College football season is upon us and award season, by default, is also a little bit closer.
Individual players and coaches will tell any member of the media that championships mean more, and that is probably true. But let's not lie to ourselves, these awards mean something, and in the preseason the watch lists are in full swing.
Here's a full tracker of each Miami Hurricanes football player that made it onto a preseason award watch list:
Maxwell Award, the Collegiate Football Player of the Year
- Darian Mensah, QB
- Malachi Toney, WR
- Mark Fletcher Jr., RB
Walter Camp Player of the Year
- Darian Mensah, QB
- Malachi Toney, WR
- Mark Fletcher Jr., RB
Bronko Nagurski Trophy, the National Defensive Player of the Year
- Ahmad Moten Sr., DL
- Damon Wilson II, DE
- Bryce Fitzgerald, DB
Chuck Bednarik Award, Top Defensive Player
- Ahmad Moten Sr., DL
- Damon Wilson II, DE
Biletnikoff Award, Nation's Most Outstanding College Football Receiver
- Malachi Toney, WR
- Cooper Barkate, WR
Davey O'Brien Award, Nation's Best Collegiate Quarterback
- Darian Mensah, QB
Manning Award, Top Quarterback (includes bowl game and CFP performances)
- Darian Mensah, QB
Ray Guy Award, Nation's Top Punter
- Dylan Joyce, P
Lott IMPACT Trophy
- Bryce Fitzgerald, DB
- Damon Wilson II, DL
As you may have noticed, the lists lean heavily toward the offense for Miami. Darian Mensah and Malachi Toney are on multiple lists, and both players have a chance to be Heisman finalists this season.
The Hurricanes will have to take care of business in the regular season (and presumably in the ACC championship game) for either player to receive serious consideration. They could also potentially take some votes away from each other if they end up in the top five, but let's not get too ahead of ourselves with this one.
As of right now, the Hurricanes have multiple players in good position to take home some hardware at the end of the season, and that's a massive upgrade from where the program was five years ago.
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