June 13, 2006
TEMPE, Ariz. - Arizona State junior TE Zach Miller and senior DE Loren Howard were named to the 2006 Award Watch Lists for the Maxwell Award and Chuck Bednarik Award, respectively, according to an announcement by Maxwell Football Club President Ron Jaworski on Tuesday.
The Maxwell award is given annually to the Collegiate Player of the Year and the Chuck Bednarik Award is presented to the Outstanding Defensive Player of the Year.
Miller enters his junior season at or near the top of several career statistical categories for an ASU tight end. He is currently tied at the top of the list for career touchdowns (11), is ranked second in receptions (94) and fourth in receiving yards (1,028). His 94 receptions the last two seasons are more than any other tight end in college football during that span. A 2006 A Playboy Preseason All-American, Miller was named the Pac-10 Freshman of the Year in 2004 after catching 56 passes for 552 yards and six touchdowns. Despite missing time due to injury last season, he still recorded 38 receptions for 476 yards and four touchdowns.
Howard, who last week was named to the 2006 Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List, sat out last season after transferring to ASU from Northwestern. He finished his three-year Northwestern career fifth in the school history in both sacks (11) and tackles for loss (34). Howard earned honorable mention All-Big Ten honors as a sophomore in 2003, after recording 65 tackles and career-highs of 16 tackles for loss and eight sacks. As a true freshman in 2002, he earned first-team freshman All-American honors and was name the Big Ten Conference Defensive Freshman of the Year, after tallying a career-best 81 total tackles, 13.5 of which were behind the line of scrimmage.
Twelve semi-finalists for each award will be announced in October 2006 and the field will be trimmed to three finalists in November 2006. The winners of the Maxwell and Bednarik Awards will be announced at the Home Depot College Football Awards Show that will be broadcast on ESPN in December 2006. The formal presentation of the Maxwell and Bednarik Awards will take place at the Maxwell Football Club Awards Banquet in March 2007.