Several local athletes have been named to various college football watch lists, which started being released last week.
College football season is closing in fast, as attested by the fact watch lists are beginning to be released.
During early to mid-July, more than 20 watch lists will be released. Come back here daily for updates on which locals have been named to the various lists.
Nation’s premier running back
(Full 2017 watch list)
Tonny Lindsey Jr., senior RB, Utah State
Lindsey started 10 games for the Aggies in 2016, rushing for a team-high 148 carries and 763 yards while adding a team-lead tying six rushing touchdowns. He also caught 17 passes for 123 yards.
Armand Shyne, junior RB, Utah
Shyne missed more than half of the 2016 season with a season-ending injury. Prior to that, he rushed for a then team-leading 373 yards on 78 carries with four touchdowns.
College football coach of the year
(Full 2017 watch list)
Kyle Whittingham, Utah
Whittingham is one of 19 coaches on the Dodd Trophy watch list, the fourth straight year he’s been on the watch list. He has a 104-50 record in 12 years as the Utes’ coach, including a 10-1 bowl record. Whittingham has led Utah to nine or more wins for three straight seasons.
Previous local winners
1979: LaVell Edwards, BYU
The nation’s best college quarterback
(Full 2017 watch list)
Luke Falk, senior QB, Washington State (Logan High)
The former walk-on has started 28 games for Washington State and thrown for 10,893 yards and 89 touchdowns in his career. Falk is a two-time semifinalist for the Davey O’Brien Award (in 2015 and 2016) and was honored as a Davey O’Brien “Great 8” Performance of the Week five times last year.
Tanner Mangum, junior QB, BYU
Mangum returns to the starting lineup in 2017 after backing up Taysom Hill last year; he replaced an injured Hill as the starter in 2015. Mangum, who’s thrown for 3,618 yards and 26 touchdowns in college, was named to the 2016 Davey O’Brien Award watch list.
Previous local winners
1991: Ty Detmer, BYU
1990: Ty Detmer, BYU
1983: Steve Young, BYU
1981: Jim McMahon, BYU
The nation’s outstanding senior or fourth-year junior quarterback
(Full 2017 watch list)
Luke Falk, senior QB, Washington State (Logan High)
Falk was a finalist for the Johnny Unitas award last season, when he threw for 4,468 passing yards (third-most in the country) and 38 touchdowns. The senior has completed 69 percent of his passes in his career.
Kent Myers, senior QB, Utah State
Myers, who’s started 25 games over his first three college seasons, has thrown for 4,848 yards and 31 touchdowns in his Aggie career. The versatile quarterback has also rushed for 1,115 yards and 14 touchdowns, including 449 yards last season.
Troy Williams, senior QB, Utah
Williams returns for his second year as the Utes’ starting quarterback. He threw for 2,757 yards, fifth-most in the Pac-12, and 15 touchdowns during the 2016 season while also rushing for 235 yards and five more scores, leading the Utes to a 9-4 record and a top 25 finish.
College football’s premier award for community service
(Full 2017 watch list)
Chase Hansen, junior S, Utah (Lone Peak High)
After signing with Utah as a quarterback, Hansen switched to defense full-time last year and one of his top games from the 2016 season included a career-high 13 tackles, a pass breakup and a forced fumble against Colorado. He earned honorable mention all-Pac-12 honors as a sophomore.
Dallin Leavitt, senior DB, Utah State
Leavitt, in his first season at USU after transferring from BYU, started all eight games he played in during the 2016 season. He had 57 tackles, two tackles for loss, two quarterback hurries and a team-best three interceptions for the Aggies.
Fred Warner, senior LB, BYU
Warner is among BYU’s most experiences players, with 25 career starts in 36 games played for the Cougars. He was last year’s leading tackler at BYU (86 tackles) and has two pick-sixes in his Cougar career.
Nation’s outstanding college receiver
(Full 2017 watch list)
No local representatives in 2017
Nation’s best college football linebacker
(Full 2017 watch list)
Porter Gustin, junior, LB, USC (Salem Hills High)
Gustin has 94 career tackles for the Trojans heading into his junior season, including 20 tackles for loss and 11 sacks. He’s started 15 games for USC in his college career.
Fred Warner, senior LB, BYU
Warner has 177 career tackles for the Cougars through three seasons, including 23 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks. He’s also grabbed six interceptions, forced two fumbles and recovered four fumbles in his career.
Most versatile player in college football
(Full 2017 watch list)
No local representatives in 2017
Best defensive back in college football
(Full 2017 watch list)
Chase Hansen, junior S, Utah (Lone Peak High)
In his first season as a full-time starter in the defensive backfield, Hansen had 54 unassisted tackles (including a team-leading 90 overall) and 12 pass deflections. He also had 7.5 tackles for loss while forcing six turnovers, with three interceptions (including one that went for a touchdown) and three forced fumbles.
College defensive player of the year
(Full 2017 watch list)
Chase Hansen, junior S, Utah (Lone Peak High)
Hansen earned honorable mention All-Pac-12 honors last year after leading Utah in tackles (90) , passes defended (12) and pass breakups (nine) while also finishing tied for second nationally with four fumble recoveries. He also forced three fumbles while starting all 13 games.
Lowell Lotulelei, senior DT, Utah (Bingham High)
Lotulelei, a four-year starter, had 28 tackles and a career-high 8.5 tackles for loss as a junior last season. He was also named to the Nagurski watch list last year.
College football’s top interior lineman
(Full 2017 watch list)
Tejan Koroma, senior C, BYU
The three-year starter, one of four returning starters on the offensive line for the Cougars, graded out as one of the top four centers in college football in 2016, according to Pro Football Focus.
Lowell Lotulelei, senior DT, Utah (Bingham High)
Lotulelei has started 30 of the 38 games he’s played at defensive tackle for the Utes over his career. The three-time All-Pac-12 honoree was also named to the Outland Trophy watch list in 2016.
Previous local winners
1989: Mohammed Elewonibi, BYU
1986: Jason Buck, BYU
1961: Merlin Olsen, Utah State
College punter of the year
(Full 2017 watch list)
Mitch Wishnowsky, junior P, Utah
Wishnowsky, a unanimous consensus All-American last year, won the 2016 Ray Guy Award after leading the nation in net punting (44.63 yards) , punts of 50-plus yards (30) , punts inside the 10 (17) . He was also second nationally in punt average (47.7) , punts inside the 20 (34) and percentage of punts inside the 20 (53.13 percent) .
Jonny Linehan, senior P, BYU
Linehan averaged 42.5 yards per punt last season with 30 punts inside the 20-yard line, helping BYU hold opponents to an average of 2.53 yards per punt returns (sixth nationally) . He was also a Ray Guy Award candidate in 2016.
Previous local winners
2016: Mitch Wishnowsky, Utah
2015: Tom Hackett, Utah
2014: Tom Hackett, Utah
College football’s top kicker
(Full 2017 watch list)
No local representatives in 2017
Most outstanding center in college football
(Full 2017 watch list)
Tejan Koroma, senior C, BYU
Koroma has started 38 games at center for the Cougars in his collegiate career and helped BYU average more than 200 rushing yards per game in 2016.
