Tracking Notre Dame And Award Watch Lists: Brian Kelly On Dodd Trophy List
The middle of July through the week of kickoffs are home to one of college football’s most peculiar traditions.
Watch list season.
From July 13-24, 13 of college football’s annual awards released their well-stocked watch lists of players who could be contenders to win them at the end of the season. Other awards have followed suit since. Notre Dame players have appeared on many of those lists.
The Lott IMPACT Trophy, given to college football's best defensive player “in character and performance,” released its watch list of 42 candidates in June, and Irish linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah was among them. The Bednarik Award, given to college football’s best defensive player, began July watch list season by releasing its list of 90 candidates.
As new watch lists are released, BlueandGold.com will update this story with any Notre Dame players who are named to them.
Bobby Dodd Trophy (Sept. 3)
Brian Kelly is one of 13 head coaches whose teams are playing this year on the preseason Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Trophy watch list. Nine others from conferences that are not playing this fall were also honored. Only coaches of teams playing this fall are eligible to win it. First-year coaches are not eligible.
Earl Campbell Tyler Rose (Sept. 3)
Senior tight end Brock Wright is one of 47 preseason candidates for the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award, which goes to college football's best offensive player who is a Texas native. Wright was an offseason SWAT team leader and was Rivals' top-ranked tight end in the 2017 class. He is from Cypress, Texas, which is in the Houston area. He caught 2 passes for 45 yards in 2019.
William V. Campbell Trophy (Sept. 2)
Offensive tackle Robert Hainsey is a preseason candidate for the Campbell Trophy, which goes to the nation's top senior scholar-athlete. Players who are in their final year of eligibility and have a 3.2 or higher cumulative GPA are eligible to win the award.
Hainsey has served as Notre Dame's right tackle the last two seasons. He did not allow a sack in 2019.
Manning Award (July 30)
Ian Book is one of 30 players on the watch list for the Manning Award, which goes to the nation’s best quarterback. The fifth-year senior is entering his third year as a starter and has a 20-3 record. In 2019, he became the first Notre Dame quarterback with 2,500 passing yards, 500 rushing yards and 30 touchdown passes in a single season.
Maxwell Award (July 24)
Book is on the watch list for the Maxwell Award, given to the nation’s best player.
Wuerffel Trophy (July 23)
Notre Dame fifth-year senior defensive end Daelin Hayes was named to the Wuerffel Trophy watch list Thursday. The trophy is known as “College Football’s Premier Award for Community Service.” The winner will be announced Dec. 8.
Hayes has a been a constant presence in the Notre Dame and South Bend communities since arriving in 2016. Most recently, he organized and led a Juneteenth rally last month.
Lou Groza Award (July 22)
Jonathan Doerer is one of 30 names on the watch list for the Groza Award, which goes to the nation’s best kicker. Doerer was 17 of 20 on field goals last year, including 2 of 2 from 50-plus yards, and made all 57 of his extra point attempts. He had the sixth 100-point season in Notre Dame history.
The winner will be announced will be announced during the Home Depot College Football Awards Show Dec. 10.
Nagurski Award (July 21)
Owusu-Koramoah and Mike linebacker Drew White were among the 98 names on the watch list for the Nagurski Award, which is the Football Writers Association of America’s choice for best defensive player.
White and Owusu-Koramoah tied for team lead with 80 tackles. Owusu-Koramoah also tied for the lead with 5.5 sacks and led Notre Dame with 13.5 tackles for loss. White had 8.0 tackles for loss. Each was a first-year starter in 2019.
Outland Trophy (July 21)
The FWAA's Outland Trophy watch list includes 85 players, and Notre Dame offensive linemen Liam Eichenberg, Jarrett Patterson and Aaron Banks are three of them. The award goes to the nation’s best interior linemen on either side of the ball, though tackles are eligible to win it as well.
Each started all 13 games last season. Notre Dame is one of three teams with three players on the list.
Butkus Award (July 20)
Owusu-Koramoah was one of 51 players on the Butkus Award watch list. The honor goes to the nation’s best linebacker and will be presented Dec. 8.
Davey O’Brien Award (July 14)
Book was one of 30 players on the watch list for the Davey O’Brien Award, which is given to the country’s best quarterback.
Bednarik Award (July 13)
Owusu-Koramoah and Kyle Hamilton were named to the Bednarik Award watch list. They were two of Notre Dame’s best defensive players in 2019, and the latter was named to The Athletic’s Freshman All-America Team after grabbing four interceptions and making 41 tackles.
The Bednarik Award winner will be announced Dec. 10
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