Two 2012 preseason awards watch lists were released on July 9 and the Oklahoma Sooners have five players on the lists. The awards in question are the Maxwell (top outstanding player) and the Bednarik (top defensive player).
Landry Jones, Kenny Stills and Dominique Whaley were named to the Maxwell Award preseason list. Demontre Hurst and Tony Jefferson were named to the Bednarik Award list.
OU is one of only four programs nationally with at least three selections to the Maxwell list and the only from the Big 12. Landry Jones is a repeat contender for the award, joining Clemson's Tajh Boyd and USC's Matt Barkley and Robert Woods as the second year nominees.
Landry Jones returns for his senior season as the nation's top returning passer with 12,379 career yards and 93 touchdowns. He is three wins away from tying Steve Davis for the OU career victories record (32).
Kenny Stills enters his third season of collegiate football after hauling in 61 receptions in each of his first two seasons. Stills is one of 11 receivers on the list and one of just three Big 12 receivers.
Dominique Whaley was OU's leading rusher in the first six games of 2011, winning the starting job despite being a walk-on with no scholarship. He went down with a broken ankle on the first play of the season's seventh game and then was given a scholarship. He finished the year with 627 yards and nine touchdowns.
Demontre Hurst led OU with 11 pass breakups in 2011 while finishing with 55 tackles, at least five in six separate games. Tony Jefferson led the 2011 OU team with four interceptions and was third on the squad with 74 tackles playing a hybrid position similar to how Roy Williams played at OU.
Semifinalists for the Maxwell and Bednarik Awards will be announced October 29, and the three finalists for each award will be unveiled November 19.
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