WILSON NAMED TO HENDRICKS AWARD WATCH LIST
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CHICAGO, Ill. – Senior defensive end C.J. Wilson is one-of-30 preseason candidates named for the 2009 Ted Hendricks Defensive End-of-the-Year Award the committee announced Thursday morning.
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Wilson, who was selected as the 2009 Conference USA Preseason Defensive Player-of-the-Year, is the lone representative from the league on the initial watch list which is given to the nation’s top defensive end. The winner will be announced on December 9, 2009.
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In 2008, Wilson helped the Pirates to back-to-back wins over nationally-ranked Virginia Tech and West Virginia to begin the season as well as the school’s first-ever Conference USA Championship. He led all ECU linemen with 70 tackles, tied for the conference lead in tackles for loss with 18.5 and was second in the league in sacks with 10.5. He added five quarterback hurries, one pass breakup and a forced fumble. A first-team All-C-USA selection, Wilson recorded at least one sack in nine contests and produced five or more tackles in eight games.
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Now in its eighth season, the Ted Hendricks Award is named in honor of college football’s first three-time first-team All-American. As a defensive end at the University of Miami, Ted used his agility, height and reach to block passes and kicks, force interceptions and pressure quarterbacks and running backs. He roamed the front line, read plays and blitzed on impulse, completely transforming the way the defensive end position was played. His professional career spanned 15 years and 215 consecutive games. It included four Super Bowl victories, eight Pro Bowl selections and inductions into the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame. It is in the spirit of Ted Hendricks’ aggressive style of play, winning attitude and determination that the Defensive End of the Year Award for college football’s premier defensive end is presented.
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On-field performance, exceptional winning attitude, leadership abilities, contributions to school and community and academic preparedness are some of the criteria used to determine the Award’s winner. Members of the national media, head coaches, professional scouts and former winners are included in the Award’s voting committee. Candidates may represent any class (Freshman through Senior) as well as any four-year NCAA accredited school. The candidate’s primary position must be Defensive End.Â
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Previous recipients of the Hendricks Award include: Terrell Suggs (Arizona State), David Pollack (Georgia), Elvis Dumervil (Louisville), LaMarr Woodley (Michigan), Chris Long (Virginia) and Brian Orakpo (Texas).Â
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This year’s pre-season candidates include, but are not limited to the following players:
RAHIM ALEM – LSUÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
TREVOR ANDERSON – MICHIGAN STATEÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â
JEREMY BEAL – OKLAHOMAÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
ALEX CARRINGTON -Â ARKANSAS STATEÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
ANTONIO COLEMAN -Â AUBURNÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
JERMAINE CUNNINGHAM – FLORIDAÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
DEXTER DAVIS – ARIZONA STATEÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
AUSTON ENGLISH – OKLAHOMAÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
BRANDON GRAHAM – MICHIGANÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
GREG HARDY – OLE MISSÂ Â Â Â
JERRY HUGHES – TCUÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â
JAN JORGENSEN – BYUÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
SERGIO KINDLE – TEXAS
JAMMIE KIRLEW – INDIANAÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
BRANDON LANG – TROY
ERIC LORIG – STANFORDÂ
GREG MIDDLETON – INDIANAÂ Â Â
KOA MISI – UTAH
DONTAY MOCH – NEVADA
ERIC MONCUR – MIAMIÂ Â Â
DOUG PILCHER – ILLINOIS
JAMES RUFFIN – NORTHERN IOWAÂ
GEORGE SELVIE – SOUTH FLORIDA
WILL TUKUAFU – OREGON
LAWRENCE WILSON – OHIO STATE
C.J. WILSON – EAST CAROLINA
LINDSEY WITTEN – CONNECTICUT
COREY WOOTTON – NORTHWESTERN
WILLIE YOUNG – N.C. STATE
FRANK ZOMBO – CENTRAL MICHIGAN