Jake Knott lands on Bednarik watch list

By Chris Williams, CycloneFanatic.com Publisher

Iowa State linebacker Jake Knott was placed on college football’s Bednarik Award watch list on Tuesday, which is handed out to the nation’s top defensive player after every season.

Knott joined five other Big 12 players (Texas DT Kheeston Randall, Texas LB Keenan Robinson, Missouri LB Zaviar Gooden, Oklahoma LB Travis Lewis and Texas A&M CB Coryell Judie) on the list.

The following paragraphs were sent out in a release from the Big 12 Conference.

Three Big 12 defenders have earned the award since the Conference’s start in 1996, including Dat Nguyen (1998) of Texas A&M, Teddy Lehman (2003) of Oklahoma and Ndamukong Suh (2009) of Nebraska.

Each year the watch list is 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 awards.

Semifinalists for the Bednarik Award will be announced October 31 and the three finalists for the award will be unveiled November 21. The winners of the 2011 Bednarik Awards will be announced as part of the Home Depot ESPNU College Football Awards Show held on December 8. The formal presentation of this award will be made at the Maxwell Football Club Awards Gala hosted by Harrah’s Entertainment Atlantic City on March 2, 2012.