Coney, Tillery and Wimbush Named To Watch Lists

It’s preseason watch list time! 

As the season is just 47 days away for Notre Dame, Notre Dame’s top players will start making appearances on national watch lists.

On Monday morning, defensive tackle Jerry Tilley and Te’von Coney were selected to the 2018 Bednarik Award Watch List, which goes to college football’s defensive player of the year. 

Quarterback Brandon Wimbush was chosen to the 2018 Maxwell Award Watch List, which goes to the college football player of the year. 

Coney returns to the Irish for his senior season after recorded 116 tackles and 11.5 tackles for loss in 2017. The Florida native made 17 tackles, a career-high, against LSU in the Citrus Bowl. 

Tillery started 13 games for the Irish last fall and will enter 2018 with 27 career starts. In 2017, the Louisiana native registered 56 tackles, 9.0 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. Those numbers should increase his fall as Tillery moves to 3-Tech. 

Wimbush threw for 1,870 yards and 16 touchdowns in 2017, but he also added 803 yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground. Tony Rice, DeShone Kizer and Wimbush are the only Notre Dame quarterbacks to rush for over 500 yards and have over 1,000 passing yards in the same season. Wimbush was in a category of his own as he was the only quarterback that started and defeated four teams that finished ranked in the AP Poll in 2017. 

Preseason Watch List Schedule 

Mon., July 16: Bednarik Award/Maxwell Award
Tue., July 17: Davey O’Brien Award
Wed., July 18: Doak Walker Award 
Thur., July 19: Biletnikoff Award
Fri., July 20: John Mackey Award/Rimington Trophy
Mon., July 23: Butkus Award/Jim Thorpe Award
Tue., July 24: Bronco Nagurski Trophy/Outland Trophy
Wed., July 25: Lou Groza Award/Ray Guy Award
Thur., July 26: Paul Hornung Award/Wuerffel Trophy
Fri., July 27: Walter Camp Award