COLUMBIA, Mo. – The preseason awards keep coming in for Mizzou Football as the program placed a pair of players on both the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and the Outland Trophy Watch Lists, announced Tuesday (July 24) by the Football Writers Association of America. Senior DL Terry Beckner Jr. (East St. Louis, Ill.) and senior LB Terez Hall (Lithonia, Ga.) were each named to the Nagurski Trophy Watch List, which honors the nation’s top defender. Beckner and senior OLPaul Adams (Franklin, Tenn.) each earned a spot on the Outland Trophy Watch List, which honors the nation’s top interior lineman.
Mizzou now has a presence on 11 preseason award watch lists with more expected as the last of the awards are announced this week. The complete breakdown is below.
A game-changer against both the run and the pass, Beckner had his best season in a Mizzou uniform a year ago, starting all 13 games while posting career-high marks in tackles (38), tackles for loss (11.0), sacks (7.0) and QB hurries (five). He was the team’s Interior Lineman of the Year award winner a year ago. He is a fourth team Preseason All-American and All-SEC First Team pick in the Preseason by Athlon Sports as well. A spot on the Outland and Nagurski Trophy Watch Lists moves Beckner’s total to three this offseason after earning a place on the Bednarik Award Watch List last Monday.
Heading into his senior season, Hall is coming off of his best year in a Tiger uniform as a junior. He was a second team All-SEC performer according Pro Football Focus and earned the team’s Outstanding Underclassman Leadership Award for his inspirational contributions to the program. Hall took over a starting role at weakside linebacker last year, and was a big part of the defense leading the charge for Mizzou’s comeback season. He finished the season with 85 tackles, ranking second on the team, while his 12.5 tackles for loss were also second-best on the defense. He posted big back-to-back road games at Kentucky (10/7) and Georgia (10/14), where he had 12 tackles and 10 tackles, respectively, including a career-best 10 solo stops in Lexington. He also added 2.5 tackles for loss at UK and a pass break-up in Mizzou’s near comeback win. Hall finished the season with three double-digit tackle games in all, with the final one coming in a win over Florida, when he made 11 stops, including 1.5 tackles for loss and a pass breakup. Hall was named to the Butkus Award Watch List Monday.
Adams is a proven performer who is one of the SEC’s most experienced linemen. He will be looking to anchor the right side of the offensive line, where he has started all 25 games at right tackle the previous two seasons for the SEC’s most productive offense. He turned in another outstanding season, as a team captain who made all 13 starts at right tackle last season. He was part of Mizzou’s record-setting offense which led the SEC (ranking eighth nationally) in total offense for the second-straight season. The offensive line led the nation in fewest tackles for loss allowed for the second-straight season (2.85), and also led the SEC in fewest sacks allowed (1.0 per game – fifth nationally), while the Tiger offense also led the SEC in passing efficiency (fourth nationally), and scoring offense (14th in NCAA).
Mizzou on Preseason Award Watch Lists
- Maxwell Award (top offensive player) – Senior QB Drew Lock
- Bednarik Award (top defensive player) – Senior DL Terry Beckner, Jr.
- Davey O’Brien Award (top QB) – Senior QB Drew Lock
- Doak Walker Award (top RB) – Junior RB Damarea Crockett
- Biletnikoff Award (top WR) – Senior WR Emanuel Hall
- Mackey Award (top TE) – Sophomore TE Albert Okwuegbunam
- Butkus Award (top LB) – Senior LB Terez Hall
- Bronko Nagurski Trophy (top defensive player) – Senior DL Terry Beckner, Jr.
- Bronko Nagurski Trophy (top defensive player) – Senior LB Terez Hall
- Outland Trophy (top interior lineman) – Senior OL Paul Adams
- Outland Trophy (top interior lineman) – Terry Beckner, Jr.
Mizzou Football will open the 2018 season on Sept. 1, 2018, against UT Martin at Memorial Stadium.
— Mizzou Athletics —