OU, OSU Boast Multiple National Awards Semifinalists

Layna Dewell, News9.com

OKLAHOMA CITY – As the season rolls along many national awards watch lists are being narrowed down and a handful of talented players from the state of Oklahoma are being named semifinalists for national college football honors.

Monday four players were named semifinalists for the 75th Maxwell award including OSU's Justin Blackmon and Brandon Weeden and Oklahoma's Landry Jones and Ryan Broyles. The Maxwell award recognizes the nation's top collegiate player of the year.

Broyles, a senior wide receiver for the Sooners, leads the nation in receiving yards with 81 receptions for 1070 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Leading the Sooners on the field is junior quarterback Landry Jones who has completed 236-of-355 passes for 3094 yards and 26 touchdowns.

For the Cowboys, Weeden is also in the top 10 for total passing yards. He has completed 246-of-345 passes for 2710 yards and 22 touchdowns this season.

One of his main targets, Blackmon, is fifth in the country with receptions per game, tallying 74 receptions for 834 yards and 10 touchdowns.

In addition three were named semifinalists for the Thorpe Award. OU's Tony Jefferson and OSU's Markelle Martin and Brodrick Brown are all on the list for the award that honors the nation's top defensive back.

OSU joins Alabama as the only two schools with multiple players on this year's Thorpe Award semifinalist list.

Martin, a senior safety for the Cowboys is the top-ranked safety on Mel Kiper's Big Board and ranks third on the team with 47 tackles. He has also tallied four tackles for loss and seven passes deflected this season.

Brown, a junior corner back, ranks among the national leaders with four interceptions and two fumble recoveries. He has logged 25 tackles, two tackles for loss and ties with Martin for the team lead with seven passes defended.

Both the Thorpe Award and the Maxwell Award will be presented Thursday Dec. 8 during ESPN's College Football Awards show.

Maxwell Award Semifinalists:
Matt Barkley- QB, University of Southern California
Justin Blackmon- WR, Oklahoma State University
Tajh Boyd- QB, Clemson University
Ryan Broyles – WR, University of Oklahoma|
Robert Griffin, III- QB, Baylor University
LaMichael James-RB, University of Oregon
Landry Jones- QB, University of Oklahoma
Case Keenum- QB, University of Houston
Andrew Luck- QB, Stanford University
Kellen More-QB, Boise State University
Chris Polk-RB, University of Washington
Trent Richardson-RB, University of Alabama
Brandon Weeden-QB, Oklahoma State University
Russell Wilson- QB, University of Wisconsin
David Wilson- RB, Virginia Tech University
Robert Woods-WR, University of Southern California

Jim Thorpe Award Semifinalists:
Antonio Allen, South Carolina
David Amerson, North Carolina State
Jonathan Banks, Mississippi State
Mark Barron, Alabama
Brandon Boykin, Georgia
Brodrick Brown, Oklahoma State
Morris Claiborne, LSU
Casey Hayward, Vanderbilt
Jayron Hosley, Virginia Tech
Tony Jefferson, Oklahoma
Dre Kirkpatrick, Alabama
Nigel Malone, Kansas State
Markelle Martin, Oklahoma State
T.J. McDonald, USC
Chase Minnifield, Virginia