Airing Thursday, Dec. 8, at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN
Presenters for this year’s The Home Depot College Football Awards – live on Thursday, Dec. 8, at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN – include five College Football Hall of Fame inductees and three former The Home Depot College Football Award winners. The show features the live presentation of nine player awards; the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA) Contribution to College Football Award to Roy Kramer; The Home Depot Coach of the Year Award; The Allstate AFCA Good Works Team; the Disney Spirit Award; and student-athletes selected to the Walter Camp All-America Team.
Presenters include:
| AWARD | PRESENTER | FINALISTS |
| Chuck Bednarik Award College Defensive Player of the Year |
Matt Millen Penn State, ESPN College Football Analyst |
Dont’a Hightower, Alabama Tyrann Mathieu. LSU Devon Still, Penn State |
| Biletnikoff Award Nation’s Most Outstanding Receiver |
Fred Biletnikoff* Florida State, Pro Football Hall of Fame |
Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma State* Ryan Broyles, Oklahoma Robert Woods, USC |
| Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Nation’s Most Outstanding Placekicker |
Judd Groza Ohio State, Son of Lou Groza |
Randy Bullock, Texas A&M Dustin Hopkins, Florida State Caleb Sturgis, Florida |
|
Ray Guy Award |
Ray Guy* |
Ryan Allen, Louisiana Tech Steven Clark, Auburn Jackson Rice, Oregon |
| Maxwell Award College Player of the Year |
Herschel Walker* 1982 winner, Georgia |
Andrew Luck, Stanford Kellen Moore, Boise State Trent Richardson, Alabama |
| Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Nation’s Best Quarterback |
Jim McMahon* 1981 winner, BYU |
Robert Griffin III, Baylor Case Keenum, Houston Andrew Luck, Stanford |
| Outland Trophy Nation’s Most Outstanding Interior Lineman |
Mark May* 1980 winner, Pittsburgh |
David DeCastro, Stanford Barrett Jones, Alabama Devon Still, Penn State |
| Jim Thorpe Award Nation’s Most Outstanding Defensive Back |
Governor Bill Anoatubby Tribal leader of the Chickasaw Nation |
David Amerson, NC State Mark Barron, Alabama Morris Claiborne, LSU |
| Doak Walker Award Nation’s Most Outstanding Running Back |
Calvin Hill Recipient of the 2008 Doak Walker Legends Award, Yale |
Montee Ball, Wisconsin LaMichael James, Oregon* Trent Richardson, Alabama |
| The Home Depot Coach of the Year Nation’s Most Outstanding Head Coach |
Suzy Deering VP, Integrated Media The Home Depot |
TBA |
| Walter Camp All-America Team | Lincoln Kennedy 1992 All-America Team, Washington |
TBA |
* College Football Hall of Fame Inductee
In addition to the live announcement of the award winners above, The NCFAA Contributions to College Football Award will be presented to Roy Kramer during the show for his dedication to growing college athletics both as a coach and administrator. After 10 years as the head football coach for Central Michigan University, he served as the athletic director at Vanderbilt University, and later as the commissioner of the Southeastern Conference. During his tenure, the SEC experienced unparalleled growth. Kramer created the Bowl Championship Series and the initial Division I-A conference football championship game. Kramer’s son, Steven E. Kramer, will present the award.
Disney Sports Executive Faron Kelley will award the University of Alabama with the Disney Spirit Award during the show as well. The award is given annually to college football’s most inspirational figure or team in college football. Alabama was selected for its extraordinary efforts to help aid and rebuild the western Alabama region following last spring’s devastating tornado. Long snapper Carson Tinker, who lost his girlfriend Ashley Harrison in the storm, will accept the award on behalf of the team at the awards show.
The Walter Camp All-America Team and The Allstate AFCA Good Works Teams® will also be announced on the show. The Allstate AFCA Good Works Teams® recognizes the extra efforts made by college football players and student support staff off the field.
2011 The Home Depot College Football Awards Highlights
- The Home Depot College Football Awards Roundtable Special, a discussion about the Heisman finalists and the year in college football, will begin at 5 p.m. on ESPNU on Thursday, Dec. 8
- New for 2011, Palmer & Pollack, ESPNU’s weekly college football studio show hosted by former Florida quarterback Jesse Palmer and Georgia defensive end David Pollack, will air live from the red carpet at 7 p.m. on ESPNU.
- The Home Depot College Football Awards Red Carpet Show – hosted by Erin Andrews, Tom Rinaldi and Dari Nowkhah – will air at 8 p.m. on ESPNU and again after the show at 11 p.m.
- Viewers can also follow and engage on Twitter using #ESPNCFA for news, information and opinion surrounding this year’s award show
MEDIA NOTE: Media interested in attending The Home Depot College Football Awards can apply for credentials at www.sportssystems.com/espncfa. Questions concerning credentials should be directed to Elizabeth McCollum at elizabethm@bzapr.com.
National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA)
The NCFAA was founded in 1997 as a coalition of the major collegiate football awards to protect, preserve and enhance the integrity, influence and prestige of the game’s predominant awards. The NCFAA encourages professionalism and the highest standards for the administration of its member awards and the selection of their candidates and recipients. For more information, visit the association’s official Web site, www.NCFAA.org.
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Contacts:
Liz McCollum, Brener Zwikel & Associates, 813-421-0550 or ElizabethM@bzapr.com
Gracie Blackburn, ESPN Communications, Gracie.Blackburn@espn.com