BYU Football: Micah Simon on Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award watch list

Micah Simon is on the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award watch list, making him the ninth BYU Football player to find himself on a list for 2018.

Another BYU Football player has found his name on an award watch list.

Cougar wide receiver Micah Simon is one of 47 players on the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award watch list, which is given to the top offensive player who “exhibits the enduring characteristics that define Earl Campbell: integrity, performance, teamwork, sportsmanship, drive, community and tenacity.”

The winner of the award must also have Texas roots, either being born in the state or having played high school or college football there.

Simon is a native of Dallas, so he certainly qualifies. Last season as a sophomore, Simon caught 27 passes for 386 yards and three scores. He’ll look to have an even bigger year in 2018, and the Cougars will need him to step up for the offense to rebound from a dismal 2017 campaign.

Unlike most college football awards, the Earl Campbell Award creates their watch list from nominations made by schools. In this case, BYU put forward Simon and the award’s organizers accepted.

The award is presented by SPORTyler and the Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce, and they’ll narrow the field down to 16 semifinalists in November. That number will be trimmed to five finalists in December, with the winner being announced on January 9th in Tyler, Texas.

The Earl Campbell Award isn’t one of the 24 major trophies that are overseen by the National College Football Awards Association, but it’s become a prestigious award since it was first given in 2013.

Simon is the 9th Cougar to end up on a watch list for the 2018 season. Five players are on various NCFAA watch lists and four are on the Polynesian Player of the Year list. Defensive end Corbin Kaufusi is on two lists, the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and the Polynesian Player of the Year Award.