Kansas State’s Collin Klein and Arthur Brown each picked up their second semifinalist accolade of the year for a major college football award as they were honored by the Maxwell Football Club Monday. Klein was named a semifinalist for the Maxwell Award for the Collegiate Player of the Year, while Brown is a semifinalist for the Bednarik Award as the Outstanding Defensive Player of the Year.
Klein and Brown were one of 16 semifinalists for their respective awards and were both just the second player in school history to be named a semifinalist for the awards. Klein joins former Wildcat quarterback Michael Bishop, who was a finalist for the Maxwell Award in 1998, while Brown is the first K-State defender since cornerback Chris Canty in 1996 to earn semifinal status for the Bednarik Award.
A product of Loveland, Colo., Klein has led the Wildcats to an 8-0 overall record and a 5-0 mark in Big 12 play. The signal caller has accounted for 28 touchdowns this season, including 12 through the air as he has thrown for 1,630 yards on 117-of-165 aim to rank second nationally with a 175.47 pass efficiency rating. Klein has also rushed for 634 yards and 16 scores this season, a year after he tied the FBS quarterback record with 27 rushing touchdowns. Earlier this season, Klein broke the FBS quarterback record for rushing touchdowns in consecutive seasons, a mark that now stands at 43, while he holds the school’s career record and is tied for sixth in Big 12 history with 49 career rushing touchdowns.
Brown leads the team this season with 60 tackles, a year after he led the Wildcats with 101 stops. The Wichita, Kan., native has notched at least five tackles in each of his 21 games at K-State, while he has six tackles for loss and one sack this year. Brown also has two interceptions, including one that broke Geno Smiths’ (West Virginia) NCAA-record stretch of 273 straight attempts without a pick two weeks ago. Brown added to his interception total last week as he took a tipped pass 37 yards for a touchdown against Texas Tech.
The winners of the 76th Maxwell Award and the 18th Chuck Bednarik Award will be announced as part of the Home Depot College Football Awards Show, which will be broadcast on ESPN on December 6, 2012. Three finalists for each award will be announced on November 19, 2012, and a second round of voting will take place at that time. The formal presentation of the awards will be made at the Maxwell Football Club’s Awards Gala, which will be held on Friday, March 1, 2013, at the Harrah’s Entertainment Complex in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Second-ranked K-State will host a primetime matchup against No. 24 Oklahoma State Saturday night at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. The sold-out contest will kick off at 7 p.m.
— KSU Sports Information —