July 16, 2018
NOTRE DAME, Indiana – University of Notre Dame senior defensive lineman Jerry Tillery and senior linebacker Te’von Coney were both selected to the 2018 Bednarik Award Watch List. Fighting Irish senior quarterback Brandon Wimbush was also chosen to the 2018 Maxwell Award Watch List.
The Bednarik Award is given to college football’s defensive player of the year, while the Maxwell Award is presented to the college football player of the year.
Coney is one of four returning players across the nation that recorded at least 116 tackles and 13.5 TFLs in 2017. Despite starting just seven games a year ago, he led Notre Dame in tackles (116), tackles for loss (13.5) and finished second on Notre Dame in sacks (3.0). Coney registered a career-best 17 tackles (tops by any player in a bowl game) in the 21-17 victory over LSU in the 2018 Overton Citrus Bowl. His 116 tackles last year were the most by a Notre Dame player since Manti Te’o registered 128 in 2011.
Tillery started all 13 games in 2017 and enters his final campaign for the Irish with 27 career starts in 37 games played. He led all Notre Dame defensive lineman with 56 tackles, 9.0 TFLs, 4.5 sacks and 11 quarterback hurries. Tillery’s 56 stops were the most by an Irish defensive lineman since Isaac Rochell had 63 in 2015.
Wimbush was the starting signal caller for a Notre Dame squad that defeated four teams that finished the season ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 in 2017, a feat unsurpassed by another quarterback in college football. The four victories over teams that finished the season ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 were the most by an Irish squad since 1990-when Notre Dame registered five. Wimbush threw for 1,870 yards and 16 TDs, and ran for another 803 yards and 14 TDs. He joined Tony Rice (1988 and ’89) and DeShone Kizer (2015) as the only quarterbacks in school history to eclipse both 500 rushing yards and 1,000 passing yards in the same season. Wimbush also set the quarterback school record for single-game rushing yards (207 at Boston College) and single-season rushing touchdowns (14).
Here’s a quick rundown for the rest of the week and when specific awards will release watch lists:
Mon., July 16: Bednarik Award/Maxwell Award
Tue., July 17: Davey O’Brien Award
Wed., July 18: Doak Walker Award
Thur., July 19: Biletnikoff Award
Fri., July 20: John Mackey Award/Rimington Trophy
Mon., July 23: Butkus Award/Jim Thorpe Award
Tue., July 24: Bronco Nagurski Trophy/Outland Trophy
Wed., July 25: Lou Groza Award/Ray Guy Award
Thur., July 26: Paul Hornung Award/Wuerffel Trophy
Fri., July 27: Walter Camp Award
— ND —