College football notebook: Klein, Manziel, Te'o finalists for Maxwell
BY Associated Press
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
11/20/12 at 3:16 AM
Kansas State quarterback Collin Klein, Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel and Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o are the finalists for the Maxwell Award, which goes to the nation's top college football player.
The finalists for the Maxwell and several other awards to be presented Dec. 6 in Orlando, Fla., on ESPN were announced Tuesday.
Te'o is also a finalist for the Chuck Bednarik Award, given to the top defensive player in the country. South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney and Georgia linebacker Jarvis Jones are the other finalists.
Klein, Manziel and Ohio State's Braxton Miller are the finalists for the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award.
Finalists for other awards:
Biletnikoff Award (top receiver): Stedman Bailey, West Virginia; Marqise Lee, Southern California; Terrance Williams, Baylor.
Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award: Dustin Hopkins, Florida State; Cairo Santos, Tulane; Caleb Sturgis, Florida.
Ray Guy Award (top punter): Ryan Allen, Louisiana Tech; Kyle Christy, Florida; Scott Kovanda, Ball State.
Outland Trophy (interior lineman): Jonathan Cooper, North Carolina; Luke Joeckel, Texas A&M; Barrett Jones, Alabama.
Jim Thorpe Award (top defensive back): Johnathan Banks, Mississippi State; Dee Milliner, Alabama; Phillip Thomas, Fresno State.
Doak Walker Award (top running back): Montee Ball, Wisconsin; Kenjon Barner, Oregon; Johnathan Franklin, UCLA.
John Mackey Award (top tight end): Tyler Eifert, Notre Dame; Zach Ertz, Stanford; Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Washington.
UTEP's Price retiring from coaching
UTEP coach Mike Price is retiring after a 31-year career notable for two Rose Bowl bids at Washington State and a drinking binge that cost him the Alabama job before he ever coached a game for the Crimson Tide.
Price announced the decision Monday with one game left in his ninth season with the Miners (3-8). He led UTEP to 8-4 records and bowl games his first two years in El Paso but hasn't had a winning record since.
The 66-year-old Price, who started at Weber State in 1981, has a 177-182 career record entering his final game Saturday at home against Rice. He is sixth among active FBS coaches in wins.
