College – Page 482 – St. Joseph Post Archive

Preseason All-Big 12 Football Team announced

Posted on July 16, 2014

The Big 12 Conference has announced its 2014 Preseason All-Big 12 Football Team and individual awards, chosen by media representatives who cover the league.

The preseason team was dominated by upperclassmen with 18 seniors and five juniors among the 26 honorees. Eight players were named to the 2013 All-Big 12 First Team while 11 were on the second team.

Individual selections include quarterback Bryce Petty (Baylor) as Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, lineman Devonte Fields (TCU) as Preseason Defensive Player of the Year and wide receiver Tyreek Hill (Oklahoma State) as Preseason Newcomer of the Year.

Petty led Baylor to its first Big 12 championship and BCS bowl in 2013 during a record-setting junior season in which he set 17 school marks. He was awarded 2013 Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year and was an Athlon’s All-America Second Team selection while finishing seventh in the Heisman Trophy voting. Petty totaled 4,200 yards and 32 touchdowns with just three interceptions on 250-for-403 passing (62.0 percent) while rushing for 209 yards and 14 TDs on 94 attempts last season.

Fields was also the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year heading into the 2013 season before suffering an injury that limited him to three games. He was the 2012 Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year and an All-Big 12 First Team pick after posting 53 tackles, including 34 solo stops. He also had 18.5 tackles for loss and 10 sacks as a 2012 rookie.

Hill transferred from Garden City Community College where he made 32 catches for 532 yards and six touchdowns as a sophomore. He also carried the ball 101 times for 659 yards and five scores. After enrolling at Oklahoma State in January, Hill made an immediate impact on the Cowboy track team by winning the 200 meters and placing second in the 60 meters at the Big 12 Indoor Track & Field Championship to help OSU to its first Conference men’s team title. He placed fifth in the 200 meters at the NCAA Indoor championship to claim All-America status.

The media Preseason Big 12 Poll will be released on Thursday, followed by the annual Big 12 Football Media Days to be conducted in Dallas on July 21-22. Live video coverage, including press conferences and one-on-one interviews with a variety of guests, will be featured both days on the Big 12 Digital Network, including Big12Sports.com. The Big 12’s social media sites will also provide a unique perspective of Big 12 Football Media Days.

2014 Preseason All-Big 12 Football Team
Offensive Player of the Year: Bryce Petty, Baylor, QB
Defensive Player of the Year: Devonte Fields, TCU, DL
Newcomer of the Year: Tyreek Hill, Oklahoma State, WR

Offense
Pos Name School Ht Wt Cl/Exp Hometown
WR Antwan Goodley * Baylor 5-11 225 Sr/3L Midland, Texas
TE EJ Bibbs + Iowa State 6-3 261 Sr/1L Chicago, Ill.
OL Spencer Drango * Baylor 6-6 305 Jr/2L Cedar Park, Texas
OL Cody Whitehair + K-State 6-4 309 Jr/2L Abilene, Kan.
C B.J. Finney * K-State 6-4 303 Sr/3L Andale, Kan.
OL Daryl Williams + Oklahoma 6-6 329 Sr/3L Lake Dallas, Texas
OL Le’Raven Clark ^+ Texas Tech 6-5 303 Jr/2L Rockdale, Texas
WR Tyler Lockett * K-State 5-11 175 Sr/3L Tulsa, Okla.
QB Bryce Petty * Baylor 6-3 230 Sr/3L Midlothian, Texas
RB Shock Linwood Baylor 5-9 200 So/1L Linden, Texas
RB Malcolm Brown + Texas 6-0 228 Sr/3L Cibolo, Texas
PK Michael Hunnicutt + Oklahoma 6-1 180 Sr/3L Richardson, Texas
KR Tyler Lockett ^* K-State 5-11 175 Sr/3L Tulsa, Okla.

Defense
Pos Name School Ht Wt Cl/Exp Hometown
DL Ryan Mueller * K-State 6-2 245 Sr/3L Leawood, Kan.
DL Devonte Fields ^# TCU 6-4 240 So/1L Arlington, Texas
DL Chucky Hunter + TCU 6-1 305 Sr/3L West Monroe, La.
DL Cedric Reed + Texas 6-6 271 Sr/2L Cleveland, Texas
LB Bryce Hager^ Baylor 6-2 235 Sr/3L Austin, Texas
LB Ben Heeney + Kansas 6-0 230 Sr/3L Hutchinson, Kan.
LB Eric Striker + Oklahoma 6-0 221 Jr/2L Seffner, Fla.
DB Zack Sanchez Oklahoma 5-11 179 So/1L Keller, Texas
DB Sam Carter + TCU 6-1 215 Sr/3L New Orleans, La.
DB Quandre Diggs ^ Texas 5-10 204 Sr/3L Angleton, Texas
DB Karl Joseph West Virginia 5-10 196 Jr/2L Orlando, Fla.
P Spencer Roth * Baylor 6-4 225 Sr/3L Knoxville, Tenn.
PR Levi Norwood Baylor 6-2 200 Sr/3L State College, Pa.

^ 2013 Preseason Team
* 2013 All-Big 12 First Team selection
+ 2013 All-Big 12 Second Team selection
# Injured in 2013

— Big 12 Press Release —

Three Griffons earn preseason All-America honors from USA Football Network

Posted on July 15, 2014

USA Football Network, Inc. is proud to publish its 26th USA College Football Division II Pre-Season All-American Teams. Three Missouri Western football players have been announced to the squads. Junior defensive back Mike Jordan is a first team selection while junior running back Raphael Spencer was named second team. Senior punter Scott Groner was named to the third team. BSN (Beyond Sports Network) also released their 2014 Preseason All-American team. Groner was named to the first team while Jordan was selected to the third team. Spencer, Groner, Jordan and Yomi Alli were all named to the Preseason All-MIAA team which was selected by BSN.

The teams are selected by a national panel including Head Coaches, Sports information Directors, members of the Football Writers Association of America, Metropolitan New York Football Writers Association, New England Football Writers Association and Philadelphia Football Writers, pro football scouts plus staff journalists of Lindey’s Sports Annuals, The Sports Network and USA Football News.

Michael Jordan (DB, 6-0, 200, Jr., Hazelwood, Mo.) was named to the first team All-MIAA for the first time in his career last season after being named MIAA Freshman of the Year and honorable mention in 2012. In 2013, Jordan finished with 48 total tackles with 36 being solo. He had two tackles for a loss to go along with three interceptions and eight pass break-ups. Jordan had seven tackles twice this season against Fort Hays State and Emporia State. He was also named to the Daktronics Super Region Three Second Team and Don Hansen Super Region Three third team.

Raphael Spencer (RB, 5-9, 190, Jr., Kansas City, Mo.) was named second team All-MIAA for the first time in his career in 2013. He finished the season rushing for 1,312 yards on 198 carries and 12 touchdowns. He averaged 119.3 yards per game which is first in the MIAA and 19th in the nation. He ran for over 100 yards six times last season and over 200 yards once which was at Central Oklahoma when he went for 221 yards on 24 carries. He also caught 21 passes for 150 yards. Spencer was named MIAA Player of the Week on November 11, 2013 for his 193 yards two touchdown performance at Washburn in a 34-31 victory. He is currently 9th all-time in rushing with 1,920 yards in his career. Spencer also earned Don Hansen All-Region second team and Don Hansen Honorable Mention All-America honors.

Scott Groner (P, 6-4, 200, Sr., Tecoma, Victoria (Australia)) had an outstanding 2013 averaging an MIAA best 42.6 yards per kick. He ranked 11th in the nation with that average. Groner punted 50 times for 2,132 with a long of 61 yards on September 21, 2013 at Nebraska-Kearney. He had nine kicks of 50 or more yards to go along with 13 kicks inside the 20. It was first time in his career that he has been named to the first team All-MIAA. He was an honorable mention selection in 2011. Groner was also named to the Daktronics Super Region Three Second Team, first team Don Hansen All-Region and honorable mention Don Hansen All-American.

The Griffons finished the season with an 8-3 overall record and 7-3 MIAA record. It was the eighth time in the past nine seasons and 11th time in Head Coach Jerry Partridge’s tenure that the Griffons have won eight or more games. This Griffon open up the 2014 season on Thursday, September 4 against the University of Central Missouri. Kickoff is set for 7:00 pm in Spratt Stadium.

— MWSU Sports Information —

KSU’s Lockett, NU’s Bell & KU’s Harwell named to Biletnikoff watch list

Posted on July 15, 2014

Kansas State senior wide receiver Tyler Lockett was one of 55 players nationally to be named to the Biletnikoff Award watch list, presented to the nation’s outstanding college receiver, the Tallahassee Quarterback Club announced Tuesday.

Lockett is a candidate for the award for a second-straight season as he was a midseason addition to the watch list a year ago. He joins a list of five former K-State greats who have been a candidate for the award, which include his father, Kevin (1994-95 candidate and 1996 semifinalist), his uncle, Aaron (1999-2000 candidate), and current Green Bay Packer wide receiver Jordy Nelson (2006 candidate and 2007 finalist).

The watch list honor is the third for Lockett this preseason as he is also a candidate for the Maxwell Award, presented to the college player of the year, and the Paul Hornung Award, awarded to the most versatile player in major college football.

A native of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Lockett put together one of the best seasons by a wide receiver in school history a year ago when he hauled in 81 receptions for 1,262 yards and 11 touchdowns to rank in the top five in school history in each category. He set the school record for single-game receiving yardage with 237 at Texas before resetting that mark with 278 against Oklahoma, which ranked as the fourth-most in Big 12 history.

A Second Team All-American and the Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Year in 2013, Lockett enters the 2014 season ranked fourth in school history in career receptions and yardage, and fifth in touchdowns. He needs 75 receptions, 838 yards and nine touchdowns to break all three school records, which are held by his father, Kevin.

Semifinalists for the 2014 Biletnikoff Award will be announced on November 17, while three finalists will be chosen on November 24. The winner of the award will be announced live on December 11 during The Home Depot College Football Awards Show on ESPN.

K-State opens its 119th season of football on August 30, against Stephen F. Austin at Bill Snyder Family Stadium for the sixth-annual K-State Family Reunion. The contest, which kicks off at 6:10 p.m.

— KSU Sports Information —

Nebraska senior receiver Kenny Bell was named to the watch list for the 2014 Biletnikoff Award on Tuesday. The award annually recognizes the outstanding receiver in college football.

The 6-1, 185-pound Bell was named to the Biletnikoff watch list for the second straight season. Bell enters his final season at Nebraska on the verge of becoming the most prolific receiver in school history.

Bell ranks fifth on Nebraska’s career receptions list with 134 catches, leaving him 32 catches behind the NU record of 166 receptions by Nate Swift. Bell is third in school history with 1,901 career receiving yards, leaving him 578 yards from Johnny Rodgers’ school record in that category.

Bell has 15 career touchdown receptions heading into 2014, including four touchdown catches in 2013. He has shown a knack for the big play throughout his career with each of his last 13 touchdown catches covering at least 20 yards.

Bell has led Nebraska in receptions each of his first three seasons, the first player to accomplish that at Nebraska since Matt Davison from 1998 to 2000. This fall, Bell could be the first player to lead the Huskers in catches for four straight years. Bell finished his junior season with a team-high 52 receptions for 577 yards and earned honorable-mention all-conference honors.

Bell is one of 55 receivers on the watch list, including five players from the Big Ten Conference. The Biletnikoff Award is sponsored by the Tallahassee Quarterback Club Foundation, and is named for College and Pro Football Hall of Famer Fred Biletnikoff who starred at Florida State and with the Oakland Raiders.

Ten semifinalists for the award will be chosen on Nov. 17, with three finalists announced on Nov. 24. The winner will be announced on Dec. 11 as part of the ESPN College Football Awards Show.

— NU Sports Information —

The Tallahassee Quarterback Club (TQC) Foundation, Inc., announced Tuesday that senior wide receiver Nick Harwell has been named one of 55 players on the preseason watch list for the 2014 Biletnikoff Award.

Created in 1994 in honor of Fred Biletnikoff, the Biletnikoff Award annually recognizes the most outstanding receiver in college football. A member of the pro and collegiate football halls of fame, Biletnikoff was an All-Pro receiver for the Oakland Raiders and an All-America receiver at Florida State University.

The 2014 winner will be selected by the Biletnikoff Award National Selection Committee, a group of 221 prominent college football journalists, commentators, and former receivers. The winner will be honored with the trophy live on Dec. 11 on The Home Depot College Football Awards Show to be broadcast from 7-9 pm on ESPN.

Harwell, a native of Missouri City, Texas transferred to Kansas and was forced to sit out a season ago after spending the previous three years at Miami (Ohio) where he was a three-time All-Mid-American Conference selection and an honorable mention All-America selection by Sports Illustrated in 2011.

Harwell closed out his career at Miami holding the three highest single-game reception and receiving yard totals, as well as rewriting the Redhawk record book for most 100-yard games in school history. In just three seasons, Harwell ranks second on both the all-time Miami receptions and receiving yards lists with 229 catches for 3,166 yards.

Harwell and the rest of the Jayhawks begin the 2014 slate Sept. 6, as they play host to Southeast Missouri State. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. inside Memorial Stadium

— KU Sports Information —

Former Tiger A.J. Ricker named to Mizzou football coaching staff

Posted on July 14, 2014

Former University of Missouri standout center A.J. Ricker has been named assistant football coach for his alma mater, as announced today by Mizzou Head Coach Gary Pinkel. Ricker will join the staff as offensive line coach, after spending the past season in the same role at Illinois.

Ricker comes to Mizzou with eight years of coaching experience under his belt. He began his coaching resume as a graduate assistant at Western Michigan under former Mizzou assistant Bill Cubit, serving in that role for the 2006 and 2007 seasons, before advancing to a full-time assistant role as offensive line coach in 2008. He moved to St. Joseph’s College (in Rensselaer, Ind.) as offensive line coach in 2009, and served the 2010 season as the program’s head coach before later returning to WMU for the 2011 and 2012 seasons as the offensive line coach and run game coordinator.

Ricker was born in Windsor, Mo., and graduated from high school in Klein, Texas before coming to Mizzou. He was a 1st-Team All-Big 12 center for Pinkel as a senior in 2003, as part of the first bowl-eligible team at MU since 1998. He started 47 consecutive games at center for the Tigers from 2000-03, which established a record at any position at MU at the time (it now stands 5th-alltime on the MU consecutive starts chart, 2nd among centers). He served as a two-time team captain at Mizzou.

“We’re really excited to have A.J. join our staff,” said Pinkel. “When we had this opportunity, we wanted to bring a young coach in who had experience, and A.J. fits that perfectly. We feel like he’s one of the best young offensive line coaches in the country, and we talk all the time about being Mizzou Made. He understands our system, he loves Mizzou and he can’t wait to get started,” he said.

“Obviously, coming home is a big deal to me,” said Ricker. “But I want people to know that’s the not the important thing, I’m coming here to do a job to teach the game and do it at a really high level. My biggest focus is to get there and take what I’ve learned at all my different stops, roll my sleeves up and get to work to help us win a lot of ballgames. Certainly, it’s an honor to coach at your alma mater, and I’m grateful to Coach Pinkel and his staff for having the faith in me to bring me on. They’ve done a heck of a job of building this program and I’m really pleased and excited to be part of it,” he said.

According to Pinkel, Ricker becomes only the second former player of his to serve as a full-time assistant coach, with Matt Eberflus (at Toledo as a full-time assistant from 1994-99, and at Mizzou from 2001-08) being the other. “That’s a neat thing for me personally, it’s kind of an honor for one of your former guys to want to teach the same game you helped him to learn. I think I’m the only Don James player to ever be a full-time assistant for him, so that kind of thing means a lot,” he said.

Ricker earned his undergraduate degree from Mizzou in agriculture in 2004. Following his graduation, Ricker signed a free agent contract with the NFL’s Chicago Bears and was allocated to the Rhein Fire of NFL Europe in 2005. In 2006, and for part of 2007, he was a member of the Arena Football League’s Tampa Bay Storm before retiring from his playing days. In 2011, he was married to the former Lauren Mattaliano, and the couple has an infant son, Andrew, who was born in February of this year.

— MU Sports Information —

Lombardi Award places three Wildcats on watch list

Posted on July 14, 2014

Kansas State offensive linemen B.J. Finney and Cody Whitehair along with defensive end Ryan Mueller were named to the Rotary Lombardi Award watch list, the Rotary Club of Houston announced Monday.

The award, which is presented to the college lineman of the year, includes 123 players from 76 different institutions, including 12 from the Big 12 schools. Finney is a candidate for the award for the second-straight season while the other two are first-time members of the watch list.

A native of Andale, Kansas, Finney is K-State’s third two-time candidate for the award, joining Nick Leckey (2002-03) and Ian Campbell (2007-08), while he is now a candidate for a third award (Outland, Rimington). He earned All-Big 12 First Team honors each of the last two years and has started all 39 career games, including the last 38 at center.

Whitehair, who is also a candidate for this year’s Outland Trophy, was an All-Big 12 Second Team performer in 2013 after starting all 13 games at left guard. The Abilene, Kansas, native has started 25 of his 26 career games.

A former walk-on who turned into the Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year in 2013, Mueller picked up his fourth award candidacy as he was also named to the watch lists for the Bednarik Award and the Bronko Nagurski and Lott IMPACT trophies. The Leawood, Kansas, native recorded a school-record tying 11.5 sacks in last season to go along with 18.5 tackles for loss. He earned Second Team All-America honors as a junior as well as All-Big 12 First Team accolades.

The 2014 Rotary Lombardi Award will announce its semifinalists on November 6 and a list of finalists on November 20. Those finalists will travel to Houston, Texas, where the winner will be announced at the Wortham Center on December 10.

Kansas State opens the 2014 campaign on August 30, with a contest against Stephen F. Austin at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. The game, which kicks off at 6:10 p.m.

— KSU Sports Information —

Nebraska’s Gregory named to Lombardi watch list

Posted on July 14, 2014

Nebraska defensive end Randy Gregory picked up his fourth watch list recognition Monday morning, as he was named to the Rotary Lombardi Award Watch List.

Five Huskers have won the Rotary Lombardi Award, most recently Ndamukong Suh in 2009, and Gregory will look to become the sixth Husker football player to win the prestigious award.

As a sophomore, Gregory became one of the Big Ten’s top defenders last season and has earned preseason All-America accolades in 2014. In his first year with the Huskers, Gregory led the Big Ten with 10.5 sacks and 19 tackles for loss. Nine of Gregory’s sacks came in Big Ten Conference play, including a season-high three sacks at Michigan.

Gregory earned first-team All-Big Ten honors for his efforts in 2013 and is considered a strong candidate for first-team All-America honors this fall. In addition to being named to the Lombardi Award Watch List on Monday, Gregory was earlier named to the watch lists for the Chuck Bednarik Award, Bronko Nagurski Trophy and Lott Trophy.

The Lombardi Award is limited to down linemen, end-to-end, either on offense or defense, who set up no farther than 10 yards to the left or right of the ball, or linebackers who set up no farther than five yards deep from the line of scrimmage.

A total of 12 semifinalists will be announced later in the fall with the 45th Rotary Lombardi Award Dinner will be held on Wednesday, December 10, 2014 in Houston, Texas.

— NU Sports Information —

KU’s Heeney named to two more preseason watch lists

Posted on July 14, 2014July 14, 2014

Kansas linebacker Ben Heeney added two more preseason recognitions to his resume as the senior landed on both the Rotary Lombardi Award and Butkus Award Preseason Watch Lists, announced by each award committee Monday morning.

The Rotary Lombardi Award and the Butkus Award are members of the National Collegiate Football Awards Association (NCFAA) and are presented to outstanding players on the field at their respective positions. Specifically, the Butkus Award recognizes the most outstanding collegiate linebacker, while the Rotary Lombardi Award pays tribute to the college lineman of the year, including linebackers who set up no further than five yards off the line of scrimmage.

A senior from Hutchinson, Kansas, Heeney missed a pair of games in the middle of the 2013 conference slate, but still finished with a team-best 88 total stops, including 11.5 tackles for loss and the first three interceptions of his career. Heeney, honored as an All-Big 12 Second Team selection by the Associated Press and the conference coaches last season, was fourth in the conference with 8.7 tackles per game and ranked fifth in tackles-for-loss per game with 1.15. He reached double figures in tackles in six of his 10 games played, including four Big 12 contests.

In 2012, Heeney burst on to the scene with 112 tackles in his first season as a starter for the Jayhawks. His 112 tackles included 66 solo stops. He led KU with 12.0 tackles-for-loss and added one sack. He also was credited with two pass breakups, one quarterback hurry and one forced fumble.

Heeney has racked up six preseason honors leading up to the 2014 season opener against Southeast Missouri State (Sept. 6) at Memorial Stadium, as he was named preseason First-Team All-Big 12 by both Athlon Sports and Phil Steele Magazine, and was selected to the Chuck Bednarik Award and the Bronko Nagurski Trophy preseason watch lists last week.

— KU Sports Information —

Mizzou’s Evan Boehm, Markus Golden, named to Outland, Nagurski watch lists

Posted on July 10, 2014July 10, 2014

University of Missouri standout football players Evan Boehm (Lee’s Summit, Mo.) and Markus Golden (St. Louis, Mo.) have been named to pre-season award watch lists for a pair of prominent national awards, as announced today.

Boehm, a junior center, has been named to the Outland Trophy Watch List as one of 64 players up for the award, which goes to the nation’s top interior linemen on either side of the ball. This is the second national award to include Boehm, who has started all 26 games for the Tigers the past two years. On Tuesday, he was named to the watch list for the Rimington Award, which is given annually to the nation’s top center.

Golden, a senior defensive end, has been included on the watch list for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, which goes annually to the nation’s top defensive player overall. He is one of 81 standouts named to the pre-season list. Golden was one of the most disruptive defensive ends in the Southeastern Conference in 2013, despite playing only roughly 40 percent of the snaps (55 tackles, 13.0 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, 8 QB pressures). Mizzou’s Michael Sam was a Nagurski finalist in 2013 for his standout play during MU’s 12-2 campaign last year.

Both Boehm and Golden, along with projected starting quarterback Maty Mauk (sophomore, Kenton, Ohio) will be representing Mizzou at the annual SEC Football Media Day event next week in Hoover, Ala. Mizzou’s appearance is scheduled for Wednesday, July 16th. Preseason camp for the Tigers gets underway on Monday, August 4th, with the annual Fan/Photo Day at Memorial Stadium/Faurot Field set for Sunday, August 10th.

— MU Sports Information —

Three Wildcats named to FWAA watch lists

Posted on July 10, 2014July 10, 2014

Three Kansas State players – offensive linemen B.J. Finney and Cody Whitehair, and defensive end Ryan Mueller – were named to watch lists for awards announced by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) on Thursday.

Finney and Whitehair were named to the watch list for the Outland Trophy, presented to the nation’s most outstanding interior lineman, while Mueller is a candidate for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, presented to the nation’s most outstanding defensive player.

This marks the second-straight season that Finney is a candidate for the Outland Trophy, while he was also named to the watch list for the 2014 Rimington Award on Tuesday. K-State is one of four teams to place multiple players on the Outland Trophy watch list. Mueller is a first-time candidate for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and picked up his third preseason honor as he is also a candidate for the Bednarik Award and the Lott IMPACT Trophy. The Leawood, Kansas, also registered K-State’s sixth candidacy for the Nagurski Trophy in the last four years.

The watch list for the 2014 Outland Trophy includes 64 players across the country, including nine from the Big 12, while the 2014 Bronko Nagurski Trophy watch list is comprised of 81 total players and 13 from the Big 12.

Finney and Whitehair started all 13 games in 2013 at center and left guard, respectively. They helped the Wildcats average 35.9 points per game and 404.7 yards per game during the final seven contests of the year in which K-State tallied a 6-1 record. Both Kansas natives, Finney and Whitehair earned All-Big 12 status a year ago as Finney, a product of Andale, was a first-team honoree, and Whitehair, from Abilene, picked up second-team honors.

The 2013 Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year, Mueller tied the school record in sacks with 11.5, a figure that ranked second in the Big 12 and eighth nationally. His total included a school-record tying three sacks at Texas Tech as he picked up Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week accolades, while he also earned the honor following the Iowa State game by totaling seven tackles with 2.5 sacks.

The Wildcats kick off the 2014 season with an August 30, matchup against Stephen F. Austin at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. The sixth-annual K-State Family Reunion will begin at 6:10 p.m.

— KSU Sports Information —

Kansas’ Heeney selected to Bronko Nagurski Trophy watch list

Posted on July 10, 2014July 10, 2014

Kansas senior linebacker Ben Heeney landed on the 2014 Bronko Nagurski Trophy preseason watch list the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) announced Thursday morning.

The trophy is bestowed to the National Defensive Player of the Year and will be presented to the winner Dec. 8 at the Westin Hotel in Charlotte, North Carolina at the Bronko Nagurski Torphy Banquet. Five finalists for the honor will be announced Nov. 20 by the FWAA and the Charlotte Touchdown Club.

This is the fourth preseason honor for Heeney, as he was named preseason Fist-Team All-Big 12 by both Athlon Sports and Phil Steele Magazine, and was selected to the Chuck Bednarik Award preseason watch list earlier in the week.

Heeney and the rest of the Jayhawks begin the 2014 slate Sept. 6, as they play host to Southeast Missouri State. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. inside Memorial Statdium.

— KU Sports Information —