State Of Utah’s 2023 College Football Award Watch List Tracker
Jul 31, 2023, 11:27 AM | Updated: Aug 15, 2023, 4:40 pm

Tracking the state of Utah players that are named to college football award watch lists for the 2023 season. (Photos courtesy of the Deseret News)
(Photos courtesy of the Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY – The 2023 college football season is almost here. You get a sense of how close the season is when college football award watch lists begin rolling out.
Players on teams in the state of Utah are making their presence felt on these watch lists. Here’s a helpful tracker to keep tabs on which players are being nominated for which awards entering the 2023 season.
The awards for college football are now called the NCFAA (National College Football Awards). It’s the first season these college football awards have fell under the NCFAA title.
Maxwell Award
The Maxwell Award is presented to the college football player of the year by the Maxwell Football Club.
BYU
- QB Kedon Slovis, Sr.
- RB Aidan Robbins, Jr.
BYU is one of 17 programs that produced two players on the preseason Maxwell Award watch list.
𝐌𝐀𝐗𝐖𝐄𝐋𝐋 𝐀𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐃 𝐖𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇 𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓@Kedonslovis 🤝 @theaidanrobbins pic.twitter.com/exSDayeK7S
— BYU FOOTBALL (@BYUfootball) July 31, 2023
Utah
- QB Cam Rising, Sr.
.@crising7 named to the Maxwell Award watchlist 🙌https://t.co/TqkwezsEIn pic.twitter.com/8kTrsBwAuY
— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) July 31, 2023
More on senior quarterback Cam Rising being named to the Maxwell Award list.
Past winners from the state of Utah: Ty Detmer (BYU, 1990).
Patrick Mannelly Award
The Mannelly Award is presented to the top Long Snapper in the country.
BYU
- Austin Riggs, Jr.
𝐏𝐀𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐊 𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐍𝐄𝐋𝐋𝐘 𝐀𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐃 𝐖𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇 𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓@austinrriggs 🤝 @MannellyAward pic.twitter.com/GzimcnFvcx
— BYU FOOTBALL (@BYUfootball) July 31, 2023
Outland Trophy
The Outland Trophy is given to the nation’s most outstanding interior lineman by the Football Writers Association of America.
BYU
- OT Kingsley Suamataia, Soph.
OUTLAND TROPHY WATCH LIST@baby76kings 🤝 @outlandtrophy pic.twitter.com/IBBesDx0CQ
— BYU FOOTBALL (@BYUfootball) August 1, 2023
Utah
- G Keaton Bills, Sr.
- DT Junior Tafuna, Jr.
- OT Sataoa Laumea, Jr.
Outland Trophy Watchlist 🤝@LaumeaSataoa | @JuniorTafuna45 | @keatonbills https://t.co/uYJZr9XMD5 pic.twitter.com/q8YarK8EOs
— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) August 1, 2023
Past winners from the state of Utah: Merlin Olsen (Utah State, 1961); Jason Buck (BYU, 1986); Mohammed Elewonibi (BYU, 1989).
Bronko Nagurski Trophy
Utah
- S Cole Bishop, Jr.
- DT Junior Tafuna, Jr.
Bronko Nagurski watchlist ☑️@JuniorTafuna45 | @Cole_bishop_8 https://t.co/osdkpqZXE5 pic.twitter.com/oWqdmjmGOb
— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) August 1, 2023
Past winners from the state of Utah: None
Ray Guy Award
Given to the college punter of the year by the Augusta (Georgia) Sports Council.
BYU
- Ryan Rehkow, Jr.
RAY GUY AWARD WATCH LIST@r_rehkow24 🤝 @RayGuyAward pic.twitter.com/5LwipVeyVA
— BYU FOOTBALL (@BYUfootball) August 2, 2023
Utah State
- Stephen Kotsanlee, Sr.
Past winners from the state of Utah: Tom Hackett (Utah, 2014 & 2015).
Paul Hornung Award
The Paul Hornung Award goes to the most versatile player in college football by the Louisville Sports Commission.
Utah
- TE Brant Kuithe, Sr.
Utah State
- WR Terrell Vaughn, Sr.
Past winners from the state of Utah: None
A couple of local players landed on the @hornungaward watch list. 🙌 🐮 🏈#HornungAward #GoUtes #AggiesAllTheWay https://t.co/kSugaU7UBc
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) August 3, 2023
Wuerffel Trophy
Named after former Florida quarterback Danny Wuerffel, the Wuerffel Trophy is given to the player who best combines exemplary community service with athletic and academic achievement.
BYU
- DE/Edge Tyler Batty, Jr.
WUERFFEL TROPHY WATCH LIST@Tyler_Batty2 🤝 @WuerffelTrophy pic.twitter.com/inZDhhNLM1
— BYU FOOTBALL (@BYUfootball) August 3, 2023
Utah State
- LS Jacob Garcia, Jr.
Past winners from the state of Utah: None
. @_jacob_garcia__ named to @WuerffelTrophy Watch List❕🤘
📰 https://t.co/dsbmhR2TEC#AggiesAllTheWay pic.twitter.com/9CTk51zC0q
— USU Football (@USUFootball) August 3, 2023
Mackey Award
BYU
- Isaac Rex, Jr.
JOHN MACKEY AWARD WATCHLIST@isaacrex83 🤝 @JohnMackeyAward pic.twitter.com/KMvmho4Vzp
— BYU FOOTBALL (@BYUfootball) August 4, 2023
Utah
-
- TE Brant Kuithe, Sr.
- TE Thomas Yassmin, Sr.
.@Brantkuithe14 & @TYassmin21 have been named to the John Mackey watchlist, honoring the nation’s most outstanding tight end ‼️https://t.co/X4yftiHj83 pic.twitter.com/VdgnB9u0Xz
— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) August 4, 2023
Past winners from the state of Utah: None
Rimington Trophy
The Rimington Trophy goes to the nation’s premier center by the Boomer Esiason Foundation.
BYU
- Connor Pay, Jr.
RIMINGTON TROPHY WATCH LIST@cpay70 🤝 @rimingtontrophy pic.twitter.com/jVdCa3jpdR
— BYU FOOTBALL (@BYUfootball) August 4, 2023
Past winners from the state of Utah: None
Biletnikoff Award
Presented to the nation’s top college receiver by the Tallahassee Quarterback Club Foundation.
Past winners from the state of Utah: None
Davey O’Brien Award
The Davey O’Brien is given to the nation’s best quarterback by the Davey O’Brien Foundation.
Utah
Cam has been named to the @daveyobrien watchlist, which honors the nation’s top college QB 🙌 https://t.co/DvAikQviD9 pic.twitter.com/3M9u0upCXh
— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) August 8, 2023
Past winners from the state of Utah: Jim McMahon (BYU, 1981); Steve Young (BYU, 1983); Ty Detmer (BYU, 1990 & 1991).
Doak Walker Award
Presented to the nation’s premier running back by the SMU Athletic Forum.
Past winners from the state of Utah: Luke Staley (BYU, 2001)
Butkus Award
The Butkus Award is given to the nation’s best linebacker by the Butkus Foundation.
Utah
Congrats @k_reid41 on being named to the Butkus Award watchlist, honoring the nation’s best linebackers ‼️ https://t.co/JEyyumY7JF pic.twitter.com/CM5ERsFOpQ
— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) August 10, 2023
Past winners from the state of Utah: None
Jim Thorpe Award
Presented to the nation’s best defensive back by the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame and Paycom.
Utah
Congrats @Cole_bishop_8 on being named to the Jim Thorpe Award watchlist, given annually to the best defensive back in college football 🙌 https://t.co/5CL6fV3jv1 pic.twitter.com/4v1sjoE4Z7
— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) August 10, 2023
Past winners from the state of Utah: None
Walter Camp Award
The Walter Camp Award is given to the nation’s most outstanding player by the Walter Camp Football Foundation.
Past winners from the state of Utah: None
Bednarik Award
Presented to the college defensive player of the year by the Maxwell Football Club.
Utah
‼️ @Cole_bishop_8 has been named to the Bednarik Award watchlist, honoring the best defensive player in college football pic.twitter.com/tDkaYAsGhW
— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) August 14, 2023
Past winners from the state of Utah: None
Manning Award
The Manning Award is presented by the Allstate Sugar Bowl and is the only quarterback award that includes the candidates’ bowl performances in its balloting.
Utah
.@crising7 has been named to the Manning Award watchlist ‼️https://t.co/VgmQbXFow5 pic.twitter.com/CYrmRKTPvC
— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) August 15, 2023
Lombardi Award
The Lombardi Award goes annually to the college football offensive or defensive lineman who exemplifies the character and discipline of NFL Hall of Fame head coach Vince Lombardi.
Utah
‼️ @JuniorTafuna45 has been named to the Lombardi Award watchlist!https://t.co/AroKmiZkti pic.twitter.com/jvd7clOCSm
— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) August 15, 2023