IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa senior quarterback C.J. Beathard and senior defensive back Desmond King have been named to the sixth annual Big Ten Conference football preseason honors list. The announcement was made by the Big Ten Conference on Monday. A select media panel chose this year’s 10-member preseason list, including five representatives each from the East and West divisions.
Beathard (6-foot-2, 209-pounds) started all 14 games at quarterback last season, passing for 2,809 yards, 17 touchdowns, and five interceptions, while rushing for 237 yards and six touchdowns. A native of Franklin, Tennessee, Beathard earned second-team All-Big Ten honors by league coaches and media and third-team All-Big Ten by Phil Steele at the end of the season.
Earlier this month, Beathard was named to the Maxwell Trophy Watch List, Davey O’Brien Award Watch List, and Walter Camp Player of the Year Watch List. He was also named preseason second-team All-Big Ten by Athlon Sports.
King (5-foot-11, 200-pounds) started all 14 games at cornerback a year ago, tying the Iowa single-season record and ranking second in the country with eight interceptions, while recording 72 tackles and a team-high 13 pass breakups. He also handled the majority of punt returns and kickoff returns last season, averaging 14.2 yards on 17 punt returns and 24.4 yards on 29 kickoff returns.
The Detroit, Michigan, native was named a unanimous consensus All-American, a recipient of the Jim Thorpe Award, and a recipient of the Jack Tatum Award in 2015. In addition, King was named one of five finalists for the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award, named the Tatum-Woodson Big Ten Conference Defensive Back of the Year, and was voted first team All-Big Ten by Walter Camp, Associated Press, AFCA, FWAA, Sporting News, USA Today, SI.com, ESPN.com, Athlon Spots, ProFootballFocus.com, Phil Steele, and College Sports Madness.
Earlier this month, King was named to five preseason awards watch lists — he was named to the Bednarik Award Watch List, Nagurski Trophy Watch List, Jim Thorpe Award Watch List, Paul Hornung Award Watch List, and Walter Camp Player of the Year Watch List. Athlon Sports also listed King as preseason first-team All-America and All-Big Ten, preseason second-team All-Big Ten (punt returns), and preseason third-team All-Big Ten (kickoff returns).
In addition to Beathard and King, the West Division is represented by Justin Jackson (Northwestern, RB), Anthony Walker, Jr. (Northwestern, LB), and Corey Clement (Wisconsin, RB).
The East Division includes J.T. Barrett (Ohio State, QB), Raekwon McMillan (Ohio State, LB), Saquon Barkley (Penn State, RB), Malik McDowell (Michigan State, DL), and Jabrill Peppers (Michigan, LB/DB).
Since the Big Ten Conference started football preseason watch lists in 2011, four Hawkeyes have been recognized — Brandon Scherff (2014), Austin Blythe (2015), and Beathard and King (2016).
Iowa opens the 2016 season at home on Sept. 3, hosting Miami (Ohio) inside Kinnick Stadium. Tickets are available for purchase by contacting the UI Athletic Ticket Office at (800) IA-HAWKS and online at hawkeyesports.com.