The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
07.15.2016 | Football
Walter Camp Award is presented to the nation’s most outstanding player
AUSTIN, Texas – Sophomore linebacker Malik Jefferson (Mesquite, Texas) was named to the 2016 Preseason Watch List for the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award on Friday. Jefferson has already been named to the watch lists for the Bednarik Award, Bronko Nagurski Trophy and Butkus Award in the last two weeks. He has also been named a first team Preseason All-American by Sporting News, a first team Preseason All-Big 12 performer, and the Big 12 Conference's Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. Jefferson looks to become the third Longhorn to win the award all-time. Ricky Williams was the first to win it in 1998 and QB Colt McCoy was a two-time winner in both 2008 and 2009.
???????The preseason recongition comes on the heels of a standout freshman season. Jefferson, who was selected as a freshman All-American a season ago by the Football Writers Association of America, Sporting News and USA Today, played in 11 games for the Longhorns. He finished the season with 61 tackles, six pressures and seven tackles for loss, earning the Big 12 Conference's Defensive Freshman of the Year honors. He also earned honorable mention All-Big 12 recognition.
Ranked as the top player in the state of Texas coming out of high school, Jefferson began his career with a strong performance at Notre Dame a season ago, totaling nine tackles and season-high 2.5 tackles for loss. The following week, he helped the Longhorns to their first win of the season, registering nine tackles, one TFL and four pressures, while also returning a fumble for 26 yards and a touchdown against Rice. For the third straight week to begin the season, Jefferson tallied nine takedowns in a one-point loss to Cal. In addition to an impressive start to his career, Jefferson totaled six tackles in a win against Oklahoma to earn Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week honors.
"We are proud to continue the great work of Walter Camp and recognize the best college football players in the nation," Foundation president Robert Kauffman said. "This watch list is a great start to what is shaping up to be another exciting year of college football."
The watch list will be narrowed to 10 semi-finalists in mid-November. The 2016 Walter Camp Player of the Year recipient, which is voted on by the 128 NCAA Bowl Subdivision head coaches and sports information directors, will be announced live on ESPN SportsCenter on Thursday, December 8. The winner will then receive his trophy at the Foundation's 50th annual national awards banquet on January 14, 2017 at the Yale University Commons in New Haven.
