Two Utes have made the semifinal cut for national awards this week.
Senior defensive end Hunter Dimick is among 18 semifinalists for the Bednarik Award, given annually to the defensive player of the year. Senior kicker Andy Phillips is among 20 semifinalists for the Lou Groza Award, given to the nation's top placekicker.
After sitting out much of last season, Dimick has notched 38 tackles, including 11 for a loss, with 7 sacks in nine games for Utah. He also has a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
Dimick shares space with some of the biggest names in the country on the Bednarik list, including Michigan's Jabrill Peppers, Texas A&M's Myles Garrett and Stanford's Solomon Thomas.
Phillips has been a Groza semifinalist every year of his Utah career. He's 14 for 17 kicking this year, while hitting all 29 extra point attempts.
He has an 83.6 career accuracy rate, and his 77 field goals are not just a Utah record, but ranks him the second-leading active kicker in the country behind only Arizona State's Zane Gonzalez (93). With 392 career points, he's the third-leading active player in FBS.
Neither may field the best chance of a national award on the team: Sophomore punter Mitch Wishnowsky currently leads the nation with 48.8 yards per punt, and is Pro Football Focus' best-rated punter in the country. He's among 66 candidates for the Ray Guy Award, which Utah's Tom Hackett won each of the last two years.
kgoon@sltrib.com
Twitter: @kylegoon
Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune University of Utah football player Hunter Dimick (No. 49), at practice in Salt Lake City, Friday August 14, 2015.
Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune Utah Utes defensive end Hunter Dimick (49) and Utah Utes linebacker Alex Whittingham (34) celebrate their 20-19 won over BYU, in football action, BYU vs. Utah at Rice-Eccles Stadium, Saturday, September 10, 2016.
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