Cowboy Safety Named to Bednarik Award Watch List
STILLWATER -- Monday got off to a good start for Oklahoma State football and Kolby Harvell-Peel as the Cowboy safety was named to the Bednarik Award watch list. It was announced by the Maxwell Football Club Monday morning.
Harvell-Peel is one of 90 players to be named to the watch list, including nine players from the Big 12, to win the trophy given annually to the top defensive player in college football.
This past season as as sophomore, Harvell-Peel was electric for the Pokes. He posted an impressive 71 total tackles, 13 pass breakups, five interceptions, three tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and two fumble recovers, as well as one quarterback hurry and one sack.
His 1.5 pass break ups per game led the Big 12, as well as being ranked fourth in the FBS, but what's more impressive is that his six pass break ups in the win against No. 23 Iowa State set a school record and tied for the highest single-game total in the FBS last season.
Those numbers earned Harvell-Peel first-team All-Big 12 honors from both the Big 12 coaches and the Associated Press. He also earned the Bob Fenimore Award, awarded by Cowboy football to the team MVP.
You could tell Harvell-Peel was poised for a solid sophomore season following his freshman season. As a freshman, he recorded an impressive 52 total tackles, 44 of which were solo stops. He also recorded 5.5 tackles for loss, four pass break ups and one sack.
Semifinalists for the Bednarik Award will be announced on Nov. 3, with the three finalists being named on Nov. 3 and the winner of the award announced as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards on Dec. 10.
