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Illinois
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Davis And Benn Make National Award Watch Lists
 
DC duo expected to make big impact for Illinois again in 2008
 
Despite battling a shoulder injury for much of the season, Arrelious Benn had 54 catches for 676 yards in 2007.
 
 

June 30, 2008

Two University of Illinois players have been named on the 2008 watch lists for major college football awards. Junior cornerback Vontae Davis is one of 10 Big Ten players selected among 75 national candidates for the Chuck Bednarik Award, which is given to the Defensive Player of the Year. Sophomore wide receiver Arrelious Benn is among 10 Big Ten players and 75 players from across the country being considered for the Maxwell Award, which is emblematic of the College Player of the Year. The two watch lists were announced today by Ron Jaworski, the president of the Maxwell Football Club.

The Maxwell Award has been presented to the outstanding collegiate football player in America since 1937 and is named in honor of Robert W. "Tiny" Maxwell. The Chuck Bednarik Award has been presented since 1995 and is named in honor of Chuck Bednarik, a former University of Pennsylvania and Philadelphia Eagle great. Mr. Bednarik is a member of both the College Football Hall of Fame and the NFL Hall of Fame.

Semifinalists for the Maxwell and Bednarik Awards will be announced in early November and three finalists for each award will be announced November 25th. The winners of the 2008 Maxwell and Bednarik Awards will be announced as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show in December. The formal presentation of these awards will be made at the Maxwell Football Club Awards Gala hosted by Harrah's Entertainment Atlantic City on March 6, 2009. All members of the Maxwell Football Club, NCAA Sports Information Directors, Head Coaches and selected national media are eligible to vote for these awards.

One of Vontae Davis' interceptions came in Illinois' 27-20 victory Sept. 29 at home vs. Penn State.
Davis, an All-Big Ten performer and Jim Thorpe Award semifinalist, was Illinois' fourth-leading tackler in 2007 with 76 stops, including a team leading 13 (all solos) against USC in the Rose Bowl. He was also sixth in the Big Ten in interceptions and passes defended, with four and eight, respectively. Other Davis highlights from a year ago included a 63-yard kickoff return vs. Michigan and a blocked punt that resulted in Illinois' first touchdown of the season against Missouri.

Benn was voted the Big Ten Freshman of the Year by both the coaches and the media. Besides earning all-conference honors, he won national acclaim as a second-team Freshman All-American. Been broke the Illini record for receiving yards by a freshman (676) in the Ball State game, and a week later, eclipsed the Illinois freshman receptions record (54) with four grabs at Minnesota.

In addition to being teammates at Illinois, Benn and Davis previously played together at Dunbar High School in Washington, D.C., along with Nate Bussey and Reggie Ellis, who followed them to UI.