July 5, 2011
LEXINGTON, Ky. — University of Kentucky senior linebacker Danny Trevathan has been named to the national watch list for the 17th annual Chuck Bednarik Award, which has been given annually since 1995 to the nation’s top defensive player, the Maxwell Football Club announced Tuesday.
Trevathan is coming off a stellar junior season where he was a first-team All-America and All-Southeastern Conference selection. The native of Leesburg, Fla., led UK in several defensive categories, including tackles (144), tackles for loss (16) and fumbles forced (four). Trevathan also led the SEC in tackles and finished third in tackles for loss and fumbles forced.
The spot on the watch list is the second such honor for Trevathan so far this summer. He and fellow senior linebacker Ronnie Sneed (Tallahassee, Fla.) were named to the national watch list for the inaugural Pony Express Award, which will honor the most dynamic two- or three-player teammate groups for the 2011 college football season.
Bednarik, who was a former standout at Penn and with the Philadelphia Eagles, is a member of both the College Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 1969 and the NFL Hall of Fame’s Class of 1967.
As always, the watch list incorporates a broad spectrum of Football Bowl Subdivision programs and conferences from coast to coast. The Bednarik Award watch list features just three of last season’s semifinalists: Florida State defensive end Brandon Jenkins, Boston College linebacker Luke Kuechly and Notre Dame liniebacker Manti Te’o.
Semifinalists for the Bednarik Award will be announced Oct. 31 and the three finalists will be unveiled Nov. 21. The winner of the 2011 Bednarik Award will be announced as part of the Home Depot ESPNU College Football Awards show held on Dec. 8. The formal presentation of the award will be made at the Maxwell Football Club Awards Gala hosted by Harrah’s Entertainment Atlantic City on March 2, 2012.
The watch list candidates were chosen by the Maxwell Football Club’s selection committee, evaluating past performance and future potential. All members of the Maxwell Football Club, NCAA sports information directors, head coaches and selected national media are eligible to vote for the award.
