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University of Oklahoma Athletics
Four on Maxwell, Bednarik Semifinal Lists
October 29, 2019 | Football
NORMAN — Oklahoma quarterback Jalen Hurts and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb were named semifinalists for the 83rd Maxwell Award for the Collegiate Player of the Year and Neville Gallimore and Kenneth Murray were selected as semifinalists for the 25th Chuck Bednarik Award for the Outstanding Defensive Player of the Year, the Maxwell Football Club announced Tuesday.
Oklahoma is one of just two schools to boast two semifinalists for both the Maxwell and Bednarik awards (Ohio State is the other).
Hurts and Lamb have combined to lead the most prolific offense in the country this season while Gallimore and Murray have paced the defensive turnaround for Oklahoma this year. The Sooners lead the nation in scoring offense, total offense and passing efficiency, as well as yards per pass attempt (12.82) and yards per rush (7.1). On the other side of the ball, OU ranks 30th nationally in total defense, as opposed to 59th at this time last year, 42nd in scoring defense (62nd last year), 42nd in rushing defense (56th last year), 38th in passing defense (75th last year) and 26th in sacks (53rd last year).
Hurts leads the nation in passing efficiency rating (224.3), yards per pass attempt (13.7; next most is 10.9), yards per completion (18.6), total touchdowns (34) and points responsible for (25.8 per game). He ranks second in total offense per game (408.8), fourth in completion percentage (73.9), seventh in passing yards per game (308.6), eighth in passing touchdowns (21) and 10th in scoring (9.8 points per game), as well as third in yards per rush (7.78), sixth in rushing touchdowns (13) and 29th in rushing yards per game (100.1).
The senior from Houston, Texas, is the only FBS player since 1996 to post a passing efficiency rating of 245.0 or better five times in the same season (minimum 15 attempts), and the only player to do so more than three times. Hurts is also the only FBS player with three games this season of two-plus rushing touchdowns and two-plus passing TDs.
Lamb, a consensus first-team midseason All-American, ranks second nationally in yards per reception (22.7) and receiving touchdowns (11), seventh in receiving yards (816) and 11th in receiving yards per game (102.0), while also ranking 10th in total touchdowns (12), 19th in scoring (9.3 points per game) and 46th in all-purpose yards per game (117.9). The junior from Richmond, Texas, ranks 10th in school history in receptions (147), fifth in receiving yards (2,781) and third in receiving touchdowns (29).
Gallimore has been disruptive on the defensive line this year. The senior has notched 5.5 tackles for loss and is tied for the team lead with 3.0 sacks and three QB hurries. A product of Ottawa, Ontario, Gallimore has forced two fumbles, which is tied for most in the Big 12. Of his 19 total tackles, 13 have been solo stops. Two of his sacks came in the Red River Showdown against Texas, when he also registered a season high with four tackles.
Murray leads the Sooners in tackles (55) and tackles for loss (7.5) while accounting for 2.5 sacks, two pass breakups and three QB hurries. The junior from Missouri City, Texas, was named a first-team midseason All-American by ESPN and earned Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week honors after tallying five tackles (with 2.0 TFLs and a sack) against Texas. He was also named the Lott IMPACT Player of the Week after the season-opening win over Houston when he finished with 13 tackles, 2.5 TFLs, one pass breakup and a QB hurry.
Semifinalist voting for both of the collegiate awards presented by the Maxwell Football Club will begin on Wednesday, Oct. 30 and will close on Nov. 24. Three finalists for each award will be announced on Nov. 25 and a second round of voting will take place at that time. Eligible voters include Maxwell Football Club members, NCAA head football coaches, sports information directors and select national media.
The winners of the 83rd Maxwell Award and the 25th Chuck Bednarik Award will be announced as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show presented by Gildan which will be broadcast live on ESPN on Dec. 12, 2019. The formal presentation of these awards will be made at the Maxwell Football Club's Awards Dinner on Friday, March 6, 2020, at the Tropicana Casino & Resort in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Oklahoma is one of just two schools to boast two semifinalists for both the Maxwell and Bednarik awards (Ohio State is the other).
Hurts and Lamb have combined to lead the most prolific offense in the country this season while Gallimore and Murray have paced the defensive turnaround for Oklahoma this year. The Sooners lead the nation in scoring offense, total offense and passing efficiency, as well as yards per pass attempt (12.82) and yards per rush (7.1). On the other side of the ball, OU ranks 30th nationally in total defense, as opposed to 59th at this time last year, 42nd in scoring defense (62nd last year), 42nd in rushing defense (56th last year), 38th in passing defense (75th last year) and 26th in sacks (53rd last year).
Hurts leads the nation in passing efficiency rating (224.3), yards per pass attempt (13.7; next most is 10.9), yards per completion (18.6), total touchdowns (34) and points responsible for (25.8 per game). He ranks second in total offense per game (408.8), fourth in completion percentage (73.9), seventh in passing yards per game (308.6), eighth in passing touchdowns (21) and 10th in scoring (9.8 points per game), as well as third in yards per rush (7.78), sixth in rushing touchdowns (13) and 29th in rushing yards per game (100.1).
The senior from Houston, Texas, is the only FBS player since 1996 to post a passing efficiency rating of 245.0 or better five times in the same season (minimum 15 attempts), and the only player to do so more than three times. Hurts is also the only FBS player with three games this season of two-plus rushing touchdowns and two-plus passing TDs.
Lamb, a consensus first-team midseason All-American, ranks second nationally in yards per reception (22.7) and receiving touchdowns (11), seventh in receiving yards (816) and 11th in receiving yards per game (102.0), while also ranking 10th in total touchdowns (12), 19th in scoring (9.3 points per game) and 46th in all-purpose yards per game (117.9). The junior from Richmond, Texas, ranks 10th in school history in receptions (147), fifth in receiving yards (2,781) and third in receiving touchdowns (29).
Gallimore has been disruptive on the defensive line this year. The senior has notched 5.5 tackles for loss and is tied for the team lead with 3.0 sacks and three QB hurries. A product of Ottawa, Ontario, Gallimore has forced two fumbles, which is tied for most in the Big 12. Of his 19 total tackles, 13 have been solo stops. Two of his sacks came in the Red River Showdown against Texas, when he also registered a season high with four tackles.
Murray leads the Sooners in tackles (55) and tackles for loss (7.5) while accounting for 2.5 sacks, two pass breakups and three QB hurries. The junior from Missouri City, Texas, was named a first-team midseason All-American by ESPN and earned Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week honors after tallying five tackles (with 2.0 TFLs and a sack) against Texas. He was also named the Lott IMPACT Player of the Week after the season-opening win over Houston when he finished with 13 tackles, 2.5 TFLs, one pass breakup and a QB hurry.
Semifinalist voting for both of the collegiate awards presented by the Maxwell Football Club will begin on Wednesday, Oct. 30 and will close on Nov. 24. Three finalists for each award will be announced on Nov. 25 and a second round of voting will take place at that time. Eligible voters include Maxwell Football Club members, NCAA head football coaches, sports information directors and select national media.
The winners of the 83rd Maxwell Award and the 25th Chuck Bednarik Award will be announced as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show presented by Gildan which will be broadcast live on ESPN on Dec. 12, 2019. The formal presentation of these awards will be made at the Maxwell Football Club's Awards Dinner on Friday, March 6, 2020, at the Tropicana Casino & Resort in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
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