Kansas Jayhawks 2010 Football Awards Watch Lists

Who am I to predict Kansas' end-of-season award winners?

I haven't even seen a game played under head coach Turner Gill yet.  Heck, outside of the traditional scrimmage or two, I have yet to see the Jayhawks practice!

However, I do have enough faith in my KU football knowledge to at least put out a few watch lists and, naturally, give my early favorite to win each category.

I do encourage all of you to post your award-winning predictions in the comments section below.  It'll be fun to see everyone's outlook upon certain individuals in the season ahead.

So, without further ado, the 2010 Jayhawk Football Award Watch Lists...

Candidates: Deshaun Sands (RB), Chris Omigie (WR), Christian Matthews (WR), Erick McGriff (WR), Jordan Webb (QB)

I would argue that if Kale Pick struggles at all, Jordan Webb has an excellent shot at winning here.  Props to redshirt freshmen Gavin Howard and Riley Spencer for being the only offensive linemen of their class to break the two-deep depth chart.

Early Favorite: Deshaun Sands (RB)

I think Sands will have far more opportunities at runningback and as a backup return-man to strut his stuff than the other candidates will have. 

Candidates: Angus Quigley (RB), Daymond Patterson (WR)

How about an award for a couple of guys who, for a short time, we didn't even believe we'd see on the field again for the University of Kansas.

I think both of these guys will completely change the course of their careers within this one season.

Early Favorite: Angus Quigley (RB)

I find Quigley's story a little more entertaining than Patterson's.  The sixth year of eligibility is a good enough story in itself, but when you look at everything else he's been through, this is a tough dude.

Candidates: Bradley McDougald (WR), Kale Pick (QB), Trevor Marrongelli (RG), Tanner Hawkinson (LT)

How about an award for the guy who takes the biggest step forward?  I think we'll see all of these guys' good contributors a year ago, as they stamp their names in as long-time mainstays at their respective positions.

Early Favorite: None

This is a really good race, folks.  Bradley McDougald will do special things with the ball in his hands, but he's playing with an inexperienced quarterback and a talented group of receivers around him.

Tanner Hawkinson already gets a decent amount of attention, but Marrongelli has more experience than people realize.  Both will be great leaders when Sal Capra and Brad Thorson are gone.

Kale Pick is capable of special things.  I think last year's experience and the intense quarterback competition were really good for him, and I hope the results show up on the field.  He will by far be the most visible candidate in this category.

Candidates: Angus Quigley (RB), Jonathan Wilson (WR), Sal Capra (C), Brad Thorson (RT)

I hate position-by-position awards, and this is the only other way I could think of to get Sal Capra and Brad Thorson on this list.  They deserve plenty of love for being two of the most team-oriented, versatile players around.

Early Favorite: Jonathan Wilson (WR)

The two linemen are good and I think Angus Quigley will surprise everyone this season, but no one is more deserving of this award than Jonathan Wilson.

He's been around for ages and has contributed from the moment he stepped onto campus.  He's a good athlete, a gentleman and an upstanding team leader.

Making the offense more conservative won't benefit Wilson at all, but he can still be a quality athlete, leader, influence and teacher to the young talents on the team.

Candidates: Daymond Patterson (WR), Angus Quigley (RB)

A lot of cases could be made for several other men, but these are the two I envision as being the biggest pieces of our offense.

Angus Quigley will be the consistency, the drive, and the determination of the offense while Daymond Patterson will be the electric, breath-taking, every-touch threat that gives guys like Quigley the space to work with.

Early Favorite: Angus Quigley (QB)

I hate to jump the gun on a guy that hasn't carried the ball much in real games, but take into consideration that I'm not counting special teams work here.  That's a big part of Patterson's game.

All Quigley has to do is grind out the tough yards and punch the ball in the endzone and he will have done more for this team than we could have ever expected.  I think he's in for a big season.

Candidates: D.J. Beshears (WR), Tim Biere (TE)

This is a special award for players that have yet to be mentioned in this article yet whom are pivotal to our offense.

These are guys who may not pile up team-leading stats in any category but still deserve to be recognized as a good football player.

Early Favorite: Tim Biere (TE)

I thought about making a 12th man award for D.J. Beshears, but it would've looked a lot like the freshman of the year award except with the inclusion of Beshears.  I think he'll be the first receiver to sub into games and I predict some special teams opportunities for him as well should Daymond Patterson need a break.

However, I made this award up specifically for Tim Biere. 

With respect to the given positions of all the athletes on this team, Biere might be the single, best football player on this team.  He's an excellent blocker, has good hands and speed, and while Kale Pick won't look for him every play, he'll probably get more action when the offense goes under center this year than in the full-time spread.

Sorry, Beshears.  I wanted your name in the article somewhere, but I'd give this to Biere right now.  Hopefully he garners some appropriate recognition this season.

Candidates: Duane Zlatnik (LG), Toben Opurum (LB)

This isn't your standard newcomer of the year award.  As far as being a legitimate first-year-on-the-team kind of guy (not counting redshirt freshman), I'm not sure Kansas has any superb candidates for such an award.

Instead, I've chosen to select Toben Opurum and Duane Zlatnik for being two guys playing on the opposite side of the ball for the first time in their young college careers (counting out some of the other positional switches).

If some true freshmen hit the field this season, I'll rethink my candidacy qualifications.

Early Favorite: Duane Zlatnik (LG)

You have to give Zlatnik the early nod for being listed as a starter.

Candidates: Kevin Young (DE), Tyrone Sellers (DE), Randall Dent (DT), Tyler Patmon (DB), Prinz Kande (S)

There's really a bunch of quality guys here that should all contribute right away.

Early Favorite: Tyrone Sellers (DE)

Tyler Patmon will be close as a starting nickelback, and Kevin Young could easily overtake Sellers if he's not opportunistic with his recently announced starting role.

Still, as long as he's the only starter on the team and he has the definite edge.

Candidates: Isaiah Barfield (CB), Justin Springer (ILB)

There are several other candidates, but I don't think any two players have made as large a splash throughout the spring and fall on defense as these two.

I never expected to hear Barfield's name again after his forgettable USF experience two years ago.  On the other hand, Justin Springer has always shown ability when healthy.  It sounds like he's taken his game to the next level.

Early Favorite: Isaiah Barfield (CB)

I think Springer can become one of the three or four best middle linebackers in the conference this season after barely playing throughout the last.

Still, moving from a third-team wide receiver back to the second starting cornerback (for round two) makes for a really great story.

Candidates: Calvin Rubles (CB), Olaitan Oguntodu (S), Patrick Dorsey (DT), Steven Johnson (OLB)

This is a little different from the offensive version.

These guys are not comeback guys or new guys.  These are the guys who have been buried on the depth chart for the majority of their careers at the University of Kansas and have recently played their way out of those ditches and into starting consideration.

Early Favorites: None

Calvin Rubles is at a disadvantage because he is neither a starter nor a guy that has been around KU long enough for fans to see much of him.

Other than that, Oguntodu, Dorsey and Johnson all look pretty well fixed-in as starters.  I think Johnson will be the most pleasant surprise of the bunch, but it's impossible to tell right now.

Candidates: Chris Harris (CB), Olaitan Oguntodu (S), Justin Springer (ILB), Drew Dudley (OLB), Jake Laptad (DE)

There's quite a bit to like about this group, but there's really two guys that stand out a little bit more than the rest...

Early Favorites: Chris Harris (CB), Jake Laptad (DE)

I don't know if it's right to let past seasons come into play, but these two guys have been big contributors since they stepped onto campus three years ago.

If I absolutely had to pick here, I'd pick Chris Harris because he seems like more of a vocal leader and he has had more pressure on his shoulders for a longer period of time.  Playing so many great Big 12 spread offenses, he is often the focal point of unwarranted scrutiny (even from myself).

Also, I'll pick him here because I have a feeling Laptad will be in the running for a different, prestigious award...

Candidates: Richard Johnson Jr. (DT), John Williams (DT), Lubbock Smith (S)

Once again, here are some pivotal guys that just might not post the statistics or recognition between last season and this one to merit nomination for any other awards.

Early Favorite: Lubbock Smith (S)

Richard Johnson has a big job ahead of him, and I think he will be fine but I don't think he will establish himself as the type of player that I'd like to see win my first ever made-up award.

John Williams is a guy who I think, with a little improvement, may push both Richard Johnson and Patrick Dorsey for rotational time.  Williams is rather big and very strong.  Hopefully he can make those translate to quality on the field.

Lubbock Smith, like Tim Biere, is the type of player I couldn't let go unrecognized and henceforth invented a ridiculous award for.  He's not a real big-play type of guy, but he's very adept in coverage, he loves to lay the smack-down on unsuspecting suckers and he's just now truly getting his legs under him.

Should Smith keep progressing, he's going to find himself in a true leadership role on this team very early in his career.

Candidates: Jake Laptad (DE), Justin Springer (ILB), Chris Harris (CB)

This looks a lot like the last list, doesn't it?

Oguntodu and Dudley could be on here as well, but I think they have the most minimal chance to make the kind of impact on the team overall that this award recognizes.

Early Favorite: Jake Laptad (DE)

Between Tyrone Sellers, Richard Johnson Jr., and Patrick Dorsey, our defensive line will be itty-bitty.  Jake Laptad will have to be a true mentor and leader to mask some of that.

Intensity will be an absolute must and his motor will have to be in high gear game in and game out if this unit wants to have a positive effect on contest outcomes.

I think Laptad is a guy that can do all of those things and more with the right coaching at his back.

Offensive Candidates: Brandon Bourbon (RB), James Sims (RB), Andrew Turzilli (WR), Brian Maura (WR), Ricki Herod Jr. (WR)

It's really hard to pick from these as I've seen none of them play yet, but I'll give it a shot anyway.

Early Favorites: Brandon Bourbon (RB), Ricki Herod Jr. (WR)

Bourbon is my true favorite, but I'm trying not to fall into the Rivals hype.  Ricki Herod looks like the best receiver of the rookie class to me. 

Defensive Candidates: Keba Agostinho (DE), Pat Lewandowski (DE), Dexter McDonald (DB), Keeston Terry (S)

Once again, I haven't seen enough to know, but judging by the rumors I hear going around...

Early Favorite: Keba Agostinho (DE)

I'd say if you make the depth chart as a true freshman under Turner Gill, even if you never actually play and end up redshirting (hence-forth making you eligible here), I'd say you're doing a good job.

Candidates: Jacob Branstetter (K), Alonso Rojas (P), Daymond Patterson (KR/PR)

The two senior kick-men and the return guy are the only truly available candidates here.

Early Favorite: Daymond Patterson (KR/PR)

It's not really fair to Branstetter and Rojas.  Rojas has one of the nation's most unappreciated legs thanks to that awful soccer-style kicking strategy last season, while Branstetter may not be the best place kicker, but he's a tackling machine for a guy his size.

Either way, this is where Patterson will make his name and make it big.