27 Finalists Announced for The Home Depot College Football Awards

Of the 12 Award Finalists Revealed 21 Programs Represented; Klein, Manziel and Te’o Lead in Nominations

The Home Depot College Football Awards, now in its 22nd year, will once again air on ESPN, Thursday, Dec. 6, at 7:30 p.m., highlighting the achievements of college football student-athletes in 2012. Twenty-four players were selected as finalists today for the nine National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA) awards given annually during the show. ESPNU will feature the below nominees during The Home Depot College Football Awards: CFA Nomination Special on Tuesday, Nov. 20 at 6 p.m. ET.

The 30-minute show, hosted by Matt Schick, will include player interviews and analysis from college football analyst Kevin Carter on the finalists, which represent 21 teams. Alabama, Florida and Texas A&M each have two players nominated and Collin Klein (Kansas State), Johnny Manziel (Texas A&M) and Manti Te’o (Notre Dame) are each finalists for two awards.

THE HOME DEPOT COLLEGE FOOTBALL AWARDS FINALISTS – (listed alphabetically)

Chuck Bednarik Award
College Defensive Player of the Year

Jadeveon Clowney (South Carolina)
Jarvis Jones (Georgia)
Manti Te’o (Notre Dame)

Biletnikoff Award
Nation’s Outstanding Receiver

Stedman Bailey (West Virginia)
Marqise Lee (USC)
Terrance Williams (Baylor)

Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award
Nation’s Outstanding Placekicker

Dustin Hopkins (FSU)
Cairo Santos (Tulane)
Caleb Sturgis (Florida)

Ray Guy Award
Nation’s Outstanding Punter

Ryan Allen (La Tech)*
Kyle Christy (Florida)
Scott Kovanda (Ball State)

Maxwell Award
College Player of the Year

Collin Klein (Kansas State)
Johnny Manziel (Texas A&M)
Manti Te’o (Notre Dame)

Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award
Nation’s Best Quarterback

Collin Klein (Kansas State)
Johnny Manziel (Texas A&M)
Braxton Miller (Ohio State)

Outland Trophy
Nation’s Outstanding Interior Lineman

Jonathan Cooper (UNC)
Luke Joeckel (Texas A&M)
Barrett Jones (Alabama)*

Jim Thorpe Award
Nation’s Outstanding Defensive Back

Johnthan Banks (Mississippi State)
Dee Milliner (Alabama)
Phillip Thomas (Fresno State)

Doak Walker Award
Nation’s Outstanding Running Back

Montee Ball (Wisconsin)
Kenjon Barner (Oregon)
Johnathan Franklin (UCLA)

*2011 award winner

Additionally, the John Mackey Award (Outstanding Tight End) and the Rimington Award (Outstanding Center) will be presented during The Home Depot College Football Awards Red Carpet Show. Tyler Eifert (Notre Dame), Zach Ertz (Stanford) and Austin Seferian-Jenkins (Washington) are finalists for the John Mackey Award. The Rimington finalists will be announced on Saturday, Dec. 1.

The Disney Sports Spirit Award and the Home Depot College Football Coach of the Year Award will also be featured in the December show. Disney Sports announced earlier today that Texas long snapper Nate Boyer, who earned a Bronze Star for his service with the U.S. Army Special Forces Unit, will be the recipient of the Disney Spirit award this year.

2012 The Home Depot College Football Awards Highlights

The 22nd  annual awards show  –  hosted by ESPN’s Chris Fowler, Lee Corso, Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard, Tom Rinaldi and Samantha Steele  – will originate from the Atlantic Dance Hall at Disney’s BoardWalk at the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

 MEDIA NOTE: Media interested in attending The Home Depot College Football Awards can apply for credentials by emailing Liz McCollum at elizabethm@bzapr.com.

National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA)

The NCFAA was founded in 1997 as a coalition of the major collegiate football awards to protect, preserve and enhance the integrity, influence and prestige of the game’s predominant awards. The NCFAA encourages professionalism and the highest standards for the administration of its member awards and the selection of their candidates and recipients. For more information, visit the association’s official Web site, www.NCFAA.org.

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Contacts:

Gracie Blackburn, ESPN Communications, Gracie.Blackburn@espn.com
Liz McCollum, Brener Zwikel & Associates, 813-421-0550 or elizabethm@bzapr.com

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