July 8, 2013
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IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa senior linebacker James Morris has been named to the 2013 Bednarik Award Watch List.
The Bednarik Award has been presented to the College Defensive Player of the Year since 1995. Chuck Bednarik, former standout at Penn and with the Philadelphia Eagles, is a member of both the College Football Hall of Fame’s Class of `69 and the NFL Hall of Fame’s Class of `67.
Morris has been a starting linebacker for the Hawkeyes since his true freshman season in 2010. Last season he ranked third in the Big Ten and 31st in the nation in tackles per game (9.4). He ranks 16th in career tackles (293). He was named a Permanent Team Captain in 2012 while earning the Hayden Fry “Extra Heartbeat” Award and the Players Choice Award on defense. Morris earned honorable mention All-Big Ten honors as a sophomore and junior after being named Freshman All-America by CollegeFootballNews.com as a freshman.
Morris earned CoSIDA/Capital One District VA Academic All-America honors in 2012 and is a two-time academic All-Big Ten honoree.
The native of Solon, Iowa, is also on the College Football Performance Awards Linebacker Watch List for this season.
Semifinalists for the Bednarik Award will be announced Oct. 29, while the three finalists will be unveiled Nov. 25. The winners of the 2013 Bednarik Award will be announced as part of the Home Depot College Football Awards Show held on Dec. 12. The formal presentations of the award will be made at the Maxwell Football Club Awards Gala hosted by Harrah’s Entertainment Atlantic City on March 7, 2014.
The watch list candidates have been chosen by the Maxwell Football Club’s selection committee, which analyzes both past performance and future potential. The Club reserves the right to make additions and deletions to these lists as the 2013 season unfolds. All members of the Maxwell Football Club, NCAA sports information directors, FBS head coaches and selected national media are eligible to vote for the awards.