Preseason awards have begun to roll out with just over a month until college football returns, and IU football has had four players and its head coach named to watch lists.
Junior quarterback Michael Penix Jr. and senior wide receiver Ty Fryfogle were named to the Maxwell Award watch list, given to the most outstanding player in college football.
The list contains 80 players, with Indiana being one of 14 schools represented twice.
Penix, who was named to the list prior to last season, led the Big Ten with 274.2 passing yards per game on his way to a All-Big Ten second team nod.
Through six games, when he suffered a season-ending ACL injury, Penix led the Big Ten in passing yards, completions and plays over 60 yards.
Fryfogle was a third-team All-American selection and was the Big Ten's Richter-Howard Receiver of the Year. He had 721 receiving yards, seven touchdowns and 19.5 yards per reception, all of which led IU. He was also the first receiver in Big Ten history with consecutive 200-yard receiving games.
Senior linebacker Micah McFadden and junior cornerback Tiawan Mullen were named to the watch list for the Chuck Bednarik Award, given annually to the most outstanding player on defense.
Mullen, who was named to the watch list before last season, made three interceptions, 3.5 sacks and 38 tackles last year and earned first team All-American honors.
McFadden earned second team All-American honors after leading the Hoosiers with 58 tackles and six sacks.
Indiana is one of 11 schools with multiple players named to the 90-player list.
Head coach Tom Allen was named to the Dodd Trophy watch list, which is given to the coach of a team that has a successful season and focuses on scholarship, leadership and integrity, based on head coach Bobby Dodd’s coaching philosophy.
Allen was the AFCA National Coach of the Year in 2020, the Big Ten Coach of the Year and was a finalist for the Dodd Trophy last season.
