Anthony Hill added to Chuck Bednarik Award watch list
Texas football sophomore linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. was added to the watch list for the 2024 Chuck Bednarik Award, the Maxwell Football Club announced Tuesday. The Chuck Bednarik Award is presented annually to the most outstanding defensive player in college football.
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Hill has anchored a Texas defense that leads the nation in scoring defense (9.7 ppg) and total defense (237.3 ypg), while ranking second nationally and first in the SEC in passing yards allowed (133.0 ypg) and team passing efficiency defense (88.59). UT also ranks sixth nationally in first down defense (96), seventh in red zone defense (.667), ninth in interceptions (10) and 10th in third-down conversion percentage defense (.288).
The Denton, Texas, product was named to the preseason watch lists for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and Dick Butkus Award along with being tabbed preseason second-team All-SEC on defense. Through seven games, Hill leads Texas with 50 total tackles (23 solo), 10.0 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks and shares the team lead in forced fumbles with one. Hill also has one interception and two quarterback hurries to his name. He ranks 12th nationally and third in the SEC in tackles for loss while sitting 16th in the country and fifth in the SEC in total sacks. Additionally, he has racked up the ninth-most tackles by an SEC defender this season.
Last week, Hill earned national praise following his standout performance in Texas’ 34-3 win over No. 18/16 Oklahoma in the Allstate Red River Rivalry on Oct. 12. Hill garnered Walter Camp National Defensive Player of the Week, Lott IMPACT Trophy Player of the Week and SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Week accolades. Against the Sooners, Hill compiled 11 tackles (seven solo), two sacks, 3.5 tackles for loss, one forced fumble and one pressure in Texas’ win. Notching his second double-digit tackling effort of his career and season, Hill had his second career forced fumble while matching his career highs in tackles with 11 and sacks with two while tallying a career high 3.5 tackles for loss. It was Hill’s fourth-straight game with a sack and his 10th with a tackle for loss.
Semifinalists for the Chuck Bednarik Award will be announced Nov. 12, 2024, while the three finalists for the Maxwell Award will be unveiled Nov. 26, 2024. The winners of the 30th Chuck Bednarik Award will be announced as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show held on Dec. 12, 2024. The formal presentations of the Chuck Bednarik Award will be made at the Maxwell Football Club Awards on Friday March 14, 2025, at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, Georgia.
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Hill and UT heads to No. 25/25 Vanderbilt for a 3:15 p.m. CT kickoff on Saturday, Oct. 26, at FirstBank Stadium in Nashville. The game will air on SEC Network with Tom Hart (play-by-play), Cole Cubelic (analyst) and Alyssa Lang (sideline) on the call.
Via UT press release
