Preseason Honors: Orji Named to Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Watch List
7/1/2024 10:00:00 AM | Football
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- University of Michigan junior quarterback Alex Orji was named to the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Watch List on Wednesday (Aug. 21). In its 12 year, the award "recognizes the top offensive player in Division I football who also exhibits the enduring characteristics that define Earl Campbell: integrity, performance, teamwork, sportsmanship, drive, community and tenacity; specifically, tenacity to persist and determination to overcome adversity and injury in pursuit of reaching goals." In addition, nominees must have played football at and graduated from a Texas High School and/or currently playing at Texas D1 four-year college. Orji is a Sachse, Texas, native.
Michigan's preseason award honorees (as of Aug. 21):
Alex Orji, Junior, Quarterback
• Aug. 21: Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Watch List
• Nine games played at quarterback including six in 2023
• 21 career carries for 123 yards with three touchdowns
• Appeared in games against Bowling Green, Michigan State, Ohio State, Iowa (Big Ten Championship), Alabama (Rose Bowl/CFP Semifinal) and Washington (CFP National Championship Game) last year
Mason Graham, Junior, Defensive End
• Aug. 19: Associated Press Preseason All-American (first team)
• Aug. 15: Lombardi Award Watch List
• Aug. 14: Sporting News Preseason All-American (first team), ESPN Preseason All-American
• Aug. 12: Chuck Bednarik Award Watch List
• July 30: Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List
• July 30: Outland Trophy Watch List
• July 23: Big Ten Preseason Player to Watch
• July 1: Walter Camp Preseason All-American (second team)
• May 30: Lott IMPACT Trophy Watch List
• Ranked by PFF as the top returning interior defensive lineman in college football in 2024
• 27 career games played with 15 starts along the defensive line
• Second team All-American in 2023
• 63 career tackles with 10.0 for loss, 5.5 sacks, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, and one pass breakup
• All-Big Ten first team selection by the league's coaches in 2023 Tournament of Roses 2023 Rose Bowl Game Defensive MVP
• 2022 Team Co-Defensive Freshman of the Year
Will Johnson, Junior, Defensive Back
• Aug. 19: Associated Press Preseason All-American (first team)
• Aug. 14: Sporting News Preseason All-American (first team), ESPN Preseason All-American
• Aug. 12: Chuck Bednarik Award Watch List
• July 31: Jim Thorpe Award Watch List
• July 30: Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List
• July 23: Big Ten Preseason Player to Watch
• July 1: Walter Camp Preseason All-American (first team)
• May 30: Lott IMPACT Trophy Watch List
• Ranked by PFF as the top returning cornerback in college football in 2024
• 25 career games played with 16 starts at cornerback
• First-team All-American in 2023
• 54 career tackles with seven interceptions and 14 pass breakups
• All-Big Ten consensus first-team selection by the league's coaches and media in 2023
• Defensive MVP, 2023 National Championship Game
• 2022 Team Co-Defensive Freshman of the Year and Freshman All-American
Colston Loveland, Junior, Tight End
• Aug. 19: Associated Press Preseason All-American (first team)
• Aug. 15: Lombardi Award Watch List
• Aug. 14: Sporting News Preseason All-American (first team), ESPN Preseason All-American
• Aug. 9: John Mackey Award Watch List
• Aug. 7: Biletnikoff Award Watch List
• Aug. 5: Walter Camp Player of the Year Watch List
• July 23: Big Ten Preseason Player to Watch
• July 1: Walter Camp Preseason All-American (first team)
• Ranked by PFF as the top returning tight end in college football in 2024
• 29 games played with 17 starts at tight end
• 61 career receptions for 884 yards and six touchdowns
• Reached or passed 50 receiving yards seven times in 2023
• Caught at least one pass in every game in 2023
• All-Big Ten first team selection by league coaches in 2023
• One touchdown shy of the top-10 all-time among tight ends at Michigan
• 2022 Offensive and Special Teams Co-Rookie of the Year
Kenneth Grant, Junior, Defensive Line
• Aug. 15: Lombardi Award Watch List
• Aug. 12: Chuck Bednarik Award Watch List
• July 30: Outland Trophy Watch List
• Ranked by PFF as No. 6 returning interior defensive lineman in college football in 2024
• 29 career games played with five starts along the defensive line
• 37 career tackles with five for loss, 3.5 sacks, seven pass breakups, one fumble recovery, and one interception
• Across three games of 2023 postseason: seven tackles, 1.5 for loss, one sack, one fumble recovery, one PBU
• All-Big Ten second team selection by the league's coaches in 2023
Donovan Edwards, Junior, Running Back
• Aug. 6: Doak Walker Award Watch List
• Aug. 5: Walter Camp Player of the Year Watch List
• July 29: Maxwell Award Watch List
• 38 career games played with four starts; totaled 74 carries for 548 yards with three rushing touchdowns in those starts
• Carried 294 times in his career for 1,662 yards (5.7 yards per carry) with 15 rushing touchdowns
• Caught 68 passes for 714 yards (10.5 yards per catch) in his career with three touchdowns
• First player with multiple 40-plus-yard TDs in the CFP National Championship Game (2024)
• 2022 Big Ten Griffin-Grange Championship Game MVP
• 2022 NCAA leader in yards per carry (7.1); No. 3 single-season average in U-M history
• Set program record for single-game catches by a running back (10) in 2021 at Maryland, reaching 170 yards with a touchdown
• Represented U-M at 2024 Big Ten Media Day
Jaishawn Barham, Junior, Linebacker
• Aug: 13: Butkus Award Watch List
• 23 career games played with 23 starts at linebacker, all at Maryland
• 95 career tackles with 9.5 for loss, seven sacks, three pass breakups, one interception, one fumble recovery, and one forced fumble
• Two-time All-Big Ten honorable mention by the league's coaches and media (once each)
• 2022 Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award semifinalist, Freshman All-American in 2022
Dominic Zvada, Junior, Kicker
• Aug. 2: Lou Groza Award Watch List
• 25 career games as placekicker at Arkansas State
• 56-yard long for his career with a 53-yard long in 2023
• 34-of-40 on field goals and 71-of-72 on PATs for his career; scored 92 points in 2023
• Converted 4-of-4 tries at Ohio State as a freshman in 2022 with a 45-yard long
• Lou Groza Award Watch List candidate during 2023 preseason
Semaj Morgan, Sophomore, Wide Receiver
• Aug. 1: Paul Hornung Award Watch List
• 15 games played at wide receiver including 14 on special teams as a returner (punt return for three games, kick returns for 14 games)
• 22 catches for 204 yards with two touchdowns and another two touchdowns rushing in 2023
• All-Big Ten honorable mention returner by league coaches and media as a true freshman
• Set a conference championship game record on his first career punt return, an 87-yarder against Iowa in the 2023 Big Ten Championship Game
Davis Warren, Senior, Quarterback
• Aug. 1: AllState Wuerffel Trophy Watch List
• July 17: Allstate AFCA Good Works Team
• Eight career games played at quarterback
• Overcame acute myeloid leukemia diagnosis in high school; active in supporting young cancer patients
• Spends time every month at C.S. Mott's Children's Hospital forming personal relationships with young patients and their families, bringing groups to football games and team events, and more
• Let's Go Do Community Award Winner -- recipients make a positive impact through community service and engagement in the areas of Education, Health and Wellness, Civic Engagement and/or Global Engagement
• Headstrong Hero Foundation Representative
• 2023 National Student-Athlete Ambassador for Leukemia and Lymphoma Society
• 2023 LaFontaine U Can-Cer Vive Student-Athlete of the Year
• 2021 Offensive Scout Team Player of the Year
William Wagner, Graduate Student, Long Snapper
• July 29: Patrick Mannelly Award
• 37 career games played as long snapper
• Handled all but two snaps during 2023 National Championship season
• Snapped for 21 field goals, 65 PATs and 53 punts last fall
• Part of a kicking battery that scored 119 points in 2023, seventh-most in a single season at U-M
• Also snapped during Jake Moody's Lou Groza Award-winning 2021 season • During that year, Moody scored 125 points with 56 PATs, most all-time in a single-season at U-M
