2011 Maxwell and Bednarik Award Finalists

Maxwell Football Club President, Ron Jaworski, announced the 2011 finalists for the 75th Maxwell Award for the Collegiate Player of the Year and the 17th Chuck Bednarik Award for the Outstanding Defensive Player of the Year.

The respective lists include a field of three candidates for each of these awards as determined by the Semifinalist voting process which ended on Nov. 20.

All finalists are listed in alphabetical order with the player's school, position and class designated.

Finalists for the 75th Maxwell Award

• Andrew Luck, Stanford, QB, Senior
• Kellen Moore, Boise State, QB, Senior
• Trent Richardson, Alabama, RB, Junior

Finalists for the 17th Chuck Bednarik Award

• Dont'a Hightower, Alabama, LB, Junior
• Tyrann Mathieu, LSU, CB, Sophomore
• Devon Still, Penn State, DT, Senior

Luck and Moore were Maxwell finalists last season while Richardson will try to keep the Maxwell Award within the state of Alabama. Defensively, Hightower will aim to help the Crimson Tide sweep the two awards.

No. 4 Stanford's Andrew Luck has completed over 70% of his pass attempts and leads the Pac-12 in passer rating. Boise State's Kellen Moore is the winningest quarterback in FBS history. He is fourth in the country in passer rating and has a 35:6 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Richardson's 1,380 rushing yards are fourth in the country; he has added 20 touchdowns on the ground.

Richardson's teammate, junior linebacker Dont'a Hightower, is the leading tackler on the nation's best total defense. He has 8.5 tackles-for-loss. Conference-mate, LSU's Tyrann Mathieu has two interceptions, and has recovered three fumbles for the second best total defense in the FBS. Devon Still has quietly racked up 16.5 tackles-for-loss for a Penn State squad with the third best scoring defense in the country. In fact, there are representatives from the nation's top three total defenses among the Bednarik finalists.
Last season, the Maxwell Award went to Cam Newton of Auburn while the Bednarik went to conference-mate Patrick Peterson of LSU. Newton and Peterson now suit up for the Carolina Panthers and Arizona Cardinals, respectively.

The winners of the 75th Maxwell Award and the 17th Chuck Bednarik Award will be announced as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show on December 8, 2011. The formal presentation of these awards will be made at the Maxwell Football Club's Awards Dinner on Friday, March 2, 2012 at the Harrah's Entertainment Complex in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Voting for both of the collegiate awards presented by the Maxwell Football Club will begin on Tuesday, November 22nd and close on Sunday December 4th. Eligible voters include Maxwell Football Club members, NCAA Head Football Coaches, Sports Information Directors and selected nat