Story courtesy of the Tallahassee Quarterback Club
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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - The Tallahassee Quarterback Club (TQC) Foundation, Inc., the Florida-based creator and sponsor of the Biletnikoff Award, has released the 2012 Biletnikoff Award Preseason Watch List. The award annually recognizes the outstanding receiver in college football. The award recipient is selected by the Biletnikoff Award National Selection Committee, a group of over 180 prominent football journalists, commentators, and receivers. The 2012 winner will be presented live on December 6, 2012, on The Home Depot College Football Awards Show to be broadcast from 7:30 - 9:30pm on ESPN. Foundation Chairman Walter Manley, II, announced that the Biletnikoff Award winner will receive his trophy before 600 patrons at the Biletnikoff Award Banquet at the University Center Club at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee on Saturday, February 9, 2013. Larry Csonka will deliver the keynote address (following a tradition of distinguished keynoters like Bart Starr, Steve Largent, Mike Ditka, Don Shula, Dan Reeves, Archie Manning, and Dan Fouts) and recognize the Foundation's fifteen scholarship recipients who will receive from the Foundation well over $200,000 in college scholarships. The Foundation's charitable mission is to provide college scholarships to North Florida high school seniors who have overcome significant barriers to achieve at the highest academic and extra-curricular levels.
The Tallahassee Quarterback Club Foundation, Inc. will announce the ten Biletnikoff Award semifinalists on November 12, 2012, following the vote by the Biletnikoff Award National Selection Committee. Likewise, the three finalists will be declared, following another vote, on November 19, 2012. For complete details and updates of interest, together with weekly statistics and news of the Biletnikoff Award candidates, please consult the Foundation website at www.biletnikoffaward.com.
The name Biletnikoff is synonymous with the term receiver. Fred Biletnikoff, a member of the pro and college football halls of fame, was an All-Pro receiver with the Oakland Raiders and an All-America receiver at Florida State University. He caught 589 passes for 8,974 yards and 76 touchdowns in his 14-year Raiders career from 1965 through 1978. Fred was the Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl XI.
The Tallahassee Quarterback Club Foundation, Inc. created the Biletnikoff Award in 1994. Sixteen college receivers have won the award, including Randy Moss, Calvin Johnson, Michael Crabtree, and Larry Fitzgerald. Foundation Selection Committee Chairman Ritchie Pickron noted, "The 2012 Biletnikoff Award Preseason Watch List contains one of the most talented fields in recent memory. We are expecting an extremely competitive contest among the receivers to win the Biletnikoff Award."
2012 Biletnikoff Award Preseason Watch List (listed in alphabetical order)
Player School Year
Jared Abbrederis Wisconsin JR
Keenan Allen California JR
Tavon Austin West Virginia SR
Stedman Bailey West Virginia JR
Emory Blake Auburn SR
Josh Boyce TCU JR
Jheranie Boyd North Carolina SR
Corey Brown Ohio State JR
Dan Buckner Arizona SR
Michael Campanaro Wake Forest JR
DeVonte Christopher Utah SR
Keenan Davis Iowa SR
Marcus Davis Virgina Tech SR
Mike Davis Texas JR
Andre Debose Florida JR
Aaron Dobson Marshall SR
Noel Grigsby San Jose State JR
Cobi Hamilton Arkansas SR
Nick Harwell Miami (Ohio) JR
Willie Haulstead Florida State JR
Erik Highsmith North Carolina SR
Cody Hoffman BYU JR
DeAndre Hopkins Clemson JR
Justin Hunter Tennessee JR
Allen Hurns Miami (Fla.) JR
Darius Johnson SMU SR
TJ Jones Notre Dame JR
Tavarres King Georgia SR
Alec Lemon Syracuse SR
Colin Lockett San Diego St. JR
Jordan Matthews Vanderbilt JR
Matt Miller Boise State SO
TJ Moe Missouri SR
Uzoma Nwachukwu Texas A&M SR
Quinton Patton La. Tech SR
Tevin Reese Baylor JR
Da'Rick Rogers Tennessee JR
Roy Roundtree Michigan SR
Mike Shanahan Pittsburgh SR
Kenny Stills Oklahoma JR
Devin Street Pittsburgh JR
Ryan Swope Texas A&M SR
Conner Vernon Duke SR
Eric Ward Texas Tech JR
Markus Wheaton Oregon State SR
Terrance Williams Baylor SR
Marquess Wilson Wash.State JR
Robert Woods USC JR
About the Biletnikoff Award
The Biletnikoff Award is presented annually to the nation's outstanding college football receiver (the award defines receiver as any player who catches a pass) by the Tallahassee Quarterback Club Foundation, Inc. (TQC). The TQC Foundation, Inc. is an independent, charitable organization that was founded in 1994. Present Chairman and Founding Trustee, Professor Walter W. Manley II, Founding Trustee L. Thomas Cox, Jr., Founding Trustee Rocky Bevis, and Founding Trustee Bob Teel established the award and the TQC Foundation, Inc. that
sponsors it. Many more trustees have contributed to its development as one of the most prominent awards in college football.
The idea of a college receiver's award was not a novel one, as a number of organizations throughout America considered establishing it; however, the TQC Foundation, Inc. joined the idea to the organization's vision and created an outstanding award and dynamic organization. The trophy, presented to each winner, is the most beautiful individual award in college football - it has won several national awards for design excellence and aesthetic appeal.