Notre Dame’s Manti Te’o is a finalist for both Maxwell and Bednarik Awards

Maxwell Football Club President, Ron Jaworski, announced the 2012 finalists for the 76th Maxwell Award for the Collegiate Player of the Year and the 18th 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. 18.

Maxwell Award for the Collegiate Player of the Year

Collin Klein, from Kansas State, has been a dynamic leader for the Wildcat offense, completing 66.7 percent of his passes for 2,306 yards, 14 touchdowns and six interceptions. He also has run for 787 yards on 171 attempts, and has scored 20 touchdowns on the ground.

Texas A&M freshman sensation Johnny Manziel has also put up some record-breaking numbers this season. He has rushed for 1,114 yards on 171 carries and 17 touchdowns. As a passer, he has 241 completions on 356 attempts for 3,047 yards and 21 touchdowns.

Manti Te’o is the rock on which the powerful Notre Dame defense has been built, and is the only defensive player named on the Maxwell Award finalist list. He has been a model of consistency during the 2012 campaign, helping lead the Irish to an 11-0 record and the top spot in the latest BCS standings. He has registered 98 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, six interceptions, two fumble recoveries and 1.5 sacks this season. Te’o is also a finalist for the Chuck Bednarik Award.

Chuck Bednarik Award

Joining Te’o as Bednarik Award finalists are Jarvis Jones of Georgia and Jadeveon Clowney of South Carolina, two of the most dangerous “edge players” in college football. Both were named as Maxwell Award semi-finalists this season.

Jones, a junior, is the leader of the Georgia defense, and has helped spearhead the Dawgs to a 10-1 record, No. 3 BCS ranking and a berth in the SEC Championship Game. For the season, Jones has posted 62 tackles, 18 stops for loss, 10.5 sacks, two fumble recoveries and an interception. He has accomplished this while missing the better part of two games while battling injuries.

Clowney is one of the most dynamic underclassmen in the country this season, and is a player that offenses have to account for on every play. He has 43 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks and two fumble recoveries for the Gamecock defense.

Last season, the Maxwell Award went to Andrew Luck of Stanford University while the Bednarik Award went to Tyrann Mathieu of LSU. Luck is now the starting quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts.

The winners of the 76th Maxwell Award and the 18th Chuck Bednarik Award will be announced as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show on December 6, 2011. The formal presentation of these awards will be made at the Maxwell Football Club’s Awards Dinner on Friday, March 1, 2013 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 20th and close on Sunday December 2nd. Eligible voters include Maxwell Football Club members, NCAA Head Football Coaches, Sports Information Directors and selected national media.