Bowling Green State University Athletics
Austin Valdez Named To Bednarik Award Watch List
July 05, 2016 | Football
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Philadelphia, Pa. – Bowling Green State University redshirt junior Austin Valdez has been named to the watch list for the 22nd annual Chuck Bednarik Award, as announced by The Maxwell Football Club today. The Bednarik Award has been presented to the College Defensive Player of the Year since 1995. Chuck Bednarik, former standout at Penn and with the Philadelphia Eagles, is a member of both the College Football Hall of Fame's Class of 1969 and the NFL Hall of Fame's Class of 1967.
A quarterback-turned-linebacker, Valdez was named first team All-MAC a year ago and was honored by the Touchdown Club of Columbus as a MAC Player To Watch for 2016. He started all 14 games and led the Falcons with 144 tackles (58 unassisted). He also tied for the team lead with 11.0 tackles for loss, adding two interceptions, a sack and five pass break-ups. In the season-opener against Tennessee, Valdez racked up 13 tackles, 1.0 for loss. He then totaled a season-high 20 tackles, becoming just the third Falcon since 2000 to record that many in a single game, in the home opener against Memphis.
Valdez continued to play big in the biggest games, finishing with nine tackles and the game-clinching interception in a road win at Purdue. He finished with 15 tackles, 2.0 for loss, and a sack in a victory over Western Michigan that clinched the team's third consecutive trip to Ford Field for the MAC Championship Game. He added 13 tackles, 2.5 for loss, and an interception against rival Toledo and then posted 13 more tackles, 1.5 for loss, in the win over Northern Illinois to clinch the team's second MAC Championship in three years. He finished out the season with 11 tackles in the GoDaddy Bowl.
A graduated of Sylvania Southview High School and a Northwest Ohio native, Valdez was an all-conference quarterback in high school before redshirting the 2013 season at BGSU. He became a full-time linebacker for the 2014 season, finishing with 20 tackles and earned one starting nod.
The Chuck Bednarik Award watch list is headlined by two 2015 semifinalists in Texas A&M junior Myles Garrett and LSU senior Kendall Beckwith. Valdez is one of only two Mid-American Conference players on the list, joining Kent State's Nate Holley.
Semifinalists for the Bednarik Award will be announced Oct. 31 and the three finalists will be unveiled Nov. 21. The winner will be announced as part of the Home Depot College Football Awards Show Dec. 8 and the formal presentation of the award will be made at the Maxwell Football Club Awards Gala, hosted by Tropicana Hotel & Casino Atlantic City, March 10, 2017.
Season tickets are on sale now for the 2016 BGSU Football Season. The three-time defending MAC East Champions will look to make another trip to Detroit to compete in the ultimate game of #MACtion. Bowling Green opens the season at Ohio State Sept. 3 before hosting both North Dakota and Middle Tennessee State in non-conference home games. In total, the Falcons will play six games inside renovated Doyt Perry Stadium for the 50th anniversary of the The Doyt. Buy your season tickets today by CLICKING HERE!
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