Garvin, Quarterman Named to Bednarik Watch List

Garvin, Quarterman Named to Bednarik Watch List

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Two Miami Hurricanes were among those football student-athletes selected to the preseason watch list for the 25th annual Chuck Bednarik Award, the Maxwell Football Club announced Monday.

Senior linebacker Shaq Quarterman and junior defensive lineman Jonathan Garvin were among the 80 players recognized for the award, which has been presented to the top defensive player in college football since 1995.

Garvin enjoyed a breakout season as a sophomore in 2018, starting all 13 games and finishing with a career-high 60 tackles. Garvin was fourth in the ACC and second on the Hurricanes with 17 tackles for loss, and he finished the year with 5.5 sacks, two fumble recoveries and the first touchdown of his career.

Quarterman delivered a dominant 2018 campaign in the middle of Miami’s defense, starting all 13 games for the third straight year and earning first team All-ACC recognition. Quarterman ranked second on the Hurricanes with 82 tackles and added a career-best 14 tackles for loss, including six sacks.

Both players were critical to a standout Hurricanes unit that finished No. 4 in the NCAA in total defense and No. 1 in multiple categories, including tackles for loss and passing yards allowed. Miami was one of 17 FBS schools and just three from the Atlantic Coast Conference to boast multiple candidates on the watch list. Garvin or Quarterman would become the second Bednarik Award winner in Miami Hurricanes history; linebacker Dan Morgan won the award in 2000.

The Maxwell and Bednarik Awards are members of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. Founded in 1997, the NCFAA and its 25 awards now boast over 800 recipients, dating to 1935.