SOUTHHAMPTON, Pa. – The Maxwell Football Club announced the expansion of its 2009 Watch List for the 15th Chuck Bednarik Award and that list now includes University of Connecticut senior defensive end Lindsey Witten (Cleveland, Ohio). The original Preseason List also included Husky junior linebacker Scott Lutrus (Brookfield, Conn.).
Witten is has made eight sacks this season, which ranks him second in the country, and is fourth on the UConn team with 19 tackles. He was named the BIG EAST Conference Defensive Player of the Week after the first game of the season when he had four sacks in a win against Ohio University.
He was also a Preseason Candidate for the Ted Hendricks Defensive End of the Year Award.
The Bednarik Award additions include: Javier Arenas, Senior Cornerback, Alabama; Adrian Clayborn, Junior Defensive End, Iowa; Chris Galippo, Sophomore Linebacker, Southern California; Chad Jones, Senior Safety, LSU; Kyle McCarthy, Senior Safety, Notre Dame; Von Miller, Junior Defensive End, Texas A&M; Derrick Morgan, Junior Defensive End, Georgia Tech; Michael Morgan, Junior Linebacker, Southern California; Dekoda Watson, Senior Linebacker, Florida State; Mick Williams, Senior Defensive Tackle, Pittsburgh; Lindsey Witten, Senior Defensive End, Connecticut.
The Chuck Bednarik Award has been presented since 1995 and is named in honor of Chuck Bednarik. Mr. Bednarik is a member of both the College Football Hall of Fame 69′ and the NFL Hall of Fame 67′.
Semifinalists for the Bednarik Awards will be announced on November 4th and three finalists for each award will be announced November 23rd. The winners of the 2009 Maxwell and Bednarik Awards will be announced as part of the Home Depot ESPNU College Football Awards Show which will be held on December 10, 2009. The formal presentation of these awards will be made at the Maxwell Football Club Awards Gala in Atlantic City, N.J., on March 5, 2010.
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