University of North Carolina Athletics
Four Named Semifinalists For Major CFB Awards
December 7, 2020 | Football
CHAPEL HILL - North Carolina football standouts Dyami Brown, Sam Howell, Chazz Surratt and Javonte Williams were named semifinalists for some of college football's most prestigious awards on Monday.
Brown, a junior wide receiver from Charlotte, N.C., has landed on the list for the 2020 Biletnikoff Award, given annually to the season's outstanding FBS receiver.
Brown leads the Atlantic Coast Conference with 932 receiving yards and sits second in the league with 93.2 receiving yards per game and eight receiving touchdowns.
One of the top wideouts in program history, Brown is second all-time with 21 receiving touchdowns and third at UNC with an 18.1-yard per catch career average.
Howell, the sophomore quarterback from Indian Trail, N.C., landed on two lists - the Maxwell Award (Best All-Around Player in College Football) and the Davey O'Brien Award (Nation's Best College Quarterback).
Howell has followed up his historic rookie season with another sensational campaign under center for the Tar Heels. He leads the ACC with 26 touchdown passes (tied 5th nationally) and 312.9 passing yards per game. He tied a league record with six passing touchdowns and threw for a school-record 550 passing yards in a comeback win over Wake Forest.
Heading into Saturday's season finale at Miami, Howell's 64 career touchdowns are two short of the ACC record for touchdowns by a sophomore quarterback. He trails only Clemson's Trevor Lawrence (66) and Florida State's Jameis Winston (65).
Surratt, from Denver, N.C., has been selected among 24 semifinalists for the Lott IMPACT Trophy, which honors college football's defensive best in character and performance. Surratt, who is also a semifinalist for the Butkus Award, leads the Tar Heels with 81 tackles and 6.0 sacks.
Williams, the running back from Wallace, N.C., has burst onto the college football landscape in his junior season and finds himself as one of 10 semifinalists for the Doak Walker Award and joins Howell on the Maxwell Award list.
Williams, the most elusive running back in the nation with 63 avoided tackles in 2020, sits second in the nation with 19 total touchdowns and 60 first downs.
He is the only player nationally that boasts more than 900 rushing yards and 300 receiving yards this season. Williams' 120.9 scrimmage yards per game is third in the ACC.
Biletnikoff Award semifinalists (in alphabetical order): Jonathan Adams Jr., Arkansas State; Dyami Brown, North Carolina; Jaelon Darden, North Texas; Ty Fryfogle, Indiana; Dax Milne, BYU; Elijah Moore, Ole Miss; Kyle Pitts, Florida; Amari Rodgers, Clemson; DeVonta Smith, Alabama; Tylan Wallace, Oklahoma State; Marlon Williams, UCF.
Maxwell Award Semifinalists (in alphabetical order): Najee Harris, Alabama RB; Mac Jones, Alabama QB; DeVonta Smith, Alabama WR; Zach Wilson, BYU QB; Desmond Ridder, Cincinnati QB; Travis Etienne, Clemson RB; Trevor Lawrence, Clemson QB; Grayson McCall, Coastal Carolina QB; Kyle Pitts, Florida TE; Kyle Trask, Florida QB; Breece Hall, Iowa State RB; D'Eriq King, Miami QB; Sam Howell, North Carolina QB; Javonte Williams, North Carolina RB; Ian Book, Notre Dame QB; Justin Fields, Ohio State QB; Elijah Moore, Ole Miss WR; Dillon Gabriel, UCF QB.
Davey O'Brien Award Semifinalists (in alphabetical order): Notre Dame's Ian Book, Matt Corral of Ole Miss, Texas' Sam Ehlinger, Justin Fields of Ohio State, UCF's Dillon Gabriel, Sam Howell of North Carolina, Alabama's Mac Jones, D'Eriq King of Miami, Clemson's Trevor Lawrence, Grayson McCall of Coastal Carolina, Texas A&M's Kellen Mond, Michael Penix Jr. of Indiana, Iowa State's Brock Purdy, Spencer Rattler of Oklahoma, Cincinnati's Desmond Ridder, Kyle Trask of Florida and BYU's Zach Wilson.
Doak Walker Award Semifinalists (in alphabetical order): Travis Etienne, Clemson; Breece Hall, Iowa State; Najee Harris, Alabama; Mo Ibrahim, Minnesota; Jermar Jefferson, Oregon State; Sincere McCormick, UTSA; Jaret Patterson, Buffalo; Isaiah Spiller, Texas A&M; Javonte Williams, North Carolina; Kyren Williams, Notre Dame.
Brown, a junior wide receiver from Charlotte, N.C., has landed on the list for the 2020 Biletnikoff Award, given annually to the season's outstanding FBS receiver.
Brown leads the Atlantic Coast Conference with 932 receiving yards and sits second in the league with 93.2 receiving yards per game and eight receiving touchdowns.
One of the top wideouts in program history, Brown is second all-time with 21 receiving touchdowns and third at UNC with an 18.1-yard per catch career average.
Howell, the sophomore quarterback from Indian Trail, N.C., landed on two lists - the Maxwell Award (Best All-Around Player in College Football) and the Davey O'Brien Award (Nation's Best College Quarterback).
Howell has followed up his historic rookie season with another sensational campaign under center for the Tar Heels. He leads the ACC with 26 touchdown passes (tied 5th nationally) and 312.9 passing yards per game. He tied a league record with six passing touchdowns and threw for a school-record 550 passing yards in a comeback win over Wake Forest.
Heading into Saturday's season finale at Miami, Howell's 64 career touchdowns are two short of the ACC record for touchdowns by a sophomore quarterback. He trails only Clemson's Trevor Lawrence (66) and Florida State's Jameis Winston (65).
Surratt, from Denver, N.C., has been selected among 24 semifinalists for the Lott IMPACT Trophy, which honors college football's defensive best in character and performance. Surratt, who is also a semifinalist for the Butkus Award, leads the Tar Heels with 81 tackles and 6.0 sacks.
Williams, the running back from Wallace, N.C., has burst onto the college football landscape in his junior season and finds himself as one of 10 semifinalists for the Doak Walker Award and joins Howell on the Maxwell Award list.
Williams, the most elusive running back in the nation with 63 avoided tackles in 2020, sits second in the nation with 19 total touchdowns and 60 first downs.
He is the only player nationally that boasts more than 900 rushing yards and 300 receiving yards this season. Williams' 120.9 scrimmage yards per game is third in the ACC.
Biletnikoff Award semifinalists (in alphabetical order): Jonathan Adams Jr., Arkansas State; Dyami Brown, North Carolina; Jaelon Darden, North Texas; Ty Fryfogle, Indiana; Dax Milne, BYU; Elijah Moore, Ole Miss; Kyle Pitts, Florida; Amari Rodgers, Clemson; DeVonta Smith, Alabama; Tylan Wallace, Oklahoma State; Marlon Williams, UCF.
Maxwell Award Semifinalists (in alphabetical order): Najee Harris, Alabama RB; Mac Jones, Alabama QB; DeVonta Smith, Alabama WR; Zach Wilson, BYU QB; Desmond Ridder, Cincinnati QB; Travis Etienne, Clemson RB; Trevor Lawrence, Clemson QB; Grayson McCall, Coastal Carolina QB; Kyle Pitts, Florida TE; Kyle Trask, Florida QB; Breece Hall, Iowa State RB; D'Eriq King, Miami QB; Sam Howell, North Carolina QB; Javonte Williams, North Carolina RB; Ian Book, Notre Dame QB; Justin Fields, Ohio State QB; Elijah Moore, Ole Miss WR; Dillon Gabriel, UCF QB.
Davey O'Brien Award Semifinalists (in alphabetical order): Notre Dame's Ian Book, Matt Corral of Ole Miss, Texas' Sam Ehlinger, Justin Fields of Ohio State, UCF's Dillon Gabriel, Sam Howell of North Carolina, Alabama's Mac Jones, D'Eriq King of Miami, Clemson's Trevor Lawrence, Grayson McCall of Coastal Carolina, Texas A&M's Kellen Mond, Michael Penix Jr. of Indiana, Iowa State's Brock Purdy, Spencer Rattler of Oklahoma, Cincinnati's Desmond Ridder, Kyle Trask of Florida and BYU's Zach Wilson.
Doak Walker Award Semifinalists (in alphabetical order): Travis Etienne, Clemson; Breece Hall, Iowa State; Najee Harris, Alabama; Mo Ibrahim, Minnesota; Jermar Jefferson, Oregon State; Sincere McCormick, UTSA; Jaret Patterson, Buffalo; Isaiah Spiller, Texas A&M; Javonte Williams, North Carolina; Kyren Williams, Notre Dame.
Players Mentioned
Wide Receiver
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Quarterback
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Linebacker
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Running Back
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