Georgia tight ends Brock Bowers, Darnell Washington named semifinalists for national award
Georgia tight ends Brock Bowers and Darnell Washington were both named semifinalists for the John Mackey Award on Tuesday, two of nine players to earn such a distinction. To no surprise, Georgia is the only school to have two players on the list with others coming from Purdue, Utah, Iowa, Notre Dame, Memphis, Texas and Ohio State.
Bowers, in his second season of College Football, has twice been a semifinalist for the Mackey Award. Last year he led the Bulldogs in all three receiving categories with 56 catches, 882 yards and 13 touchdowns. All three totals were best in program history for a tight end while the receiving touchdown total was tops regardless of position. For his efforts, Bowers was named First-Team All-SEC by both the AP and Coaches, an All-American by numerous outlets and earned Freshman of the Year honors on both the conference and national levels. This year he’s got 34 catches for a team-high 574 yards and three touchdowns in nine games. Bowers also has four rushes for 89 yards and three scores on the ground. He has twice won SEC Offensive Player of the Week this season.
On the other hand, Washington has also been a dominant tight end for the Bulldogs. His totals aren’t quite as gaudy with just 19 catches and 332 yards thus far, but a career-high four catches and 78 yards versus Vanderbilt stands out as a highlight of his season so far. Overall on his career, the 6-foot-7, 270-pound Las Vegas, Nev. native has played in 30 games and caught 36 passes for 652 yards and a single score. His 19 catches and 332 yards this season are both career-highs through fewer games than he played in either of the previous two seasons.
“What a weapon he is,” Smart said in speaking about Bowers earlier this season. “What a tough character he is. He makes you defend the whole 53, right? When he comes into motion, the expectation is, ‘I’ve gotta stop the sideline.’ It loosens them up inside for some softer runs, too. When you run for 250, you’re doing something right … I don’t know that there is (a more versatile player in the country) because I don’t get to see it. I don’t think I’ve seen many games this year but it’s hard for me to do comparisons. But for what he does … I don’t think people understand what an incredible blocker he is. He doesn’t get to do that, that much.”
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“The other incredible player out there is Darnell,” Smart continued. “If you go out there and look at Brock’s biggest plays this year, he’s a big part of it. I was so happy to see that. The first play of the game, he’s wide open, the play was to go to him. Stetson, he took a shot, being aggressive and Darnell was there the next play, Brock gets a touchdown and Darnell is down there celebrating. He’s the first one in the end zone celebrating. It was his block that sprung him. Again, Darnell’s blocking combined with what Brock does on the perimeter — the package of those two compliments each other so well.”
Georiga goes on the road this week to Mississippi State to take on the Bulldogs led by Mike Leach. Kickoff time from Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville is set for 7:00 p.m. ET on ESPN. Georgia can clinch the SEC East and their spot in the SEC Championship Game for the fifth time in six season with a win.
