No Cincinnati Bearcats Selected For Jim Thorpe Award Watch List

The Cincinnati Bearcats missed on getting a player named to the 2014 Jim Thorpe Award watch list when it was released this morning. The trophy honors college football’s best defensive back and UC didn’t get one of their own in the initial field of 39.

This isn’t all too surprising. Defensive back could be an area of strength for Cincinnati next season what with the talented youth that dot the position group. By they are youths (or yutes, if you prefer) after all and could be feast or famine depending on how they progress this offseason. No senior returns to the unit besides Howard Wilder and while he was solid as a cover corner in 2013, his numbers didn’t blow anyone away. The rest of the DBs are made up of three juniors, three sophomores, a redshirt freshman, and a true freshman, many of which will have expanded roles this fall with Deven Drane and Arryn Chenault no longer with the program.

So while the Bearcats missed on the 2014 Jim Thorpe Award watch list, I wouldn’t be surprised in the least to see up-and-coming players like Mike Tyson pop up in the coming years.

Also on the watch list front:

• Deyshawn Bond renamed to Rimington Award (Best Center) watch list
• No Bearcats were named to the Bednarik Award (Best Defensive Player) or Maxwell Award (Best Offensive Player) watch lists
• Cincinnati didn’t have a player named to the Lou Groza (Best Kicker) or Ray Guy (Best Punter) watch lists
• Eric Lefeld named to Outland Trophy (Best Lineman) watch list

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