Aug. 5, 2013
THE FLATS – Georgia Tech senior defensive end Jeremiah Attaochu is one of 22 preseason candidates for the Ted Hendricks Award, which is presented annually to the top defensive end in college football, the Ted Hendricks Foundation announced Monday.
Attaochu is joined on the Hendricks Award preseason watch list by two other ACC players – Miami’s Anthony Chickillo and North Carolina’s Kareem martin – as well as the 2012 Award winner, South Carolina’s Jadeveon Clowney.
It’s been a noteworthy preseason for Attaochu, who moved from outside linebacker to defensive end in the spring as the Yellow Jackets switched to the 4-3 scheme under defensive coordinator Ted Roof. Attaochu is on the preseason watch list for five national individual awards and he was Tech’s lone representative on the preseason All-ACC team.
In all, six different Yellow Jacket players are on eight preseason watch lists:
Bednarik Award – Jeremiah Attaochu and Jemea Thomas
Butkus Award – Jeremiah Attaochu and Brandon Watts
Doak Walker Award – David Sims
Nagurski Trophy – Jeremiah Attaochu
Paul Hornung Award – Jamal Golden
Rimington Trophy – Jay Finch
Rotary Lombardi Award – Jeremiah Attoachu
Ted Hendricks Award – Jeremiah Attaochu
The Ted Hendricks Award is named in honor of college football’s first three-time first-team All-American.His professional career spanned 15 years and 215 consecutive games. It included four Super Bowl victories, eight Pro Bowl selections and inductions into the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame.
On-field performance, exceptional winning attitude, leadership abilities, contributions to school, and community and academic preparedness are some of the criteria used to determine the Award’s winner.
Members of the national media, head coaches, professional scouts and former winners are included in the Award’s voting committee. Candidates may represent any class (freshman through senior) as well as any four-year NCAA accredited school. The candidate’s primary position must be Defensive End.
Previous recipients of the Hendricks Award include: 2002 – Terrell Suggs (Arizona State), 2003-04 – David Pollack (Georgia), 2005 – Elvis Dumervil (Louisville), 2006 – LaMarr Woodley (Michigan), 2007 – Chris Long (Virginia), 2008 – Brian Orakpo (Texas), 2009 – Jerry Hughes (TCU), 2010 – Da’Quan Bowers (Clemson), 2011 – Whitney Mercilus (Illinois) and 2012 – Jadeveon Clowney (South Carolina).
2013 Hendricks Award Preseason Watch List
Jeremiah Attaochu, Georgia Tech
Morgan Breslin, USC
Anthony Chickillo, Miami
Jadeveon Clowney, South Carolina
Scott Crichton, Oregon State
Ik Enempkpali, Louisiana Tech
Devonte Fields, TCU
Ryne Giddins, South Florida
Brock Hekking, Nevada
Kerry Hyder, Texas Tech
Jackson Jeffcoat, Texas
Bronson Kaufusi, BYU
Demarcus Lawrence, Boise State
Aaron Lynch, South Florida
Kareem Martin, North Carolina
Jonathan Newsome, Ball State
Marcus Rush, Michigan State
Tyler Scott, Northwestern
Chris Smith, Arkansas
Jeremiah Taylor, Marshall
Stephon Tuitt, Notre Dame
Chidera Uzo Diribe, Colorado
