The Walter Camp Football Foundation has announced the names of 52 “players to watch” for its 2022 Player of the Year award, the nation’s fourth-oldest individual college football accolade. Irish junior tight end Michael Mayer was among the student-athletes mentioned on the list.
Michael Mayer Information:
- As a sophomore in 2021, led the Irish with 71 catches, a school record for tight end receptions in a season.
- Also set school single-season records for tight end receiving yards (840) and touchdown receptions (seven) in 2021.
- His 840 receiving yards were the fourth-highest for any FBS tight end in 2021.
- Averaged a team-high 70.0 receiving yards per game in 2021.
- Matched the Notre Dame record for tight end receptions in a game with nine (for 120 yards) in the 2021 season opener at Florida State.
- Notre Dame career ranks – 18th in total receptions (113), third in tight end receptions (113, record is 140), 10th in receiving yards per game (53.8), third in tight end receiving yards (1,290, record is 1,840), third in tight end touchdown receptions (nine, record is 15)
- 2022 Walter Camp and The Sporting News Preseason All-American
- 2022 Maxwell, Biletnikoff, Walter Camp, Mackey and Lombardi Award Watch Lists
- 2021 Associated Press Third Team All-American
- 2021 Mackey Award Semifinalist
- 2021, 2022 Biletnikoff a preseason Watch List
- 2020 The Athletic Freshman First Team All-American
- 2020 All-ACC Third Team
best *player in college football pic.twitter.com/YOVG3CAK4l
— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) July 29, 2022
The 2022 watch list will be narrowed to 10 semi-finalists in mid-November. The 2022 Walter Camp Player of the Year recipient, which is voted on by the 130 NCAA Bowl Subdivision head coaches and sports information directors, will be announced on ESPN’s College Football Awards Show (date TBD).
The winner will then receive his trophy at the Foundation’s 55th annual national awards banquet in New Haven, Conn in early 2023.
Notre Dame Football Preseason Award Watch List Selections (as of Aug 1):
Jayson Ademilola – Lombardi Award
JD Bertrand – Butkus Award, AFCA Good Works Team
Isaiah Foskey – Nagurski Award, Bednarik Award, Lombardi Award
Blake Grupe – Lou Groza Award
Brandon Joseph – Thorpe Award, Bednarik Award
Jack Kiser – Wuerffel Trophy
Josh Lugg – Outland Trophy
Michael Mayer – Maxwell Award, Biletnikoff Award, Mackey Award, Walter Camp Award, Lombardi Award
Chris Tyree – Doak Walker Award, Paul Hornung Award
Jarrett Patterson – Rimington Award, Outland Trophy, Lombardi Award
Michael Vinson – Patrick Mannelly Award