The Kansas State football team boasts eight mentions in national award watch lists, as well as two preseason All-Big 12 placements and a player on two preseason All-American teams.
Senior offensive lineman and team captain Dalton Risner grabbed watch list mentions for the Outland Trophy, given to the nation’s best interior lineman, and the Wuerffel Trophy, given to the player that has done the most for their community.
Risner is making his second appearance on both of those watch lists.
Risner is also mentioned on preseason All-American teams by ESPN and USA Today, and is a preseason All-Big 12 team member. The captain was an All-Big 12 First Team selection in 2017, along with receiving a nod on Pro Football Focus’ first team All-American list last year.
Senior safety Kendall Adams joins Risner on the preseason All-Big 12 team.
Junior running back Alex Barnes landed a spot on the Maxwell Award watch list. The Maxwell Award is given by the Maxwell Football Club to the college football player of the year.
Barnes is also among six Big 12 running backs named to the Doak Walker Award watch list, given to the best running back in college football.
The Bronko Nagurski Trophy is handed out to the Football Writers Association of America’s defensive player of the year. Senior cornerback Duke Shelley is making his third appearance on the watch list for this award, dating back to his second season in Manhattan.
Junior center Adam Holtorf landed a nod on the Rimington Trophy watch list. The Rimington is given to the nation’s best center.
For the second season in a row, junior defensive end and co-captain Reggie Walker was named to the Ted Hendricks Award watch list. This award goes to the best defensive end in college football.
K-State’s final watch list nomination is junior safety Denzel Goolsby’s mention on the Lott IMPACT Trophy watch list. The IMPACT Trophy is handed out to the defensive player who has the best on-the-field performance and best off-the-field character.
IMPACT stands for Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community and Tenacity. According to the the Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation, the award’s recipient will be the player who best exemplifies that acronym.
As the season wears on, these award committees will whittle their lists down to semifinalists around mid-season, announce finalists toward the end of the year, and then they will select their recipient after the season.
