TYLER, TEXAS – The sixth annual Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Watch List was announced today at the Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce East Texas Kick-Off Luncheon.
The Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award recognizes the top offensive player in Division I football who also exhibits the enduring characteristics that define Earl Campbell: integrity, performance, teamwork, sportsmanship, drive, community and tenacity; specifically, tenacity to persist and determination to overcome adversity and injury in pursuit of reaching goals. In addition, the nominee must meet one or more of the following criteria: born in Texas and/or graduated from a Texas High School and/or played at a Texas-based junior college or four-year college.
The Watch List announced today will be narrowed to up to 16 semifinalists in November and then up to 5 finalists in December. They will be selected by broadcasters, commentators, journalists, fans, and previous winners. The finalists will be brought to Tyler for The Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Banquet scheduled for January 9, 2019.
This year’s Watch List (complete list attached) includes:
- 47 players from all 10 conferences including 2 independent (American Athletic Conference, Atlantic Coast Conference, Big Ten, Big 12, Conference-USA, Mid-American Conference, Mountain West, Pac-12, SEC, and Sun Belt)
- Players representing Universities from 26 different states and 43 schools
- Running Backs lead the nominations with 17, followed by wide receivers (13), quarterbacks (10), offensive linemen (5), and tight ends (2).
* Alabama quarterback Jalen Hurts and Auburn quarterback Jarrett Stidham, two previous finalists for the award, are again on the list.
A player does not have to appear on the initial Watch List to be eligible to win the award. The Watch List is made up of players nominated from their respective schools.
The Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award
The Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award was announced in 2012 by the Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce and SPORTyler.
“We are fortunate to have a celebrity who exhibits the impeccable virtues that define this award. In addition to being a well known sports figure, Earl also earned a college degree, married his high school sweetheart, raised two successful sons and still supports the community where he grew up,” said Cindy Smoak, SPORTyler’s Executive Director.
Earl Campbell graduated from John Tyler High School in Tyler before joining the Texas Longhorns under legendary Coach Darrell K. Royal. In his senior year, he led the nation with 1,744 yards rushing and 19 touchdowns, going on to win the Longhorns’ first Heisman Trophy.
He was subsequently drafted by the Houston Oilers where he won Rookie of the Year honors in 1978 and went on to lead the NFL in rushing three times. Campbell earned NFL MVP in 1979 and was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1991. He now resides in Austin.
“All my life, all I wanted to do was be an athlete. I kept God in my life and surrounded myself with good people. I am humbled by this award named in my honor,” said Campbell.
For more information about The Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award go to earlcampbellaward.com or contact Cindy Smoak, SPORTyler, Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce: cs****@ty********.com or 903-592-1661, extension 237.
2018 Nominations The Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award
School Name Position Year Hometown High School Conference
Alabama Jalen Hurts QB Jr. Houston, Texas Channelview HS/Houston, TX SEC
Arizona State Eno Benjamin RB Soph. Wylie, Texas Wylie East HS/Wylie, TX Pac-12
Arkansas Devwah Whaley RB Jr. Beaumont, Texas Central HS/Beaumont, TX SEC
Auburn Jarrett Stidham QB Jr. Stephenville, Texas Stephenville HS/McClennan JC SEC
Baylor Denzel Mims WR Jr. Daingerfield, Texas Daingerfield HS Big 12
Bowling Green Jarret Dodge QB Soph. Lubbock, Texas Cooper HS *MAC
BYU Micah Simon WR Jr. Dallas, Texas Bishop Dunne HS Independent
Colorado Steven Montez QB Jr. El Paso, Texas Del Valle HS/El Paso Pac-12
Florida Tyrie Cleveland WR Jr. Houston, Texas Houston Westfield HS SEC
Florida Atlantic DeAndre McNeal WR Sr. Mesquite, Texas Poteet HS Conf-USA
Georgia Tech Parker Braun OL Jr. Hallsville, Texas Hallsville HS *ACC
Houston D’Eriq King QB Jr. Manvel, Texas Manvel HS *AAC
Indiana Luke Timian WR Sr. Southlake, Texas Southlake Carroll HS Big Ten
Iowa State Hakeem Butler WR Jr. Baltimore, Maryland Fort Bend Travis HS/Houston Big 12
Kansas Steven Sims Jr. WR Sr. Houston, Texas Fort Bend Travis HS/Houston Big 12
Maryland Brendon Moore C Sr. Austin, Texas Westwood HS/Austin, TX Big Ten
Memphis Patrick Taylor RB Jr. Humble, Texas Atascocita HS/Humble, TX *AAC
Middle Tennessee Tavares Thomas RB Sr. Rosenberg, Texas Lamar Consolidated HS/Navarro Conf-USA
Nebraska Devine Ozigbo RB Sr. Sachse, Texas Sachse HS Big Ten
Nevada Kelton Moore RB Jr. Arlington, Texas Juan Seguin HS *MW
Nevada McLane Mannix WR Soph. Midland, Texas Midland HS *MW
New Mexico Tyrone Owens RB Sr. Manor, Texas Manor HS/Manor, TX *MW
New Mexico State Jason Huntley RB Jr. Arlington, Texas Martin HS Independent
North Carolina Nathan Elliott QB Jr. Celina, Texas Celina HS *ACC
North Texas Mason Fine QB Jr. Peggs, Oklahoma Locust Grove HS Conf-USA
Northwestern Rashawn Slater OL/RG Soph. Sugarland, Texas Clements HS Big Ten
Ohio State J.K. Dobbins RB Soph. La Grange, Texas La Grange, Texas Big Ten
Oklahoma Rodney Anderson RB Grad. Katy, Texas Katy HS Big 12
Oklahoma CeeDee Lamb WR Soph. Richmond, Texas Foster High School Big 12
Ole Miss Greg Little OL Jr. Allen, Texas Allen HS SEC
Oregon State Calvin Tyler, Jr. RB Soph. Beaumont, Texas Silsbee HS Pac-12
Purdue David Blough QB Sr. Carrollton, Texas Carrollton HS Big Ten
SMU Ben Hicks QB Sr. Waco, Texas Midway HS *AAC
SMU Xavier Jones RB Sr. Spring, Texas Spring HS *AAC
Stanford Kaden Smith TE Jr. Flower Mound, Texas Marcus HS Pac-12
Syracuse Koda Martin OL R-Sr. Manvel, Texas Manvel HS/Texas A&M *ACC
TCU Darius Anderson RB Jr. Rosenburg, Texas George Ranch HS Big 12
TCU Jalen Reagor WR Soph. Waxahachie, Texas Waxahachie HS Big 12
Texas Collin Johnson WR Jr. San Jose, CA Valley Christian HS Big 12
Texas A&M Trayveon Williams RB Jr. Houston, Texas C.E. King HS SEC
Texas Tech T.J. Vasher WR Jr. Wichita Falls, Texas Wichita Falls Rider HS Big 12
UCLA Caleb Wilson TE Sr. Dallas, Texas Serra High/California Pac-12
ULM Caleb Evans QB Jr. Mansfield, Texas Bishop Dunne HS Sun Belt
UNLV Lexington Thomas RB Sr. Houston, Texas Benjamin Davis HS/Houston *MW
USC Aca’Cedric Ware TB Sr. DeSoto, Texas Cedar Hill HS/DeSoto, TX Pac-12
UTSA Jalen Rhodes RB Sr. Rowlett, Texas Rowlett HS Conf-USA
Washington Aaron Fuller WR Jr. McKinney, Texas Lovejoy HS Pac-12
*MAC – Mid-American Conference
*ACC – Atlantic Coast Conference
*AAC – American Athletic Conference
*MW – Mountain West Conference
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