BOISE STATE UNIVERSITY issued the following announcement on July 13.
Antonio Phillips Named to Watch List for Nation’s Top Defensive Honor
Antonio Phillips Named to Watch List for Nation’s Top Defensive Honor
Ball State senior cornerback Antonio Phillips is a candidate for the top individual defensive award in college football.
The St. Louis, Missouri, native was named Monday to the Chuck Bednarik Award preseason watch list, the first of a dozen watch lists set to be unveiled over the next two weeks.
Phillips is the first Bednarik Award candidate for Ball State since at least 2004. He is one of four MAC representatives on this year's 90-player list, joining Buffalo defensive end Taylor Riggins, Central Michigan linebacker Troy Brown and Miami safety Sterling Weatherford.
An All-MAC First Team selection as a junior last season, Phillips ranked second in the league with four interceptions, just one behind fellow BSU cornerback Amechi Uzodinma II. He picked off a pass in the season opener against Indiana and later tallied interceptions in consecutive conference games against Eastern Michigan, Toledo and Ohio.
Phillips started the first 11 games last season before missing the finale to injury. He is one of seven returning defensive starters for the Cardinals this fall and one of four on that side of the ball with previous All-MAC credentials, joining Uzodinma, outside linebacker Christian Albright and inside linebacker Jaylin Thomas.
The Bednarik Award, now in its 26th year, is presented annually to the most outstanding defensive player in college football. Last year's recipient was Chase Young of Ohio State. The award is named in honor of Chuck Bednarik, a former standout at the University of Pennsylvania and with the Philadelphia Eagles. Bednarik is a member of both the College Football Hall of Fame (1969) and the NFL Hall of Fame (1967)
Semifinalists for this year's award will be announced Nov. 3, while three finalists will be unveiled Nov. 23. The winner will be announced as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show held on Dec. 10.
Ball State is scheduled to open the 2020 season on Thursday, Sept. 3 with a home game against Maine. Click here for information on football tickets for the upcoming season. The Cardinals return 16 total starters from a 2019 team that contended late into the season for a MAC West Division title and won key rivalry games over Northern Illinois and league champion Miami.
For the most up-to-date news on the Ball State football team, please follow @BallStateSports, @BallStateFB and @BSUCoachNeu.
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