AUBURN, Ala. – Earning recognition for his defensive line dominance as well as his academic accomplishments and community service, Auburn's Derrick Brown advanced to the finalist stage Monday for three prestigious college football awards: the Outland Trophy, Bednarik Award and Wuerffel Trophy.
A three-time recipient of the SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week award, the senior captain from Sugar Hill, Georgia has reached the top three for each postseason honor.
FINALIST:
— Auburn Football (@AuburnFootball) November 25, 2019
✅ @BednarikAward
✅ @Outlandtrophy
✅ @WuerffelTrophy
Congratulations @DerrickBrownAU5 ‼️‼️ #WarEagle x #RidefortheBrand pic.twitter.com/HIUGhpNx7K
Outland Trophy
Brown is the only defensive player to be an Outland Trophy finalist, joining offensive linemen Tyler Biadasz of Wisconsin and Penei Sewell of Oregon, as named by the Football Writers Association of America.
The Outland Trophy, presented by the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID), is awarded annually to the nation's best college interior lineman on offense or defense.
NFID is presenting the trophy to help increase awareness about the importance of influenza (flu) prevention. Getting vaccinated each year is your best line of defense against the flu.
The All-America Committee of the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) selected the three finalists from among the six semifinalists announced last week.
Biadasz is Wisconsin's fifth finalist – all of them on the offensive line – and its first since offensive tackle Gabe Carimi won the Outland Trophy in 2010. Wisconsin can also boast the 2006 winner in future Pro Football Hall of Famer Joe Thomas, and Wisconsin had Biadasz's former teammate, guard Michael Deiter, among the semifinalists last year. Sewell is Oregon's second all-time finalist, joining defensive tackle Haloti Ngata in 2005, as the Ducks have yet to claim an Outland winner. Brown is Auburn's first finalist since center Reese Dismukes in 2014 and its sixth all-time. He is the Tigers' third defensive tackle to be a finalist, joining 1988 Outland winner Tracy Rocker and Zeke Smith, who won the Outland in 1958.
Former University of Pittsburgh tackle Mark May, the 1980 Outland Trophy winner, is serving as the Outland Trophy #FightFlu ambassador on behalf of NFID. May is making media appearances on behalf of the NFID #FightFlu public awareness campaign to remind everyone age six months and older to get vaccinated annually against flu.
The recipient of the 74th Outland Trophy will be announced during ESPN's The Home Depot College Football Awards on Dec. 12, live from the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta. The official presentation to the winner will be made at the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases Outland Trophy Award Dinner sponsored by Werner Enterprises on Jan. 15, 2020 in Omaha, Neb.
A closer look at each of the finalists:
Tyler Biadasz, C, Wisconsin (6-3, 321, Jr., Amherst, Wis.): Biadasz is the latest of outstanding Wisconsin linemen paving the way for record-setting running backs. This season Biadasz has been up front as Johnathan Taylor has become the nation's leading scorer (22 TD's) and following a 222-yard effort last week against Purdue, is now the Big Ten's second all-time leading rusher. Taylor now owns the FBS record for most rushing yards in a three-year span (5,856), which also marks Biadasz's starting tenure of 38 consecutive starts. The Badgers rushed for a season-high 403 yards against Purdue and finished with a season-high 606 total yards, its highest output since 2014. Biadasz is also strong in pass protection where the line he commands has the Badgers completing 73.5 percent of their passes, third nationally.
Derrick Brown, DT, Auburn (6-5, 318, Sr., Sugar Hill, Ga.): Brown is the rare playmaker tucked in the middle of Auburn's line. Consistently double-teamed, Brown has still produced 43 tackles that are tied for fourth on the Tigers' defense along with 9.0 tackles for loss and 4.0 sacks, both second on the team. The team captain's best games have come in November, with seven tackles each against second-ranked LSU and Ole Miss and most recently six against fifth-ranked Georgia. The Ole Miss game was one of three times he earned the SEC Defensive Player of the Week award. He was also the Trophy's Defensive Player of the Month for October. Brown has 157 career tackles, 30.0 TFL's and 13.0 sacks.
Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon (6-6, 325, So., Malaeimi, American Samoa/St. George, Utah): Sewell is regarded as the top offensive lineman in the Pac-12 and one of the two best offensive tackles in the country. In short, he's the best lineman on the nation's best offensive line – an Oregon lineman has taken seven of the Pac-12's 11 Offensive Lineman of the Week awards, and Sewell has three of those seven. Head coach Mario Cristobal says he's the best lineman he's ever coached. Sewell was the Outland Trophy Offensive Player of the Month for September and leads Oregon with 45 knockdowns blocking for an Oregon offense that is 21st nationally at 460.2 yards per game. He has five or more knockdowns in five of 11 games. Run-blocking is his specialty but he has yielded only six QB pressures this season and one sack.
The Outland Trophy is the third-oldest major college football award. Created in 1946 when Dr. John Outland presented the FWAA with a financial contribution to initiate the award, the Outland Trophy has been given to the best interior lineman in college football ever since. Dr. Outland, an All-American at the University of Pennsylvania in the late 1890s, eventually took up practice in Kansas City, Mo. An avid outdoorsman, Dr. Outland believed linemen did not get the credit they deserved and wanted an award to recognize them.
The Outland Trophy is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. Founded in 1997, the NCFAA and its 25 awards now boast over 800 recipients, dating to 1935. Visit ncfaa.org to learn more about our story.
Chuck Bednarik Award
Maxwell Football Club President, Mark Dianno, announced the 2019 finalists for 25th Chuck Bednarik Award for the Outstanding Defensive Player of the Year.
2019 Chuck Bednarik Award Finalists
Derrick Brown Auburn Defensive Line Senior
Isaiah Simmons Clemson Linebacker Junior
Chase Young Ohio State Defensive End Junior
Young is a finalist for both the Maxwell and Chuck Bednarik Awards and is trying to match Notre Dame's Manti Teo (2012) and a dual winner of these honors. A fearsome edge presence for the Buckeyes, Young has posted some incredible numbers during the 2019 season. His totals include 16.5 sacks (Ohio State single season record), 19.5 tackles for loss, 7 forced fumbles and one blocked kick. He is a player that offenses need to account for on every snap.
Brown has been one of the most dominant defensive linemen in the country this season. He has 4 sacks for 29 yards in losses, 43 tackles, 9 tackles for loss, and 4 pass breakups. He regularly forces offenses to account for him with two or three blockers and generally wreaks havoc in the middle of the line. The Auburn Tiger standout is considered to be one of the most disruptive middle players in college football.
Simmons has been a fixture on the Clemson's defense for the past three seasons and is a player who opposing offenses have to account for on every snap. Simmons has registered 74 tackles (12 for loss - minus 73), 5 pass break ups and 6 sacks for minus 42 yards. He spearheads a Clemson defense that ranks among the national leaders in almost every major statistical category.
Last season, the Chuck Bednarik Award was presented to Kentucky defensive end Josh Allen.
The winners of the 83rd Maxwell Award and the 25th Chuck Bednarik Award will be announced as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show on Dec. 12, 2019. The formal presentation of these awards will be made at the Maxwell Football Club's Awards Gala which will be held at the Tropicana Casino Resort in Atlantic City, NJ on Friday March 6, 2020.
Voting for both of the collegiate awards presented by the Maxwell Football Club will begin on Tuesday Nov. 26 and close on Sunday Dec. 8. Eligible voters include Maxwell Football Club members, NCAA Head Football Coaches, Sports Information Directors and selected national media.
Wuerffel Trophy
The Wuerffel Trophy, presented by the Chick-fil-A® Foundation, announces the three finalists for the 2019 Wuerffel Trophy, known as "College Football's Premier Award for Community Service."
The 2019 Wuerffel Trophy finalists, listed alphabetically by university are:
Derrick Brown, Auburn University, senior, defensive line Isaiah Sanders, United States Air Force Academy, senior, quarterback Jon Wassink, Western Michigan University, senior quarterback
"This year's process has been both inspiring and extraordinarily difficult," said Danny Wuerffel. "So many quality young men playing college football are doing so many great things in their communities and around the world serving others. That's the encouraging part. The extremely difficult part is narrowing it down to three finalists."
The Wuerffel Trophy, named after 1996 Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Danny Wuerffel from the University of Florida, is awarded annually to the Football Bowl Subdivision player who best combines exemplary community service with athletic and academic achievement. Now celebrating its 15th year, the award has honored over 1,200 nominees since its inception in 2005.
Voting for the Wuerffel Trophy is performed by a national selection committee that includes college football television and print media, industry notables, former head coaches and prior Wuerffel Trophy recipients.
Nominations for the Wuerffel Trophy are made by the respective university Sports Information departments and closed on Oct. 15, 2019. The formal announcement of the 2019 Wuerffel Trophy recipient is scheduled to be made on Dec. 10, 2019 at the National Football Foundation's festivities in New York City.
The 2019 Wuerffel Trophy recipient will be interviewed on The Home Depot College Football Awards Red Carpet Show on ESPNU and ESPN3 on Dec. 12, 2019, airing at 6 p.m. EST/5 p.m. CST, featuring interviews with award winners and finalists as they approach The Home Depot College Football Awards Show, the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame and Chick-fil-A Fan Experience in downtown Atlanta, Georgia.
The presentation of the 2019 Wuerffel Trophy will occur at the 51st Annual All Sports Association Awards Banquet on Feb. 7, 2020 in Fort Walton Beach.
Past winners of the Wuerffel Trophy are: 2018 Drue Tranquill, University of Notre Dame; 2017 Courtney Love, University of Kentucky; 2016 Trevor Knight, Texas A&M University; 2015 Ty Darlington, University of Oklahoma; 2014 Deterrian Shackelford, University of Mississippi; 2013 Gabe Ikard, University of Oklahoma; 2012 Matt Barkley, University of Southern California; 2011 Barrett Jones, University of Alabama; 2010 Sam Acho, University of Texas; 2009 Tim Hiller, Western Michigan University; 2008 Tim Tebow, University of Florida; 2007 Paul Smith, University of Tulsa; 2006 Joel Penton, Ohio State University; and 2005 Rudy Niswanger, Louisiana State University.
The Wuerffel Trophy is presented by the Chick-fil-A Foundation, the corporate foundation of Chick-fil-A, Inc. A not-for-profit organization, the Foundation's purpose is to lead the company's commitment to support youth and education in Chick-fil-A's local communities. The Foundation's work is focused on developing and educating young people so they can build a positive legacy and become all they can be. For more information, visit http://www.chick-fil-afoundation.org/.
The Wuerffel Trophy is also supported by its corporate partners, Dart Container Corporation/Solo Cup Company and Herff Jones.
The Wuerffel Trophy is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. Founded in 1997, the NCFAA and its 25 awards boast more than 800 recipients, dating back to 1935. For more information, go to www.NCFAA.org.
For more information on the Wuerffel Trophy, visit www.wuerffeltrophy.org.
Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: @jeff_shearer