We've entered that dead period between the end of the regular season and the start of the bowl season where the only things we have to distract us are the Army-Navy game, the coaching carousel and, of course, the awards shows. The Heisman will be announced on Saturday, but tonight we'll have an opportunity to root for our guys in a couple of other categories on the annual Home Depot ESPN College Football Awards Show. Being ESPN, they're already running taped stuff over on ESPNU, but the live festivities begin here shortly with Palmer and Pollack Live from the Red Carpet (I know, right?) at 6:00pm CST and the "official" Red Carpet Special at 7:00 before switching over to ESPN proper at 8:00pm CST for the actual awards. The awards our players are up for are:
Chuck Bednarik Award (College Defensive Player of the Year)
Presenter: Matt Millen - Penn State, ESPN College Football Analyst
Finalists: Dont'a Hightower (Alabama), Tyrann Mathieu (LSU), Devon Still (Penn State)Maxwell Award (College Player of the Year)
Presenter: Herschel Walker - Georgia, 1982 Winner
Finalists: Andrew Luck (Stanford), Kellen Moore (Boise State), Trent Richardson (Alabama)Outland Trophy (Nation's Most Outstanding Interior Lineman)
Presenter: Mark May - Pitt, 1980 Winner
Finalists: David DeCastro (Stanford), Barrett Jones (Alabama), Devon Still (Penn State)Jim Thorpe Award (Nation's Most Outstanding Defensive Back)
Presenter: Governor Bill Anoatubby, Tribal Leader of the Chickasaw Nation
Finalists: David Amerson (NC State), Mark Barron (Alabama), Morris Claiborne (LSU)Doak Walker Award (Nation's Most Outstanding Running Back)
Presenter: Calvin Hill - Yale, Recipient of the 2008 Doak Walker Legends Award
Finalists: Montee Ball (Wisconsin), LaMichael James (Oregon), Trent Richardson (Alabama)
In addition to the individual player awards the show will feature the presentation of the NCFAA Contribution to College Football Award, The Home Depot Coach of the Year Award, The Allstate AFCA Good Works Team, the Disney Spirit Award (which will be accepted on Alabama's behalf by Carson Tinker), and the Walter Camp All-America Team. Chime in here with all your thoughts on all the festivities.
If nothing else Trent got to meet Jasmine from Aladdin, so he has that going for him, which is nice.