The Walter Camp Football Foundation announced its 15 semifinalists -- err, “Players to Watch -- on Wednesday, and let’s just say the Walter Camp Player of the Year panel has a different take on this season than the College Football Playoff selection committee.
The Big 12 led the way with five semifinalists, including one of two defensive players, doubling the output from the SEC, ACC, Big Ten and Pac-12. (All four had two apiece.)
“It’s been another exciting college football season with many teams and players still in the hunt for national recognition,” Foundation president Robert Kauffman said in a statement. “We’ve identified some outstanding players and we know the final weeks of the regular season should be even more thrilling.”
Voted by the 129 FBS head coaches (and their SIDs), the list of five finalists will be revealed two weeks from today, and the winner will be announced Thursday, Dec. 10 on ESPN.
The semifinalists:
- Trevone Boykin, TCU quarterback
- Corey Coleman, Baylor wide receiver
- Dalvin Cook, Florida State running back
- Josh Doctson, TCU wide receiver
- Ezekiel Elliott, Ohio State running back
- Luke Falk, Washington State quarterback
- Leonard Fournette, LSU running back
- Will Fuller, Notre Dame wide receiver
- Derrick Henry, Alabama running back
- Desmond King, Iowa defensive back
- Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma quarterback
- Christian McCaffrey, Stanford running back
- Emmanuel Ogbah, Oklahoma State defensive lineman
- Kennan Reynolds, Navy quarterback
- Deshaun Watson, Clemson quarterback
Marcus Mariota (Oregon), Jameis Winston (Florida State) and Manti Te’o (Notre Dame) are the Walter Camp’s most recent winners.