Remain Unbeaten
Georgia Joins Top Four Entering SEC Title Game

Players of Week
Offense – QB Dwayne Haskins – Ohio St
Defense – DT Jerry Tillery – Notre Dame

Team of the Week – Ohio St. beats Michigan, 62-39
Upset of the Week – Texas A&M beats LSU – 74-72 in a college record 7 Overtimes
         Highest scoring game in College history

Games of  Week Thirteen – Dec. 1st
Alabama (12-0) vs Georgia (11-1) – SEC Championship
Oklahoma (11-1) vs Texas (9-3) – Big 12 Championship

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Top 25 Teams – Week Thirteen
Draft Insiders’

Rank/ Team/ Record
1 Alabama – 12-0
2 Clemson – 12-0
3 Notre Dame – 12-0
4 Georgia – 11-1
5 Oklahoma – 11-1
6 Ohio St – 11-1
7 UCF – 11-0
8 Michigan – 10-2
9 Washington St – 10-2
10 LSU – 9-3
11 Kentucky – 9-3
12 Texas – 9-3
13 Washington – 9-3
14 Florida – 9-3
15 Syracuse – 9-3
16 Penn State – 9-3
17 West Virginia – 8-3
18 Utah – 9-3
19 Boise St – 10-2
20 Fresno St – 10-2
21 Northwestern – 8-4
22 Mississippi St – 8-4
23 Texas A&M – 8-4
24 Utah St – 10-2
25 Army – 9-2

Coaches Top 25 Poll

Rank/ Team / Record / Points
1 Alabama (63)  12-0      1599
2 Clemson (1)    12-0      1536
3 Notre Dame    12-0      1469
4 Georgia          11-1      1398
5 Oklahoma      11-1      1324
6 Ohio State      11-1      1292
7 UCF   11-0      1200
8 Michigan        10-2      1041
9 Texas            9-3        939
10 Florida         9-3        937
11 Washington  9-3        921
12 Penn State   9-3        889
13 Washington State     10-2      829
14 LSU 9-3        821
15 Kentucky      9-3        634
16 West Virginia            8-3        621
17 Utah 9-3       610
18 Syracuse      9-3        499
19 Mississippi State      8-4        460
20 Boise State  10-2      375
21 Northwestern            8-4        363
22 Texas A&M  8-4        295
23 Fresno State 10-2      157
24 Utah State    10-2      130
25 Army            9-2        119

Dropped from rankings: Pittsburgh 25

Others receiving votes: Iowa State 103, Cincinnati 82, NC State 55, Missouri 33, Iowa 20, Appalachian State 14, Pittsburgh 13, Memphis 6, UAB 4, Stanford 3, Buffalo 3, Oregon 3, California 1, Wisconsin 1, Georgia Southern 1

Frank Coyle is a longtime member of the FWAA and a voter for the Heisman Trophy, Outland Trophy,  Bronko Nagurski, Jim Thorpe, Fred Biletnikoff  and Eddie Robinson awards annually for 25 years.

NFL Power Poll – Week 12

Frank Coyle/ Head Scout

NFL Power Poll – Rams Beat Chiefs In Wild Monday Night Shootout
Goff and Mahomes Excel in Classic Matchup

Team of the Week –
    Rams edge Chiefs, 54-51

Upset of the Week
Detroit beats Carolina, 20-19
 
Players of the Week
  Offense – QB Patrick Mahomes – Chiefs     
  Defense – LB Kahlil Mack – Bears

 Rookies of Week
    Offense – RB Saquon Barkley – Giants
    Defense – Safety Justin Reid – Texans

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Game of Week #12 – Washington Redskins (6-4) at Dallas Cowboys (5-5)  
Cowboys Hope to turn Redskins in Turkey Club

Draft Insiders’ – NFL Power Poll – Week 12

NFL Ranking /Record /Team
#1 -10-1 Rams
Rams’ beat the Chiefs to claim #1 ranking.

#2 – 9-2 Chiefs
Chiefs’ riding hot arm of young Patrick Mahomes.

#3 – 9-1 Saints
Saints’ host the Falcons in key South matchup. Veteran QB Drew Brees continues his MVP season.

#4 – 7-3 Patriots
Pats are rested for their stretch run.

#5 – 7-2-1 Steelers
Steelers’ edged the Jaguars to maintain North leadership.

#6 – 7-3 Texans
Texans’ win their 7^th straight vs the Skins. Host the Titans in key divisional matchup.

#7 – 7-3 Bears
The Bears are coming off big win over the Vikings. Better not sleep on the Lions on Thanksgiving day.

#8 – 7-3 Chargers
Chargers lost tough one to the Broncos. Get the Cardinals at home in vital game.

#9 – 6-4 Panthers
Panthers lost to the Lions. Get Seahawks at home in key NFC matchup with playoff ramifications.

#10 – 5-4-1 Vikings
Vikings sliding with loss to the Bears. Host Packers Sunday night in telltale North contest.

#11 – 5-5 Seahawks
Seahawks edged the Packers. Go to Carolina in effort to get over .500.

#12 – 6-4 Redskins
The Redskins lose QB Alex Smith in defeat to the Texans. Turkey day in Dallas is a major challenge.

#13 – 5-5 Cowboys
The Cowboys are alive again and hope to take the next step with Thanksgiving matchup with Skins.

#14 – 5-5 Titans
The Titans face their most important South matchup with trip to Houston Monday night.

#15 – 4-5-1 Packers
The Packers find ways to lose close games. Trip to Minnesota is a must win situation.

#16 – 5-5 Colts
Colts trashed Titans behind MVP candidate Andrew Luck.

#17 – 5-5 Ravens
Ravens beat Bengals in key situation. Host Da Raiders this week.

#18 – 4-6 Eagles
Eagles were bombed in New Orleans. Host the GMen in a must win situation.

#19 – 4-6 Falcons
Falcons lost a heartbreaker to the Boys. Need a W in New Orleans.

#20 – 5-5 Dolphins
Dolphins face key matchup in Indy for any playoff hopes.

#21 – 5-5 Bengals
Bengals’ host the Browns in must win situation for postseason play.

#22- 4-6 Broncos
Broncos won a tough battle with the Chargers. Host the Steelers in a must win situation Sunday.

#23 – 3-6-1 Browns
Browns rested for tough finish with a few difficult road games on the schedule.

#24 – 4-6 Lions
Lions looking for revenge on the Bears on Turkey day.

#25 – 3-7 Giants
The Giants are looking respectable with a two game winning streak.

#26 – 3-7 Jaguars
Jaguars’ lost their six straight vs the Steelers.

#27 – 3-7 Bucs
Bucs host the 49ers in a game for major draft order implications.

#28 – 3-7 Bills
Bills hope to keep the momentum from their impressive victory for the Jets.

#29 – 3-7 Jets
Jets’ host the Patriots in hope of breaking their 4 game losing streak.

#30 – 2-8 49ers
The 49ers need a win to stay focused for the rest of the schedule.

#31 – 2-8 Cardinals
Cardinals may be the worst team in the league after their loss to the Raiders.

#32 – 2-8 Raiders
Da Raiders edged out the Cards to end their losing streak.

Frank Coyle is a long-time scout with nationwide ties with NFL and college coaches, scouts and player agents. He is a member of the FWAA and voter in College player awards – Heisman, Outland, Nagurski, Lombardi, Thorpe, Biletnikoff etc for the past 20 years. He writes College Football Mondays weekly during the season. He is a longtime scouting consultant for the Senior Bowl, the nation’s premier postseason All-star game. He does sports radio shows for CBS, ESPN, Fox Sports and Sporting News on a year-round basis related to NFL and College Football especially during the postseason team and All-star Bowl time. He has worked for CBS Sports, NBC Sports, Yahoo and Rivals sports publications and web sites

The 2018 Maxwell and Chuck Bednarik Award Finalists Announced

Maxwell Football Club President, Mark Dianno, announced the 2018 finalists for the 82nd Maxwell Award for the Collegiate Player of the Year and the 24th Chuck Bednarik Award for the Outstanding Defensive Player of the Year

The respective lists include a field of three candidates for each of these awards as determined by the semifinalist voting process which ended Nov. 18

Visit Web Site  www.maxwellfootballclub.org

Finalists listed in alphabetical order by player’s school with position and class designated

2018 Maxwell Award Finalists
Tua Tagovailoa     Alabama            Quarterback     Sophomore
Kyler Murray        Oklahoma          Quarterback     Junior
Will Grier              West Virginia    Quarterback    Senior

2018 Chuck Bednarik Award Finalists
Quinnen Williams     Alabama     Defensive Line     (R) Soph
Christian Wilkins     Clemson      Defensive Line     Senior
Josh Allen                   Kentucky     Linebacker           Senior

Tagovailoa has led the No. 1 ranked Crimson Tide to an 11-0 (7-0 SEC) record and an SEC West division championship this fall. He has authored one of the most prolific seasons by a quarterback in recent history throwing for 2865 yards and 31 touchdowns while only throwing 2 interceptions. He added 4 rushing touchdowns and has a quarterback rating of 212.22. He will lead the Tide against Auburn in the Iron Bowl on Saturday.

Murray has completed 72 percent of his passes, going 213-of-296 for 3,212 yards with 33 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He’s also rushed for 846 yards and 10 touchdowns while leading the Sooners to a 10-1 record and a No. 6 national ranking. He is arguably the most dangerous dual-threat quarterback in college football this season.

Grier has led the Mountaineers to an 8-2 (6-2 Big XII) record and a No. 12 national ranking. He has passed for 3325 yards and 33 touchdowns and also scored twice on the ground. He will finish his regular season this Friday when Oklahoma visits Morgantown for a Big 12 Conference clash.

Williams has been one of the most dominant defensive linemen in the country this season. He has 6 sacks for 35 yards in losses, 55 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 9 quarterback hurries and 1 pass breakup. He regularly forces offenses to account for him with 2 or 3 blockers and generally wreaks havoc in the middle of the line.

Allen cemented his legacy as one of the all-time great linebackers at Kentucky when he broke the school’s sack record last Saturday. The 6’5 senior has notched 80 tackles, 17.5 tackles for loss and 13 sacks for minus 84 yards. He also has 5 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries and 5 quarterback hurries.

Wilkins has been a fixture on Clemson’s defensive line for the past 3 seasons and is a player who offenses have to account for on every snap. Wilkins has registered 40 tackles (10.5 for loss), 10 quarterback pressures, 3.0 sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. He spearheads a Clemson defense that ranks among the national leaders in almost every major statistical category.

Last season, the Maxwell Award went to Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield and the Chuck Bednarik Award was presented to Alabama defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick. Mayfield was the overall No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft and is now the starting quarterback for the Cleveland Browns. Fitzpatrick was also a 1st round pick and is a starter in the secondary for the Miami Dolphins.

The winners of the 82nd Maxwell Award and the 24th Chuck Bednarik Award will be announced as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show on December 6, 2018. The formal presentation of these awards will be made at the Maxwell Football Club’s Awards Gala which will be held at the Tropicana Casino Resort in Atlantic City, NJ on Friday March 8, 2019.

Voting for both of the collegiate awards presented by the Maxwell Football Club will begin on Wednesday, November 21st and close on Sunday December 2nd. Eligible voters include Maxwell Football Club members, NCAA Head Football Coaches, Sports Information Directors and selected national media

Frank Coyle is a longtime member of the FWAA and a voter for the Heisman Trophy, Outland Trophy, Maxwell Award, Chuck Bednarik, Bronko Nagurski, Jim Thorpe, Fred Biletnikoff and Eddie Robinson awards annually for over 25 years.

Finalists Named For 2018 Outland Trophy
Two Alabama Teammates Finalists by FWAA

FWAA – A pair of Alabama teammates – offensive tackle Jonah Williams and nose guard Quinnen Williams – and Clemson defensive tackle Christian Wilkins were named as the three finalists for the 2018 Outland Trophy by the Football Writers Association of America.

The 2018 Outland Trophy, presented by the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID), is awarded annually to the nation’s best college interior lineman on offense or defense. NFID is presenting the trophy to help increase awareness about the importance of annual flu prevention. Getting vaccinated each year is your best line of defense against the flu.

Since the Outland Trophy began naming finalists for the award in 1987, this is just the second time teammates have been finalists. In 1997, Nebraska offensive guard Aaron Taylor and defensive tackle Jason Peter were finalists for the award won by Taylor.

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Alabama has had four Outland Trophy winners since Chris Samuels won the program’s first Outland in 1999, with its most recent winner being Cam Robinson in 2016 along with Barrett Jones (2011) and Andre Smith (2008). The Crimson Tide have had at least one semifinalist in seven of the last eight seasons. Quinnen Williams would be the first defensive player to win the Outland Trophy for Alabama; each of the previous four have been offensive tackles. Wilkins is Clemson’s third finalist in program history but would be the Tigers’ first winner. Clemson’s last finalist was offensive tackle Stacy Long in 1990, and the Tigers also had defensive tackle Michael Dean Perry among the finalists in 1987.

University of Wisconsin All-American Joe Thomas, the 2006 Outland Trophy winner who retired earlier this year after a stellar 11-year career with NFL’s Cleveland Browns, is serving as the Outland Trophy #FightFlu ambassador on behalf of NFID. Thomas has been an avid supporter of annual flu vaccination and is making media appearances on behalf of the #FightFlu public awareness campaign to remind everyone 6 months and older to get an annual flu vaccine.

The recipient of the 73rd Outland Trophy will be announced during ESPN’s The Home Depot College Football Awards on Dec. 6, live from the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta. The official presentation to the winner will be made at the Outland Trophy Awards Dinner produced by the Greater Omaha Sports Committee on Jan. 9, 2019.

Three Outland Finalists:

• Christian Wilkins, DT, Clemson (6-4, 300, Gr., Springfield, Mass.): A standout player for the unbeaten Tigers, even as part of a defensive line that features four returning All-Americans. Clemson has held opponents without an offensive touchdown in eight consecutive quarters dating to Nov. 3. Wilkins was an FWAA First-Team All-America selection in 2016. He has 12.0 tackles for loss, second on the team, to go with four sacks and 45 tackles (32 solo) for the season. Clemson was No. 1 nationally in tackles for loss in the first two of Wilkins’ three prior seasons in the middle and was No. 6 last year. His 16.0 stops behind the line have resulted in 85 yards of losses. Wilkins will play in his 55th career game Saturday against South Carolina. Wilkins graduated in 2017 with a degree in communications in only two-and-a-half years
• Jonah Williams, OT, Alabama (6-5, 301, Jr., Folsom, Calif.): The left tackle for the unbeaten Crimson Tide continues to pace the nation’s No. 5 but arguably most-feared offense. Williams was the Outland Trophy Offensive Player of the Month for September after grading out above 90 percent for the month. He is the leader of the nation’s third-best offense (541.5 total ypg average) that has topped 500 total yards in 10 of 11 games. The junior has started all 40 games in his career and had perhaps his best game against LSU when Alabama averaged 7.6 yards per rush and gained 576 yards against a then-Top-10 defense and allowed only one sack on a season-high 42 pass attempts. The Crimson Tide are third in the nation in scoring at 48.7 points per game and only yield 0.91 sacks per game, tied for ninth nationally.
• Quinnen Williams, NG, Alabama (6-4, 295, So., Birmingham, Ala.): The upstart sophomore leads unbeaten Alabama with 15.0 tackles for loss for minus-62 yards, second in the SEC, and is tied for 10th in the SEC with 6.0 sacks. Like Jonah Williams, he too posted a career game against LSU tallying career highs in tackles (10) and sacks (2.5) and tying a career high in tackles for loss (3.5). Williams clogs the middle and allows those around him to create havoc – Alabama has had at least 10 tackles for loss in five of 11 games and the Crimson Tide’s 37 sacks are tied for No. 6 nationally. Williams’ 55 tackles include 34 solo stops.

The three finalists were chosen by the FWAA from a field of eight semifinalists that also included, in alphabetical order: North Carolina State center Garrett Bradbury, Wisconsin guard Michael Deiter, Clemson offensive tackle Mitch Hyatt, Houston defensive tackle Ed Oliver and Oklahoma guard Ben Powers.

The Outland Trophy is the third-oldest major college football award. Created in 1946 when Dr. John Outland presented the FWAA with a financial contribution to initiate the award, the Outland Trophy has been given to the best interior lineman in college football ever since. Dr. Outland, an All-American at the University of Pennsylvania in the late 1890s, eventually took up practice in Kansas City, Mo. An avid outdoorsman, Dr. Outland believed linemen did not get the credit they deserved and wanted an award to recognize them.
The Outland Trophy is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. Founded in 1997, the NCFAA and its 24 awards now boast over 800 recipients, dating to 1935. Visit ncfaa.org to learn more about our story.

About the Football Writers Association of America
Founded in 1941, the non-profit Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) consists of more than 1,300 members, including journalists, broadcasters, publicists and key executives in all areas of college football. Led by current President Stefanie Loh of the Seattle Times, longtime Executive Director Steve Richardson, and a board of veteran journalists, the association continues to grow and work to help college football prosper at all levels. Visit footballwriters.com for more information about the FWAA and its award programs.

Frank Coyle is a longtime member of the FWAA and a voter for the Heisman Trophy, Outland Trophy, Bronko Nagurski, Jim Thorpe, Fred Biletnikoff and Eddie Robinson awards annually for over 25 years.

Draft Insiders’ and Coaches Top 25 Teams – Week Twelve
Top Three Teams – Alabama, Clemson & Irish Stay Undefeated

Players of Week
Offense – QB Taylor Cornelius – Oklahoma St
Defense – LB Devin Bush – Michigan

Team of the Week – Notre Dame beats Syracuse 36-3
Upset of the Week – Oklahoma St beats West Virginia 45-41

Game of Week Twelve
Michigan (10-1) at Ohio St (10-1)

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Top 25 Teams – Week Twelve
Draft Insiders’

Rank/ Team/ Record
1 Alabama – 11-0
2 Clemson – 11-0
3 Notre Dame – 11-0
4 Georgia – 10-1
5 Michigan – 10-1
6 UCF – 10-0
7 Oklahoma – 10-1
8 Washington St – 10-1
9 Ohio St – 10-1
10 LSU – 9-2
11 Utah St – 10-1
12 West Virginia – 8-2
13 Kentucky – 8-3
14 Texas – 8-3
15 Washington – 8-3
16 Florida – 8-3
17 Syracuse – 8-3
18 Penn State – 8-3
19 Utah – 8-3
20 Boise St – 9-2
21 Fresno St – 9-2
22 Northwestern – 7-4
23 Mississippi St – 7-4
24 Pittsburgh – 7-4
25 Army – 9-2

Coaches Top 25 Poll
Rank/ Team / Record / Points

1 Alabama (63)  11-0      1599
2 Clemson (1)    11-0      1535
3 Notre Dame    11-0      1470
4 Michigan        10-1      1387
5 Georgia          10-1      1347
6 Oklahoma      10-1      1252
7 Washington State       10-1      1195
8 LSU   9-2        1115
9 UCF   10-0      1108
10 Ohio State    10-1      1091
11 Texas           8-3        816
12 West Virginia            8-2        766
13 Florida         8-3        748
14 Penn State   8-3        742
15 Utah State    10-1      704
16 Washington  8-3        687
17 Utah 8-3        551
18 Kentucky      8-3        502
19 Syracuse      8-3        432
20 Mississippi State      7-4        397
21 Northwestern            7-4        302
22 Boise State  9-2        297
23 Fresno State 9-2        119
24 Army            9-2        97
25 Pittsburgh    7-4        90

Dropped from rankings: Iowa State 18, Cincinnati 20, Boston College 22, UAB 25

Others receiving votes: Iowa State 85, Cincinnati 74, Texas A&M 57, NC State 51, Wisconsin 32, Missouri 27, Boston College 22, Auburn 20, Appalachian State 18, Troy 16, Iowa 12, UAB 12, Georgia State 10, Duke 7, Oklahoma State 3, Virginia 2, Georgia Southern 1, Buffalo 1, South Carolina 1

Frank Coyle is a longtime member of the FWAA and a voter for the Heisman Trophy, Outland Trophy,  Bronko Nagurski, Jim Thorpe, Fred Biletnikoff  and Eddie Robinson awards annually for 25 years.

2018 Outland Trophy Semifinalists Announced

Eight standout Interior Linemen tabbed by FWAA

FWAA – Eight semifinalists for the 2018 Outland Trophy – including two pairs of teammates – were announced by the Greater Omaha Sports Committee and the Football Writers Association of America. The eight semifinalists are players from six schools at five different positions representing five different conferences.

The 2018 Outland Trophy, presented by the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID), is awarded annually to the nation’s best college interior lineman on offense or defense. NFID is presenting the trophy to help increase awareness about the importance of annual flu prevention. Getting vaccinated each year is your best line of defense against the flu.

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Go to   www.RedCross.org  to donate money or time
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The field for the 2018 Outland Trophy is as follows, listed in alphabetical order: North Carolina State center Garrett Bradbury, Wisconsin guard Michael Deiter, Clemson offensive tackle Mitch Hyatt, Houston defensive tackle Ed Oliver, Oklahoma guard Ben Powers, Clemson defensive tackle Christian Wilkins, Alabama offensive tackle Jonah Williams and Alabama nose guard Quinnen Williams.

The eight semifinalists will be pared to three finalists and announced on Nov. 20. The recipient of the 73rd Outland Trophy will be announced during ESPN’s The Home Depot College Football Awards on Dec. 6, live from the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta. The official presentation to the winner will be made at the Outland Trophy Awards Dinner produced by the Greater Omaha Sports Committee on Jan. 9, 2019.

Web Sites – OutlandTrophy.com, FootballWriters.com

Look at the Outland Trophy Semifinalists:

Garrett Bradbury, C, North Carolina State (6-3, 300, Gr., Charlotte, N.C.): A three-year starter on the line, the team co-captain has played all but four snaps for the Wolfpack this season. In 679 snaps he has not allowed a sack and has only allowed two pressures on 348 pass attempts. His protection has helped place Ryan Finley on the cusp to become N.C. State’s only quarterback to pass for 3,000-plus yards in three different seasons. Has led the blocking for an offense averaging 31.4 points and 453.0 yards per game. Earned his degree last year in business supply operations management.

Michael Deiter, G, Wisconsin (6-6, 321, Sr., Curtice, Ohio): A mainstay on the Badgers’ offensive front – he has started all 51 games of his career – that is currently paving the way for the nation’s leading rusher and the sixth-best ground attack. Jonathan Taylor (1,548 yards, 154.8 per game) is the fourth Wisconsin back to record back-to-back 1,500-yard rushing seasons and is 25 yards ahead by average to the nation’s second-leading. Deiter (DEE-ter) should make his school-record 52nd career start Saturday at Purdue – 21 have come at left guard, 16 at center and 14 at left tackle.

Mitch Hyatt, OT, Clemson (6-5, 310, Jr., Suwanee, Ga.): The Tigers’ left tackle is helping produce offensive numbers in record territory. The unbeaten Tigers are one of five schools with three active 1,000-yard career rushers on its current roster (Hyatt has been up front for all three), and Clemson is ninth in the nation in total offense at 526.6 yards per game, which is currently 10th in school history. Hyatt, a 2017 Second Team FWAA All-American and the Outland Trophy Offensive Player of the Month for October, already owns Clemson’s career record for snaps from scrimmage (3,420) and will break another record with a 53rd career start Saturday against Duke.

Ed Oliver, DT, Houston (6-3, 290, Jr., Houston, Texas): The 2017 Outland Trophy winner was the first sophomore to ever win the Outland Trophy and earned FWAA First-Team All-America honors last year. He was an FWAA Freshman All-America in 2016 as well. Despite missing three games and constant double and triple teams, Oliver leads all defensive linemen nationally with an average of 7.29 tackles per game. Oliver’s 1.93 tackles for loss per game is third nationally, and he has a career average of 1.64 tackles for loss per game. His final home game is Thursday against Tulane, as he has already declared to enter the 2019 NFL Draft.

Ben Powers, G, Oklahoma (6-4, 314, Sr., Wichita, Kan.): The Sooners’ left guard is the leader of a line that is currently powering the nation’s top offense in yards per game (577.1) and yards per play (8.91). The 8.91 yards per play is on an NCAA-record pace above Hawaii’s 8.6 from 2006. Oklahoma is the nation’s only team this year with at least 30 rushing touchdowns (31) and at least 30 passing TDs (33), and the Sooners have rushed for at least 300 yards and passed for at least 300 a school-record four times already this year, and in three straight games.

Christian Wilkins, DT, Clemson (6-4, 300, Gr., Springfield, Mass.): A standout player for the unbeaten Tigers, even as part of a defensive line featuring four returning All-Americans. Wilkins was an FWAA First-Team All-America selection in 2016. He has 10.5 tackles for loss, second on the team, to go with three sacks and 40 tackles (29 solo) for the season. Clemson was No. 1 nationally in tackles for loss in the first two of Wilkins’ three prior seasons in the middle and was No. 6 last year. His 13.5 stops behind the line have resulted in 67 yards of losses. Wilkins will play in his 54th career game Saturday against Duke. Wilkins graduated in 2017 with a degree in communications in only two-and-a-half years.

Jonah Williams, OT, Alabama (6-5, 301, Jr., Folsom, Calif.): The left tackle for the unbeaten Crimson Tide continues to pace the nation’s No. 5 but arguably most-feared offense. Williams was the Outland Trophy Offensive Player of the Month for September after grading out above 90 percent for the month. The junior has started all 39 games in his career and had perhaps his best game against LSU when Alabama averaged 7.6 yards per rush and gained 576 yards against a then-Top-10 defense and allowed only one sack on a season-high 42 pass attempts. Alabama only yields 0.67 sacks per game, fourth nationally.

Quinnen Williams, NG, Alabama (6-4, 295, So., Birmingham, Ala.): The upstart sophomore leads unbeaten Alabama with 14.0 tackles for loss for minus-58 yards and is tied for 11th in the SEC with 5.0 sacks. He too posted a career game against LSU, tallying career highs in tackles (10) and sacks (2.5) and tying a career high in tackles for loss (3.5). Williams clogs the middle and allows those around him to create havoc – Alabama has had at least 10 tackles for loss in five of 10 games and in three straight. The Crimson Tide’s 36 sacks (3.60 per game) are both tied for No. 3 nationally.

The Outland Trophy is the third-oldest major college football award. Created in 1946 when Dr. John Outland presented the FWAA with a financial contribution to initiate the award, the Outland Trophy has been given to the best interior lineman in college football ever since. Dr. Outland, an All-American at the University of Pennsylvania in the late 1890s, eventually took up practice in Kansas City, Mo. An avid outdoorsman, Dr. Outland believed linemen did not get the credit they deserved and wanted an award to recognize them.

The Outland Trophy is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. Founded in 1997, the NCFAA and its 24 awards now boast over 800 recipients, dating to 1935. Visit ncfaa.org to learn more about our story.

About the Football Writers Association of America

Founded in 1941, the non-profit Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) consists of more than 1,300 members, including journalists, broadcasters, publicists and key executives in all areas of college football. Led by current President Stefanie Loh of the Seattle Times, longtime Executive Director Steve Richardson, and a board of veteran journalists, the association continues to grow and work to help college football prosper at all levels. Visit footballwriters.com for more information about the FWAA and its award programs.

Frank Coyle is a longtime member of the FWAA and a voter for the Heisman Trophy, Outland Trophy, Bronko Nagurski, Jim Thorpe, Fred Biletnikoff and Eddie Robinson awards annually for over 25 years.

2018 Bronko Nagurski Trophy Finalists Named

Alabama boasts a Finalist for 8th straight season

FWAA – Five finalists for the 2018 Bronko Nagurski Trophy – presented annually to the nation’s top defensive player by the Football Writers Association of America and the Charlotte Touchdown Club are listed below.

In alphabetical order, the finalists are: Kentucky linebacker Josh Allen, Michigan linebacker Devin Bush, LSU safety Grant Delpit, Clemson defensive tackle Christian Wilkins and Alabama nose guard Quinnen Williams.

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The Bronko Nagurski Trophy recipient will be chosen from these five finalists. The FWAA All-America Committee, after voting input from the association’s entire membership, selects the best defensive player in college football.

The annual Bronko Nagurski Trophy Banquet, presented by ACN, will be held on Mon., Dec. 3 at the Charlotte Convention Center. Ohio State’s Tom Cousineau, a member of the FWAA’s 1977 All-America team and a College Football Hall of Famer, will be honored. Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh will be the keynote speaker at the banquet.

2018 Bronko Nagurski Finalists

listed in alphabetical order:

Josh Allen, LB, Kentucky (6-5, 260, Sr., Montclair, N.J.): Allen has hampered opposing offenses as a pass-rush specialist on the edge. He leads the SEC with 15.5 tackles for loss, which is also 11th in the nation. His 11 sacks are third nationally and he is one full sack shy of the Kentucky single-season record. Another half-sack would tie him (25.5 at present) as the Wildcats’ all-time career leader. Allen gets progressively better during the game – nine of his 11 sacks have come in the second half with six of them in the fourth quarter – and he is a takeaway producer with five forced fumbles, second in the nation. His 65 total tackles have helped him be named the SEC Defensive Player of the Week four times.

Devin Bush, LB, Michigan (5-11, 222, Jr., Penbroke Pines, Fla.): Bush is Michigan’s ball-hawking tackle leader (61) on the nation’s leader in total defense (219.8 yards per game). He’s always around the ball on a defense that has allowed 338 fewer yards than any team in the country; his 32 assists lead the team and his 29 solo tackles are second. Bush is the Wolverines’ leader with 8.0 tackles for loss and has had at least one tackle for loss in six games. He tied a career-best 2.5 tackles for loss against Nebraska to go with a season-high nine tackles. His 4.5 sacks are second on the team and Bush has contributed seven or more tackles in six games while breaking up 4.5 passes.

Grant Delpit, S, LSU (6-3, 203, So., Houston, Texas): One of this season’s top underclassmen at any position, Delpit leads the SEC and is tied for third in the nation with five interceptions. He also leads the SEC in passes defensed (11) on a defense that leads the SEC and is sixth nationally in pass efficiency defense (98.28 rating). Delpit is third on the team in tackles with 63 and leads in sacks (4.0) and tackles for loss (9.5, 14th nationally). He’s recorded double-digit tackles in three games with a career-high of 10 against Auburn this season when he also had two interceptions and a sack to earn SEC Defensive Player of the Week honors on Sept. 15.

Christian Wilkins, DT, Clemson (6-4, 300, Gr., Springfield, Mass.): A standout player, even as part of a defensive line featuring four returning All-Americans. Wilkins was an FWAA First-Team All-America selection in 2016. He has 10.5 tackles for loss, second on the team, to go with three sacks and 40 tackles (29 solo) for the season. Clemson was No. 1 nationally in tackles for loss in the first two of Wilkins’ three prior seasons in the middle and was No. 6 last year. His 13.5 stops behind the line have resulted in 67 yards of losses. Wilkins will play in his 54th career game Saturday against Duke. Wilkins graduated in 2017 with a degree in communications in only two-and-a-half years.

Quinnen Williams, NG, Alabama (6-4, 295, So., Birmingham, Ala.): The upstart sophomore leads Alabama with 14.0 tackles for loss for minus-58 yards and is tied for 11th in the SEC with 5.0 sacks and a 0.5 sacks per game average. He posted a career game against LSU, tallying career highs in tackles (10) and sacks (2.5) and tying a career high in tackles for loss (3.5). Williams, who earned the Outland Trophy Defensive Player of the Month for October, clogs the middle and allows those around him to create havoc – Alabama has had at least 10 tackles for loss in five of 10 games and in three straight. The Crimson Tide’s 36 team sacks and 3.60 sacks per game are both tied for No. 3 nationally. Has been named a defensive player of the week by the Alabama coaching staff eight times in 10 games.

The FWAA has chosen a National Defensive Player of the Year since 1993. In 1995, the FWAA named the award in honor of the legendary two-way player from the University of Minnesota. Nagurski dominated college football then became a star for professional football’s Chicago Bears in the 1930s. Bronislaw “Bronko” Nagurski is a charter member of both the College Football and Pro Football Halls of Fame.

The Bronko Nagurski Trophy is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which encompasses college football’s most prestigious awards. Founded in 1997, the NCFAA and its 24 awards now boast over 800 recipients, dating to 1935. Visit ncfaa.org to learn more about our story.

The Football Writers Association of America, founded in 1941, consists of 1,300 men and women who cover college football. The membership includes journalists, broadcasters and publicists, as well as key executives in all the areas that involve the game. The FWAA works to govern areas that include game-day operations, major awards and its annual All-America team.

The Charlotte Touchdown Club is a non-profit organization founded in 1991 for the purpose of promoting high school, collegiate, and professional football in the Charlotte, N.C., region. The club’s activities and services focus community attention on the outstanding citizenship, scholarship, sportsmanship, and leadership of area athletes and coaches. Since 1991, the club has raised more than $2,000,000 to benefit area high school and collegiate athletics. The official website of the Charlotte Touchdown Club is touchdownclub.com.

Frank Coyle is a longtime member of the FWAA and a voter for the Heisman Trophy, Outland Trophy, Bronko Nagurski, Jim Thorpe, Fred Biletnikoff and Eddie Robinson awards annually for over 25 years.

NFL Power Poll – Week 11

  Frank Coyle/ Head Scout

NFL Power Poll – Rams Host Chiefs In Conference Leadership Battle
Brees, Trubisky and Roethlsberger Star in Impressive Wins

Teams of the Week –
    Saints crush Bengals, 51-15
   Steelers bash Panthers, 52-21
 
Players of the Week
  Offense – QB Mitchell Trubisky – Bears     
  Defense – DE Cameron Heyward – Steelers
 
Rookies of Week
    RB Nick Chubb – Browns
    LB Darius Leonard – Colts

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Game of Week #11 – Kansas City Chiefs (9-1) at LA Rams (9-1)  
Rams get a home game with Mexican grass fiasco

Draft Insiders’ – NFL Power Poll – Week 11

NFL Ranking /Record /Team
#1 -9-1 Rams
Rams’ beat the Seahawks. Pumped for the Chiefs.

#2 – 9-1 Chiefs
Chiefs’ cruising behind explosive offense and improving defense.

#3 – 8-1 Saints
Saints’ win their 8^th straight game with another record setting performance by veteran QB Drew Brees.

#4 – 7-3 Patriots
Pats struggled vs tough Titan club lead by ex-player and coach Mike Vrabel.

#5 – 6-2-1 Steelers
Steelers’ starting to peat and will go forward without star runner Le’Veon Bell.

#6 – 7-2 Chargers
Chargers are learning how to win the divisional games.

#7 – 6-3 Panthers
Panthers were punched out by Pittsburgh in a huge Thursday night matchup.

#8 – 6-3 Texans
Texans’ are rested for their trip to Washington of divisional leaders.

#9 – 6-3 Bears
The Bears are looking like a playoff club. Host the Vikings with a chance to gain a strong hold on NFC North leadership.

#10 – 5-3-1 Vikings
Vikings travel to Chi town for critical North leadership in the balance.

#11 – 6-3 Redskins
The Redskins host the Texans looking for signature victory of the season.

#12 – 4-5 Eagles
Eagles lost to the staggering Cowboys. Go to New Orleans in a must win situation.

#13 – 4-5 Seahawks
Seahawks host the Packers in a must situation for both clubs playoff hopes.

#14 – 5-4 Titans
The Titans won another big game this time vs the Patriots. Travel to Indy for vital AFC South matchup.

#15 – 4-4-1 Packers
The Packers face a season defining matchup in Seattle on Thursday night.

#16 – 4-5 Cowboys
The Cowboys beat the Eagles to keep alive their NFC playoff hopes.

#17 – 4-5 Falcons
Falcons are still struggling to get the defense together.

#18 – 5-5 Dolphins
Dolphins are floundering in mediocrity.

#19 – 4-5 Colts
Colts won their third straight vs the Jaguars. Host the rising Titans in great matchup.

#20 – 5-4 Bengals
Bengals’ were trashed by the Saints. Go to Baltimore for divisional matchup.

#21 – 4-5 Ravens
Ravens lost their fourth straight game. Get the crumbling Bengals at home this week.

#22 – 3-6-1 Browns
Browns coming off big win vs the Falcons. Bye week before two road games.

#23 – 3-6 Lions
Lions were pounded in Chicago. Maybe last chance at home vs the Panthers to get back into postseason picture.

#24 – 3-6 Jaguars
Jaguars’ lose their five straight in another weak offensive performance.

#25- 3-6 Broncos
Broncos face heavy AFC schedule down the stretch.

#26 – 3-6 Bucs
Bucs face the Giants after another poor effort.

#27 – 3-7 Bills
Bills exploded against the Jets. Get their bye week to celebrate.

#28 – 3-7 Jets
Jets’ were embarrassed by the Bills and third string QB Matt Barkley.

#29 – 2-7 Giants
The Giants looking for two game winning streak with the Bucs coming to town.

#30 – 2-8 49ers
The 49ers fell to the Giants Monday night. Bye week to prepare for stretch.

#31 – 2-7 Cardinals
Cardinals host the Raiders in the Basement bowl.

#32 – 1-8 Raiders
The Raiders pathetic offense has hit new lows in recent weeks.

Frank Coyle is a long-time scout with nationwide ties with NFL and college coaches, scouts and player agents. He is a member of the FWAA and voter in College player awards – Heisman, Outland, Nagurski, Lombardi, Thorpe, Biletnikoff etc for the past 20 years. He writes College Football Mondays weekly during the season. He is a longtime scouting consultant for the Senior Bowl, the nation’s premier postseason All-star game. He does sports radio shows for CBS, ESPN, Fox Sports and Sporting News on a year-round basis related to NFL and College Football especially during the postseason team and All-star Bowl time. He has worked for CBS Sports, NBC Sports, Yahoo and Rivals sports publications and web sites

2018 Biletnikoff Award Semifinalists

The Tallahassee Quarterback Club (TQC) Foundation, Inc., the Florida-based creator and sponsor of the Biletnikoff Award, announced 11 semifinalists for the 2018 Biletnikoff Award. The secure and confidential electronic voting by the distinguished members of the Biletnikoff Award National Selection Committee was conducted from November 5th through November 11th, and certified by a prominent CPA firm.

The Biletnikoff Award annually recognizes the outstanding FBS receiver in college football. Any player, regardless of position (wide receiver, tight end, slot back, and running back) who catches a pass is eligible for the award. As such, the Biletnikoff Award recognizes college football’s outstanding receiver, not merely college football’s outstanding wide receiver.

The semifinalists, finalists, and award recipient are selected by the highly distinguished Biletnikoff Award National Selection Committee, a group of prominent college football journalists, commentators, announcers, Biletnikoff Award winners, and other former receivers. Foundation trustees do not vote and have never voted. For a list of voters, please see BiletnikoffAward.com/voters

Announcement Dates

November 18 – Three Finalists

December 6 –  Biletnikoff Award Winner announced on The Home Depot College Football Awards presented by Gildan

The Home Depot College Football Awards airs live on ESPN December 6, 2018, 7 – 9pm (EST)

The name Biletnikoff is synonymous with the term receiver. Fred Biletnikoff, a member of the pro and college football halls of fame, was a consensus All-America receiver at Florida State University, and an All-Pro receiver for the Oakland Raiders. He caught 589 passes for 8,974 yards and 76 touchdowns in his 14-year Raiders career from 1965 through 1978. Fred was the Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl XI.

The 11 2018 Biletnikoff Award semifinalists are as follows (in alphabetical order):

Player / School

JJ Arcega-Whiteside – Stanford
A.J. Brown – Ole Miss
Marquise Brown – Oklahoma
N’Keal Harry – Arizona State
Andy Isabella – Massachusetts
Jerry Jeudy – Alabama
Rondale Moore – Purdue
David Sills V – West Virginia
John Ursua – Hawaii
Tylan Wallace – Oklahoma State
Antoine Wesley – Texas Tech

The 2018 Biletnikoff Award winner will be presented live on December 6, 2018, on The Home Depot College Football Awards presented by Gildan to be broadcast 7:00 – 9:00pm (EST) on ESPN. College and pro football hall of famer Fred Biletnikoff will announce the 2018 Biletnikoff Award winner on the show.

The correlation between Biletnikoff Award winners and stardom in the National Football League is nearly uniformly consistent. Past Biletnikoff Award winners include Calvin Johnson, Randy Moss, Michael Crabtree, Amari Cooper, and Larry Fitzgerald.

The 2018 Biletnikoff Award winner will be presented the Biletnikoff Award trophy by college and pro football hall of famer Fred Biletnikoff and keynoter & 1993 Lombardi Award and Jim Parker Award winner Aaron Taylor before 550 patrons at the Biletnikoff Award Banquet at the University Center Club at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee on Saturday, February 16, 2019. The banquet was hailed by 2014 keynote speaker Dick Vermeil, as well as by 2013 keynoter Larry Csonka, as “the best banquet in college sports.”

Frank Coyle is a longtime member of the FWAA and a voter for the Heisman Trophy, Outland Trophy, Bronko Nagurski, Jim Thorpe, Fred Biletnikoff and Eddie Robinson awards annually for over 25 years.