College – Page 391 – St. Joseph Post Archive

Tigers’ Boehm, Brothers named to preseason watch lists

Posted on July 10, 2015

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou football saw senior standouts Evan Boehm (Lee’s Summit, Mo.) and Kentrell Brothers (Guthrie, Okla.) land on more preseason award watch lists on Friday (July 10). Boehm earned a spot on the Outland Trophy Watch List, which honors the nation’s top interior lineman (offense and defense). Brothers is now up for the Bronco Nagurski Award, which honors the top defensive player in the college football.

Boehm started all 14 games a season ago, anchoring an offensive line that was a key cog in an 11-3 season and a second consecutive SEC East Championship. He has started 40 consecutive games across the Mizzou offensive line, dating back to the 2012 season before shifting to the center spot full time in 2013. Boehm was a First Team Freshman All-American by College Football News at left guard in 2012. This is the second major award watch list that Boehm has landed on this summer after being named to the Rimington Watch List Wednesday.

The Outland Trophy winner is chosen from three finalists who are a part of the FWAA All-America Team. The FWAA All-America Committee, after voting input from the entire membership, selects the 26-man first team and eventually the three Outland finalists. Committee members, then by individual ballot, select the winner. Only interior linemen on offense or defense are eligible for the award; ends are not eligible.

Brothers, the SEC’s top returning tackler from a season ago, is on the Bednarik Watch List for the first time in his career. The Bednarik Award has been presented to the College Defensive Player of the Year since 1995. Brothers accounted for 122 total tackles in 2015 (62 solo, 60 assists) while totaling 5.0 tackles-for-loss, four pass break-ups and a team-leading three forced fumbles. He started all 14 games a season ago and was an All-SEC Second Team pick by the Associated Press. This is Brothers’ second major watch list this summer after earning a spot on the Bednarik Award Watch List Tuesday.

The Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner will be chosen from five finalists who are part of the 2014 FWAA All-America Team. The FWAA All-America Committee, after voting input from the association’s entire membership, selects the 26-man All-America Team and eventually the Nagurski finalists. Committee members, then by individual ballot, select the winner, the best defensive player in college football during the FWAA’s 75th anniversary year.

The annual Bronko Nagurski Trophy Banquet, presented by ACN, will be held on Dec. 7 at the Westin Hotel in Charlotte. In addition to the 2015 Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner’s announcement, the banquet will also celebrate the recipient of the Bronko Nagurski Legends Award, sponsored by the CTC and Florida East Coast Railway. Ohio State’s Randy Gradishar, a member of the FWAA’s 1973 All-America team and a College Football Hall of Famer, will be honored.

— MU Sports Information —

KSU’s Barnett, McDaniel & Whitehair earn preseason honors

Posted on July 10, 2015July 10, 2015

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State seniors Dante Barnett, Danzel McDaniel and Cody Whitehair were named to watch lists for awards announced by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) on Friday. Barnett and McDaniel are on the watch list for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy – presented to the nation’s most outstanding defensive player – while Whitehair is on the watch list for the Outland Trophy as nation’s most outstanding interior lineman.

The inclusion of Barnett and McDaniel on the Nagurski Trophy watch list marks eight Wildcat candidates in the last five years to be up for the award. Both Barnett, who was named a candidate for the Bednarik Award on Tuesday, and McDaniel are first-time candidates.

Whitehair is a two-time candidate for the Outland Trophy as he was named to the preseason watch list in 2014, while the Wildcats have had candidates for the award five times in the last three seasons.

A product of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Barnett is one of 88 players on the 2015 Bronko Nagurski Trophy watch list after a season in which he recorded 77 tackles, four tackles for loss, three interceptions and 11 total passes defended. He earned Second Team All-Big 12 honors from the league’s coaches in addition to picking up all-conference accolades from ESPN and Phil Steele.

McDaniel was a community-college transfer prior to the 2014 season and did not disappoint in his first season as he totaled 59 tackles, five tackles for loss, one sack and four passes defended. He came away with an interception-return touchdown in K-State’s win at No. 11 Oklahoma, while his lone sack of the year came at Iowa State on the Cyclones’ final drive to help preserve a four-point victory. For his efforts, he earned Second Team All-Big 12 honors from the league’s coaches.

Whitehair, a native of Abilene, Kansas, was one of 82 players on the 2015 Outland Trophy watch list. He has started 38 of his 39 career games, including all 13 games at left tackle in 2014 as he picked up All-Big 12 honors from the league’s coaches, Associated Press and Phil Steele.

Five finalists for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and six or seven semifinalists for the Outland Trophy will be announced on November 19, while three finalists for the Outland Trophy will be chosen five days later. The winner of each award will be announced on ESPN as part of The Home Depot College Football Awards Show on December 10.

K-State opens its 120th season of football on Saturday, September 5, as the Wildcats hosts South Dakota at 6:10 p.m.

— KSU Sports Information —

Nebraska’s Collins on Outland and Nagurski Trophy watch lists

Posted on July 10, 2015July 10, 2015

Nebraska junior defensive tackle Maliek Collins continues to roll up the preseason honors. On Friday, the Kansas City native was named to the preseason watch lists for the Outland Trophy and the Bronko Nagurski Trophy.

The Outland Trophy is presented annually to the nation’s top interior lineman, while the Nagurski Trophy is presented to the nation’s top defensive player. Both awards are selected by the Football Writers Association of America. Earlier this week, Collins was named to the watch list for the Bednarik Award, presented to the College Defensive Player of the Year by the Maxwell Football Club.

The 6-2, 300-pound Collins will man the interior of the Nebraska defensive front in 2015. Last season, Collins emerged as a dominant force at defensive tackle, leading the team with 14 tackles for loss, while adding 4.5 sacks. He was at his best against the toughest foes, with 12 of his 14 tackles for loss coming in Big Ten Conference games or the bowl game against USC. Collins was named co-Defensive MVP for the Huskers in 2014, and was a second-team All-Big Ten pick.

Collins was one of 15 Big Ten players named to the Nagurski Trophy Watch List and among 11 Big Ten linemen on the Outland Trophy list.

Nebraska has a long tradition with the Outland Trophy. Husker players have won a nation-leading nine Outland Trophies, most recently Ndamukong Suh in 2009. The Outland Trophy is presented each year at a banquet in Omaha. Suh also captured the Nagurski Trophy in 2009.

— NU Sports Information —

USA to face Lithuania in quarterfinals of World University Games

Posted on July 9, 2015July 9, 2015

The USA National Team (5-0) for the World University Games (WUG), consisting mainly of the Kansas men’s basketball student-athletes and staff, will face Lithuania (4-1) in the medal round quarterfinals on Saturday, July 11, at noon local time which is 10 p.m. on July 10 in Kansas, at Dongkang College Gymnasium. The USA-Lithuania contest will be televised on ESPNU and the Watch ESPN app.

Matched on the other side of the quarterfinals bracket is Russia (5-0) and Estonia (3-1). The USA-Lithuania and Russia-Estonia winners will advance to the semifinals and the potential to win a medal, while the two losers will play in the consolation bracket. The other side of the quarterfinals includes Germany (5-0) vs. Canada (4-1) and France (5-0) vs. Brazil (4-1). Including exhibition play, the USA is 3-0 against the medal bracket foes (2-0 vs. Canada and 1-0 vs. Brazil).

Having won an all-time most 19 medals (13 gold, three silver and three bronze), the USA is looking for its first medal in the last three World University Games. USA finished ninth in the 2013 WUG and fifth in 2011. The last medal won by the American men’s basketball team was bronze in 2009. The previous USA medal was gold in 2005.

Historically, the USA is 2-1 against Lithuania in the World University Games. Lithuania won the last meeting in 2011, 76-74, and would later win the bronze medal. The USA won the first two matchups – 106-81 in 1995 and 97-88 in 1999 – with both eventually being gold for the Americans.

USA Update
Guard Wayne Selden, Jr., has led USA in scoring in three of the five games and leads the World University Games (WUG) with 19.4 points per game average. He has made a team-best 11 three-pointers, one more than guard Nic Moore who has 10. Selden is tied forward Perry Ellis for the team lead in rebounding with 6.4 boards per game. Ellis is scoring 10.6 points per contest, which is third on the team. Frank Mason III is second on the team with a 14.0 ppg, which is tied for eighth in the WUG, and leads the squad with 21 assists. His 4.2 assists per game are tied for second in the WUG. Mason also leads the team with 11 steals. Forward Hunter Mickelson is third the WUG in field goal percentage at 59.5 percent. He has a team-best four blocked shots and is averaging 9.8 points and 5.0 rebounds. Moore scores 6.6 points per contest, while guard Julian DeBose, who led USA with 18 points against Switzerland, has a 6.0 scoring average, just ahead of guard Lagerald Vick’s 5.6 ppg.

As a team, USA holds a +12.0 rebound margin and has outrebounded four of five opponents. Additionally, the USA squad is outshooting its opponents 46.4 percent to 34.3. The USA’s best quarter has been the third where is averages 23.6 points, followed by the second (22.2), fourth (20.2) and first (17.0).

About Lithuania
Lithuania finished second in Pool C, posting a 4-1 record. It opened the World University Games with a 70-67 loss to Pool C winner France and then won four straight defeating Finland (87-70), Chinese Taipei (93-37), Japan (90-76) and Australia (74-67). The winner of the Lithuania-Australia contest advanced to the medal bracket. Lithuania leads the World University Games in scoring at 86.6 points per game. The Lithuanians are giving up 69.2 ppg for a +17.4 scoring margin. Lithuania is also leading the Games in field goal percentage at 50.2 percent, outrebounding opponents 41.2 to 30.0 and rank second in the WUG with 5.0 blocked shots per game.

No. 31 Rokas Giedraitis leads Lithuania in scoring at 14.4 points. He has made a team-best 15 three-pointers. Other Lithuanians double-figure scorers include No. 27 Donatas Tarolis (12.0 ppg) and No. 10 Egidijus Mockevicius (11.0 ppg). Mockevicius lead the World University Games in field goal percentage at 60.5 percent.

What’s Ahead
Should the USA advance to the semifinals of the 2015 World University Games, it would play on Sunday, July 12 at 6:30 p.m. local, 4:30 a.m. in Kansas, at Dongkang College Gymnasium against the winner of the Russia-Estonia contest. The losers in those quarterfinals games will play July 12 at 6 p.m. local, 4 a.m. in Kansas, at Muan Indoor Gymnasium.

USA Goes Undefeated in Pool D
With its 96-57 win against Switzerland on July 9, the USA posted a 5-0 record in winning Pool D. USA opened the Games with two nine-point victories against Turkey (66-57) on July 4, and Brazil (81-72) on July 5. Following a 106-41 blowout win versus Chile on July 7, the USA team won a 66-65 nail biter against Serbia on July 8. The Americans closed out pool play with the win versus Switzerland.

How this Happened
In April 2014, the Kansas basketball team was selected by the United States International University Sports Federation (US-IUSF) to represent the United States in the World University Games. Kansas was selected as the team to represent the U.S. from the schools that expressed interest.

With more than 150 countries competing in 21 sports, the World University Games are held every two years and are governed by the International University Sports Federation. Only current university student-athletes or recent graduates, born between Jan. 1, 1990, and Dec. 31, 1997, are eligible for the 2015 Games. For Kansas’ participation, only U.S. citizens can compete and incoming freshmen and transfers qualify. The Kansas travel party, consisting of 12 competitors and 11 staff (23 total), will leave Lawrence June 28 and live in the athlete village throughout the Games.

This is the second time a college team will compete in the World University Games. In 2007, the University of Northern Iowa participated and finished ninth in Bangkok, Thailand.

Historically
The World University Games are held every other year and are organized by the International University Sports Federation (FISU). The World University Games is a multi-sport competition open to men and women who are between the ages of 17 and 24, and are or have been within the past year, a student at a college or university.

The World University Games began in 1965 in Budapest, Hungary, with the United States men’s basketball team posting a 9-0 record in winning the gold medal. The USA has won 13 gold medals with its last in 2005 and its 19 total medals are more than any other country.

— KU Sports Information —

Kansas State’s McCrane named to Groza Award watch list

Posted on July 9, 2015July 9, 2015

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State sophomore place kicker Matthew McCrane was one of 30 players nationally named to the watch list for the 2015 Lou Groza Award as nation’s top place kicker, the Palm Beach County Sports Commission announced Thursday.

A native of Brownwood, Texas, McCrane is the ninth Wildcat to be a candidate for the award, including the third in the last four years, joining Anthony Cantele (2012 semifinalist) and Jack Cantele (2014 candidate). McCrane was also one of four Big 12 kickers on this year’s initial list, which included Ben Grogan (Oklahoma State), Josh Lambert (West Virginia) and Jaden Oberkrom (TCU).

Taking over primary place kicking duties in the fourth game of the 2014 season, McCrane went on to lead the nation by making 94.7-percent of his field-goal attempts (18-of-19) in addition to 41-of-42 extra-point attempts. He totaled 94 points on the year, shattering the K-State freshman record previously held by Martin Gramatica (56 in 1994), who went on to win the Lou Groza Award in 1997.

McCrane became the first freshman in school history to connect on a pair of 50-yard field goals, including a K-State freshman record 53-yarder against Oklahoma State. For his efforts in 2014, McCrane earned Honorable Mention All-America, Freshman All-America and All-Big 12 honors.

The Wildcats open their 120th season of football on Saturday, September 5, as K-State hosts South Dakota at 6:10 p.m.

— KSU Sports Information —

USA finishes World University Games pool play unbeaten with win over Switzerland

Posted on July 8, 2015July 9, 2015

GWANGJU, Korea – Behind 18 points from Julian DeBose and 16 from Wayne Selden, Jr., the USA men’s basketball team completed Pool D undefeated at the 2015 World University Games with a 96-57 win against Switzerland Thursday at Dongkang College Gymnasium in Gwangju, Korea.

The contest was the final tune up for the USA (5-0) before the medal round quarterfinals on Saturday, July 11 at noon (July 10, 10 p.m. in Kansas) against the winner of the Lithuania-Australia game that is being played July 9. The quarterfinal will be televised on ESPNU.

The early 10 a.m. local start did not faze the Americans. Like the Chile contest on July 7, the USA jumped out to a 12-3 lead on Switzerland. USA had eight different players reach the scoring column in the quarter and built a 23-8 lead on a jumper by Lagerald Vick with 3:15 to play in the period. USA led 25-14 after one period. Vick ended the game with 11 points and led all rebounders with seven.

“Switzerland is not as talented as Brazil or Serbia or Turkey, but we did shoot the ball well today,” head coach Bill Self said of the USA squad which shot 59 percent from the field, including 10-for-17 from three-point range against the Swiss. “We’ve shot the ball well just two games over here and that’s today – which was great – and versus Chile. Against our more competitive teams, we haven’t shot it very well, so I’m looking forward to seeing if we can carry this over and shoot the ball well on Saturday.”

Switzerland went on a 7-2 run to open the second quarter and cut the lead to 27-22, but the USA dominated the final seven minutes of the period and built an 18-point lead at 48-30 on a DeBose jumper in the lane. DeBose followed that with a three-pointer as time expired to give the Americans a 51-33 lead at intermission.

A track meet occurred in the third period as USA ran away with the game fast break after fast break and dunk after dunk. Switzerland scored the first basket after intermission, but then the USA team went on an 18-0 run to extend lead to 69-35 with 4:51 remaining the in the period. Included were three monster dunks, two alley-oop style, from Selden. Forward Hunter Mickelson also continued his solid play in the World University Games, which included a steal at midcourt capped off with an alley-opp dunk from Selden to complete the play during the 18-0 run. DeBose once again made a field goal to end the quarter and give USA an 81-46 lead.

“We had the ball moving, we were getting rebounds and we got stops,” DeBose said. “It was an all-around good game.”

USA cruised through the fourth quarter as all but two Americans reached the scoring column. Once again, the USA dominated the boards, outrebounding Switzerland 42-27.

Forward Perry Ellis scored all 11 of his points in the first half. Forward Jamari Traylor had eight points on 3-of-4 shooting, while forward Carlton Bragg, Jr. scored nine for the game. Guard Nic Moore had a team-best six assists to go along with six points and guard Frank Mason III scored eight points and had five assists in the victory.

“Everybody played with passion,” Bragg said. “It was pretty fun out here and we’re just ready for the medal round.”

UP NEXT

The USA team will play the winner of the Lithuania-Australia contest in the medal round quarterfinals on Saturday, July 11, at noon local, which is 10 p.m., July 10, in Kansas. The game will be televised on ESPNU and seen on the Watch ESPN app.

— KU Sports Information —

Northwest Missouri State announces 2015 M-Club Hall of Fame class

Posted on July 7, 2015July 7, 2015

MARYVILLE, Mo. – Five outstanding former student-athletes, a legendary coach, an undefeated wrestling team and a dominate women’s tennis team will make up this year’s Northwest Missouri State University’s M-Club Hall of Fame class.

This year’s group features student-athletes Steve Coppinger (football), Karen Hopewell (softball), Josh Lamberson (football), Xavier Omon (football) and Allen Packer (wrestling). Former Bearcat coach Scott Bostwick (football) will also be posthumously inducted with the class this fall. In addition, the 1963-64 wrestling team and the 1996 women’s tennis team will be officially enshrined this October.

The Class of 2015 will be inducted into the M-Club Hall of Fame during the annual festivities on Friday, Oct. 23 in the J.W. Jones Student Union Ballroom and will be recognized during the Homecoming football game on Saturday, Oct. 24. Tickets for the Friday evening banquet are $25 each and may be purchased by contacting Michele Steinmeyer in the athletics office at 660-562-1977. Seating for the event is limited and the deadline to reserve your spot at the banquet is Oct. 9, or until tickets are sold out.

The 2015 class will bring the total of individual inductees to 130. The M-Club Hall of Fame was established for individuals in 1980 and teams were first enshrined beginning in 1989.

Coach Scott Bostwick (1994-2011) – Football
•   Defensive Coordinator = 1994-2010, named the 18th head football coach in Northwest’s history in 2011
•   Team won 12 MIAA championships, appeared in seven title games and won three NCAA Division II championships during his tenure
•   2007 AFCA Assistant Coach of the Year

Steve Coppinger (1994-98) – Football
•   1st Team All-American (1998)
•   1st Team All-MIAA and All-Region (1997, 1998)
•   Started every games during his 4 year career

Karen Hopewell (1983-86) – Softball
•   First team All-MIAA (1985, 1986)
•   MIAA Most Valuable Player in 1986 – first and only selection in school history
•   First all-time in assists for a season (195 in 1985) and for a career (463)

Josh Lamberson (2002-05) – Football
•   2nd – Team All-MIAA (2004, 2005) / 3rd Team All-American (2005)
•   Twice named first team Academic All-American (2004, 2005)
•   CoSIDA and ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American of the Year (2005)

Xavier Omon (2003-07) – Football
•   Career (7,073) and Single Season (2,337) leader for rushing yards
•   92 career rushing TDs is the top mark in school history (+33 over 2nd place)
•   Multiple first team All-America honors in 2007 (AP Little All-America, D2Football.com, Daktronics/CoSida, AFCA, Don Hansen Gazette)

Allen Packer (1962-66) – Wrestling
•   Dominate career, highlighted by All-America honors in 1964
•   Won program record 35 consecutive dual matches at one point in his career
•   29 career pins (10 in 1964-65 season tied a school record at the time)

1996 Women’s Tennis
•   20-5, MIAA Champions (5-0), finished #20 in nation
•   58 combined doubles wins – T3rd all-time in school history
•   Four MIAA Individual Champions (Kim Buchan, Sherri Casady, Maria Groumoutis, Lia Ruiz)

1963-64 Wrestling
•   12-0 record
•   9th at NCAA Division II Tournament
•   Two wrestlers earned All-America honors (Harvey Hallum, Allen Packer)

— Northwest Athletics —

Missouri’s Brothers, Hansbrough, Mauk earn spots on preseason watch lists

Posted on July 7, 2015July 7, 2015

COLUMBIA, Mo. – The Maxwell Football Club announced its preseason 2015 Maxwell Award and Bednarik Award Watch Lists on Tuesday (July 7) and a trio of Mizzou Football standouts were represented. Senior LB Kentrell Brothers (Guthrie, Okla.) was named to the 21st Annual Bednarik Award Watch List, while senior RB Russell Hansbrough (Arlington, Texas) and junior QB Maty Mauk (Kenton, Ohio) each earned a spot on the 79th Annual Maxwell Award Watch List.

Hansbrough and Mauk, who combine to give Mizzou the most productive returning backfield in the SEC in 2015, both land on the Maxwell Award Watch List. The Maxwell Award, named in honor of Robert W. “Tiny” Maxwell, has been given to America’s College Player of the Year since 1937.

A veteran tailback who has rushed for nearly 2,000 yards in his Mizzou career, Hansbrough is on the Maxwell Award Watch List for the first time in his career. He led Mizzou with his first 1,000-yard season in 2014, totaling 1,084 yards, a mark that ranked sixth in the SEC despite starting just three games – he was also seventh in the SEC in rush yards per game. He was SEC Offensive Player of the Week and National Tailback of the Week following a 199-yard outburst at Texas A&M, the 10th-best single-game rush total in program history.

Mauk, a dual-threat playmaker, has won 14 of the 18 games he has started at quarterback in his career and gives Mizzou one of the most seasoned signal callers in the nation this season. He started all 14 games a season ago and threw for 2,648 total yards and 25 touchdowns. He also rushed for 373 yards and two more scores. In 2014, he was sixth in the SEC in total offense and closed the season with seven consecutive games with a passer rating of 100.0 or better. He is sixth in program history with his 36 career TD tosses.

— MU Sports Information —

K-State’s Barnett on Bednarik Award watch list

Posted on July 7, 2015July 7, 2015

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State senior safety Dante Barnett was one of 80 players nationally to be named to the watch list for the 2015 Bednarik Award as the College Defensive Player of the Year, the Maxwell Football Club announced Tuesday.

Coming off a season in which he tallied 77 tackles, four tackles for loss, three interceptions and 11 total passes defended, Barnett earned Second Team All-Big 12 honors from the league’s coaches in addition to earning all-conference accolades from ESPN and Phil Steele.

A 2015 team captain and the top active Wildcat with 176 career tackles, Barnett earned Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week honors following last year’s Texas game when he totaled seven stops and four passes defended. He also had a season-high 12 tackles, including a career-best three tackles for loss against UTEP, while he had three interceptions in a four-game stretch against Oklahoma State, West Virginia and Kansas.

Barnett’s inclusion on the list marks the sixth time a Wildcat has been named a candidate for the Bednarik Award, including the fifth in the last four seasons. Cornerback Chris Canty was one of three finalists in 1996, while linebacker Arthur Brown was a semifinalist in 2012. Other previous Wildcat candidates include cornerback Nigel Malone (2012), defensive back Ty Zimmerman (2013) and defensive end Ryan Mueller (2014).

Semifinalists for the Bednarik Award will be announced on November 2, while the three finalists for the award will be unveiled November 23. The winner will be announced as part of The Home Depot College Football Awards Show held December 10, at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, Georgia.

— KSU Sports Information —

NU’s Armstrong, Collins named to national award watch lists

Posted on July 7, 2015July 7, 2015

Nebraska juniors and team captains Tommy Armstrong Jr. and Maliek Collins were named to watch lists for prestigious national awards on Tuesday.

Armstrong was among the players named to the watch list for the 79th annual Maxwell Award, given to America’s College Player of the Year since 1937. Collins was among the defensive players named to the watch list for the Bednarik Award, which has been presented to the College Defensive Player of the Year since 1995.

The 6-1, 220-pound Armstrong has engineered the Nebraska offense each of the past two seasons, compiling a 16-5 record as the Huskers’ starting quarterback. In 2014, Armstrong compiled 3,400 yards of total offense, the third-best single-season total in Nebraska history. Armstrong passed for 2,695 yards and 22 touchdowns, while rushing for 705 yards. The Cibolo, Texas, native set Nebraska sophomore records for passing yards, passing touchdowns and total offense in 2014.

Armstrong is one of 12 Big Ten players named to the watch list for the Maxwell Award.

Collins will man the interior of the Nebraska defensive front in 2015. Last season, the Kansas City native emerged as a dominant force at defensive tackle, leading the team with 14 tackles for loss, while adding 4.5 sacks. The 6-2, 300-pound Collins was at his best against the toughest foes, with 12 of his 14 tackles for loss coming in Big Ten Conference games or the bowl game against USC. Collins was named co-Defensive MVP for the Huskers in 2014, and was a second-team All-Big Ten pick.

Collins was among a group of 12 Big Ten defensive standouts on the watch list for the Bednarik Award.

Watch list announcements will continue throughout the next two weeks, with the watch lists for the Rimington Trophy (Center) and the Mackey Award (Tight End) unveiled on Wednesday.

— NU Sports Information —