MADISON, Wis.--The preseason honors continue for Wisconsin's Montee Ball as the Walter Camp Player of the Year watch list was announced today.
Ball, a 2011 Walter Camp All-American, highlights a list of 50 players to watch for the Walter Camp Football Foundation's 2012 Player of the Year award.
The list will be narrowed to 10 semi-finalists in November and the winner will be announced live on ESPN on Dec. 6. The winner will be honored on Jan. 12 at the Foundation's annual national awards banquet in New Haven, Conn.
A 2011 Heisman Trophy finalist, Ball is the top returning rusher in the nation with 3,310 career rushing yards. He needs 17 total touchdowns and 18 rushing touchdowns to tie the NCAA career records in each category.
He was a finalist for the Doak Walker Award last season and was a consensus first-team All-American. A unanimous, consensus first-team All-Big Ten pick, Ball claimed the Graham-George Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year Award and was also named the inaugural winner of the Ameche-Dayne Big Ten Running Back of the Year Award.
Ball tied Barry Sanders' NCAA record with 39 touchdowns last season and led the nation in rushing with 1,923 yards -- averaging 6.26 yards per carry. Adding in his 306 receiving yards, Ball's 2,229 yards from scrimmage also led the nation.
In five games against ranked teams last season, Ball averaged 164.0 all-purpose yards and scored 15 touchdowns.
The senior has also been named to the Maxwell Award and Doak Walker Award watch lists.
Wisconsin placed eight different athletes on 15 preseason watch lists, the third-most in the Big Ten. Michigan State led the league with 10, while Ohio State was second with nine.
Badgers on 2012 Preseason Watch Lists
• WR Jared Abbrederis: Biletnikoff Award
• RB Montee Ball: Maxwell Award, Doak Walker Award, Walter Camp watch list
• LB Chris Borland: Chuck Bednarik Award, Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Lombardi Award, Butkus Award
• OL Travis Frederick: Rimington Trophy, Outland Trophy, Lombardi Award
• DB Shelton Johnson: Good Works Team®
• TE Jacob Pedersen: John Mackey Award
• LB Mike Taylor: Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Lombardi Award
• OL Ricky Wagner: Outland Trophy, Lombardi Award
• RB James White: Doak Walker Award
COURTESY UW-MADISON
