Thursday, 28th March 2024

Hawkeyes on 2011 award watch lists

Posted on 18. Jul, 2011 by in Iowa Football

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By Brendan Stiles

HawkeyeDrive.com

The final annual college football award to release a watch list for the summer did so Monday when names of possible candidates for the 2011 Walter Camp Award became public.

To be honest, watch lists do nothing for me. Sure, they’re a testament to a player’s ability on the field and I’m sure everyone that makes one of these feels honored to do so. But from my perspective, let me throw out two example of guys winning major college football awards that no one could have seen coming preseason:

1. In 2008, how many people thought in August that former Iowa running back Shonn Greene would win the Doak Walker Award? The season prior, he wasn’t even on the Hawkeye roster. Then when he returned, he rushed for 100+ yards in every game and earned an honor he was clearly deserving of.

2. Most recently, how many people at this time last summer thought Auburn’s Cam Newton would win the Heisman Trophy and lead Auburn to a national title? Auburn was ranked 22nd in the AP preseason poll, and Newton had played at Texas’ Blinn College in 2009.

Anyway, for those of you who do care, here’s a rundown of every watch list put together this summer that includes members of the 2011 Iowa Hawkeyes. And who knows? Maybe in December, we’re talking about one of these Hawkeye players garnering one of these honors:

Lott IMPACT Trophy — Tyler Nielsen, LB, Sr.

Rimington Trophy — James Ferentz, C, Jr.

Maxwell Award — Marcus Coker, RB, So.

Bednarik Award — Shaun Prater, CB, Sr.

Biletnikoff Award — Marvin McNutt, WR, Sr.

Outland Trophy — Riley Reiff, OT, Jr.

Nagurski Award — Shaun Prater, CB, Sr.

Lombardi Award — Riley Reiff, OT, Jr.

Butkus Award — Tyler Nielsen, LB, Sr.

Doak Walker Award — Marcus Coker, RB, So.

*For complete watch lists for all awards, the folks at College Football Talk have been keeping track here.

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