This week and next, various college football awards associations are releasing their watch lists for the 2012 seasons. On Thursday, Maryland all-ACC defensive lineman Joe Vellano was named to two.
The 6-foot-2, 285-pound senior is on the watch list for the Outland Trophy (nation’s best interior lineman) and Bronco Nagurski Trophy (nation’s best defensive player). Earlier this week, he was tabbed for the Bednarik Award, also for nation’s best defensive player. Vellano was the nation’s top tackler among down linemen (7.8 per game).
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Also named on the Outland Trophy watch list were Virginia bookend offensive tackles Oday Aboushi (6-6, 310) and Morgan Moses (6-6, 335) and Virginia Tech center Andrew Miller (6-4, 300). Aboushi was an ACC second-team choice last year. Earlier this week Miller was named to the watch list for the Rimington Trophy (nation’s best center).
Also on the Nagurski Trophy list were Virginia linebacker Steve Greer, Virginia Tech senior linebacker Bruce Taylor, and Virginia Tech junior cornerback Kyle Fuller.
Greer (6-2, 225) led Virginia in tackles (103) and was named second-team all-ACC. Before he sustained a season-ending injury, Taylor (6-2, 253) was leading Tech in tackles (53) and sacks (five) through eight games. Fuller (6-0, 181), who split time between corner and whip linebacker, was fourth on the Hokies in tackles (65) and first in tackles for a loss (14.5). He also had a pair of interceptions.
