TEMPE, Ariz. – Arizona State senior running back Kalen Ballage and senior linebacker Koron Crump have been placed on the watch list for two of college football's most prestigious post season awards, as announced by the Maxwell Football Club on Monday.
Ballage is on the watch list for the Maxwell Award, presented since 1937 to the player considered college football's Player of the Year. The award is named for Robert W. Maxwell, who contributed to college football as a player, sportswriter and official.
Crump has been selected to the watch list for the Bednarik Award, symbolic of college football's Defensive Player of the Year. Named for College and Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee Chuck Bednarik, the award has been presented annually since 1995.
Ballage's selection marks the fifth consecutive year a Sun Devil has been on the Maxwell Award watch list, and the tenth time a Sun Devil has been on the list in the last six years. In addition, 11 Pac-12 representatives are on the list. Ballage totaled 1,005 yards in total offense last season (536 rushing, 469 receiving). His 15 touchdowns on the season led ASU in that category, eight of which came in an FBS record-tying performance against Texas Tech. For that performance, Ballage earned national and Pac-12 Player of the Week honors. He was one of nine players last season to score a touchdown rushing, receiving and throwing.
It's the third consecutive year a Sun Devil has been named to the Bednarik Award watch list, as Crump joins defensive back Lloyd Carrington (2015) and linebacker Salamo Fiso (2016). Crump led the Devils last season with nine sacks, ranking fifth in the Pac-12 in that category. He was also second on the squad with 10.5 tackles for loss, earning second-team all-Pac-12 honors.
The Maxwell and Bednarik Awards are members of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. The 23 awards boast over 745 years of tradition-selection excellence. More information is available at www.NCFAA.org and www.maxwellfootballclub.org.
Ballage is on the watch list for the Maxwell Award, presented since 1937 to the player considered college football's Player of the Year. The award is named for Robert W. Maxwell, who contributed to college football as a player, sportswriter and official.
Crump has been selected to the watch list for the Bednarik Award, symbolic of college football's Defensive Player of the Year. Named for College and Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee Chuck Bednarik, the award has been presented annually since 1995.
Ballage's selection marks the fifth consecutive year a Sun Devil has been on the Maxwell Award watch list, and the tenth time a Sun Devil has been on the list in the last six years. In addition, 11 Pac-12 representatives are on the list. Ballage totaled 1,005 yards in total offense last season (536 rushing, 469 receiving). His 15 touchdowns on the season led ASU in that category, eight of which came in an FBS record-tying performance against Texas Tech. For that performance, Ballage earned national and Pac-12 Player of the Week honors. He was one of nine players last season to score a touchdown rushing, receiving and throwing.
It's the third consecutive year a Sun Devil has been named to the Bednarik Award watch list, as Crump joins defensive back Lloyd Carrington (2015) and linebacker Salamo Fiso (2016). Crump led the Devils last season with nine sacks, ranking fifth in the Pac-12 in that category. He was also second on the squad with 10.5 tackles for loss, earning second-team all-Pac-12 honors.
The Maxwell and Bednarik Awards are members of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. The 23 awards boast over 745 years of tradition-selection excellence. More information is available at www.NCFAA.org and www.maxwellfootballclub.org.