This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Tuesday began the weekslong rollout of the National College Football Awards Association watch lists — the grand tradition of honoring hundreds of players months before they take the field — and a couple of Utes have their names attached to two of the more prestigious awards.
Senior running back Devontae Booker, who chose to stay in school for one more year instead of declaring for the draft, is one of 80 on the official radar for the Maxwell Award, given to the nation's best player. Booker was first-team All-Pac-12 last season, totaling 1,512 yards despite sharing carries in his first three games.
Senior linebacker Jared Norris was named on the 80-man list for the Bednarik Award, given to college football's best defensive player, after leading the team last year with 116 tackles. Norris excelled despite multiple injuries last season and has been billed by coaches as a potential NFL draft pick with a big senior season.
Oregon's Marcus Mariota won the Maxwell Award and Arizona's Scooby Wright III is the reigning Bednarik winner, and the Pac-12 was well-represented on both rosters, with 13 Maxwell and 12 Bednarik watchables.
Local stars Taysom Hill and Chuckie Keeton also made the Maxwell 80, and Kyler Fackrell, Nick Vigil and Bronson Kaufusi were on the Bednarik list.
Here's the rollout schedule:
July 7 • Bednarik Award and Maxwell Award
July 8 • John Mackey Award and Rimington Trophy
July 9 • Lou Groza Award and Ray Guy Award
July 10 • Bronco Nagurski Trophy and Outland Trophy
July 13 • Jim Thorpe Award
July 14 • Butkus Award and Rotary Lombardi Award
July 15 • Biletnikoff Award and Wuerffel Trophy
July 16 • Davey O'Brien Award and Doak Walker Award
July 17 • Walter Camp Award
— Matthew Piper
Twitter: @matthew_piper