July 5, 2011
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – The University of Notre Dame football team placed two student-athletes on the Maxwell Award Watch List and one on the Bednarik Award Watch List, it was announced Tuesday.
Junior QB Dayne Crist and senior WR Michael Floyd were named to the Maxwell Award Watch List, while junior LB Manti Te’o earned recognition on the Bendarik Award Watch List.
The Maxwell Award is given to college football’s player of the year, and the Chuck Bednarik Award is given to the defensive player of the year in college football.
Crist started the first nine games for the Irish in 2010 before suffering a season-ending ruptured patella tendon against Tulsa. He completed 59.2% of his passes (174 of 294) for 2,033 yards and 15 touchdowns. Crist registered a passing efficiency of 129.3 and posted 19 completions of 20 yards or more. He ranked among the top 30 FBS quarterbacks in total passing yards (14th, 2,033), completions per game (22nd, 21.75) and passing yards per game (27th, 254.13) prior to the injury. Crist recorded at least two touchdown passes in four of the first eight games and also threw three or more touchdown passes twice.
Floyd enters his final year at Notre Dame with the most touchdown receptions, second-most receptions and third-most receiving yards for a career in Irish history. He has tallied 171 career catches for 2,539 yards with 28 touchdowns and started 29 of the 30 games he played for the Irish. Only Jeff Samardzija (179) has recorded more receptions than Floyd and only Golden Tate (2,707) and Samardzija (2,593) have totaled more career receiving yards than Floyd. He has registered 13 games in his career with at least 100 receiving yards (tied for second with Tom Gatewood; Golden Tate had 15) and Floyd’s 84.6 receiving yards per game is the best career average of any Notre Dame player.
Notre Dame is one of 17 teams with at least two student-athletes on the Maxwell Award Watch List.
Te’o started all 13 games in 2010. He totaled 133 tackles on the season, including 9.5 tackles for loss (34 yards), 1.0 sack (seven yards), one forced fumble and two pass breakups. Te’o led the Irish in total tackles (133), tackles on running plays (95), tackles on passing plays (35, tied), solo tackles (66) and assisted tackles (67). He also ranked second on the team in tackles for loss (9.5). Te’o ranked t-18th in the FBS in tackles per game (10.23), 12th in total tackles (133), tied for 17th in assisted tackles (67) and tied for 29th in solo stops (66). He eclipsed 10 or more tackles in seven different games (Michigan, 13; Michigan State, 11; Stanford, 21; Boston College, 10; Western Michigan, 10; Navy, 13; Army, 12).
Te’o was named a second-team All-American by SI.com after the season and Te’o was also a semifinalist in 2010 for both the Bednarik Award (top collegiate defender) and Butkus Trophy (top collegiate linebacker).
— ND —