WOAY – While there is uncertainty regarding the status of the 2020 college football season, Monday marked the first day where various individual awards will release their preseason watch lists over the next two weeks.
WVU defensive lineman Darius Stills was named to the watch list for the Chuck Bednarik Award, which goes annually to the top defensive player in college football. Stills, who is from Fairmont, was an All-Big 12 First Team selection in 2019 after recording 47 tackles – 14.5 of them for loss – and seven sacks. He also recorded a forced fumble and a blocked field goal.
Virginia Tech was also represented on the Bednarik watch list through linebacker Rayshard Ashby and cornerback Caleb Farley. Both received All-ACC honors in 2019 (Farley named to the First Team) as Ashby was a five-time ACC Linebacker of the Week throughout the season. Ashby led the conference with 120 total tackles while Farley registered four interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown.
Semifinalists for the Bednarik Award will be announced November 3, pending the status of the season; players don’t have to be on a preseason watch list to be considered.
The watch list scheduled to be released on Tuesday is for the Davey O’Brien Award, which goes to the nation’s top quarterback.
