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Sep 23, 2023; College Station, Texas, USA; Auburn Tigers linebacker Eugene Asante (9) recovered a fumble and ran the ball in for a touchdown during the fourth quarter against the Texas A&M Aggies at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports
Auburn star linebacker [autotag]Eugene Asante[/autotag] was named to the 2024 Chuck Bednarik Award Watch List on Monday. The award, presented annually to college football’s most outstanding defensive player, has been won by an SEC defender in seven of the last 14 years. However, an Auburn Tiger has never claimed the honor.
Asante is coming off a breakout junior season at Auburn in which he accumulated a team-high 86 tackles with 5 sacks, 8.5 tackles for a loss, and one fumble recovery touchdown. The 23-year-old registered double-digit tackles on 3 occasions in 2023, including 12-tackle performances against Cal and LSU.
A likely team captain this season, Asante has the chance to become the first Tiger to register 100+ tackles in a season since [autotag]Zakoby McClain[/autotag] wrapped up 113 opposing players in 2020. If Asante can pass that threshold while improving on his sack and TFL numbers, the Alexandria, Virginia native could make a strong case to become the first Tiger to ever claim the award.
The current watchlist of 90 players will be whittled down to a single-digit list of semifinalists on Nov. 12, 2024. Three finalists for the Maxwell Award will be unveiled two weeks later, four days before the Iron Bowl, on Nov. 26, 2024.
Asante will have the first chance to make his case as the best defensive player in college football when the Tigers host Alabama A&M on August 31.
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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/eugene-asante-named-bednarik-award-210017570.html
Author : Auburn Wire
Publish date : 2024-08-13 21:00:17
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