Football Preseason Watch Lists: Manning Award, Unitas Golden Arm
August 14, 2024 | Football
Quarterback Thomas Castellanos was among candidates on the watch lists for the Manning Award and Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award announced on Wednesday.
MANNING AWARD & UNITAS GOLDEN ARM
THOMAS CASTELLANOS
QB | Junior | Waycross, Ga.
The Manning Award was created by the Allstate Sugar Bowl in honor of the college football accomplishments of Archie, Peyton and Eli Manning. It is the only quarterback award that includes the candidates’ postseason performances in its balloting.
The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation, Inc., along with presenting sponsor A. O. Smith Corporation annually recognizes the top senior or upperclassman quarterback set to graduate with their class.
Castellanos, who was previously included on the Maxwell Award Watch List, is fresh off a Fenway Bowl MVP performance to cap his first season on the Heights. His contributions to the BC pass and run games made him an instant threat from under center.
The Eagles ranked 13th in FBS and second in the ACC in rushing a year ago as Castellanos surpassed 1,000 yards on the ground and was third in the league in rushing touchdowns at 13
RIMINGTON TROPHY
DREW KENDALL
C | Redshirt-Junior | Norwell, Mass.
The Rimington Trophy is presented annually to the most outstanding center in NCAA Division I College Football. Since its inception, the award has raised over $5 million for the Boomer Esiason Foundation. Dave Rimington, the award's namesake, was a consensus first-team All-America center at the University of Nebraska in 1981 and 1982, during which time he became the John Outland Trophy's only two-time winner as the nation's finest college interior lineman.
A freshman All-American in 2022, Kendall returns after having started 24 of 25 games at center over the last two seasons. He totaled 881 offensive snaps a season ago and was on the field for every snap in 10 of 13 games. Kendall was part of the 2023 offensive line that paved the way for 198.8 rushing yards per game, which ranked 13th in FBS and second in the ACC.
Kendall's father Pete played at BC from 1991 to 1995 and was a first-round draft pick of the Seattle Seahawks.
DOAK WALKER AWARD
KYE ROBICHAUX
RB | Senior | Columbus, Ga.
The prestigious Doak Walker Award was created in 1989 to honor the nation’s most outstanding collegiate running back. Named for the 1948 Heisman Trophy winner and three-time All-America selection from SMU, the Doak Walker Award recognizes a football player’s outstanding performance on the field, as well as his achievements in the community and in the classroom.
A former walk-on at Western Kentucky, Robichaux transferred into the BC program in the spring of 2023. He burst onto the scene in week two and took over as the primary starter at running back midway through the season.
Robichaux totaled 780 yards in his first season with the Eagles; averaging the seventh most yards per game in the ACC at 70.9. He added eight rushing touchdowns, including one in an 89-yard effort in BC's victory over No. 17 SMU at the Fenway Bowl.
WUERFFEL TROPHY
DONOVAN EZEIRUAKU
DE | Senior | Williamstown, N.J.
College Football’s Premier Award for Community Service and one of the most meaningful awards in collegiate sports, the Allstate Wuerffel Trophy is named after Danny Wuerffel, the 1996 Heisman Trophy winning quarterback from the University of Florida who parlayed his success on the football field into a lifetime of service. The Allstate Wuerffel Trophy embodies Wuerffel’s commitment to being a humanitarian while honoring student-athletes who are inspired to serve others and make positive impacts on society.
Ezeiruaku is BC's nominee for the 20th Wuerffel Trophy. He has been a key contributor in numerous community service events throughout his BC career. Ezeiruaku is involved with Team Impact, Catholic Charities, Holiday in the Heights, the BC Neighborhood Center and more including events such as Adopt-A-Child and Pack-The-Truck.
A 2023 team captain, Ezeiruaku is a two-year starter at defensive end. He was a second-team All-ACC pick in 2022 and enters his senior year with 13.5 career sacks; the fifth most among active ACC players.
HORNUNG AWARD
JAYDEN McGOWAN
WR | Junior | Norwell, Mass.
Now in its 15th season, the Paul Hornung Award is given annually to the most versatile player in major college football by the Louisville Sports Commission in memory of the late football legend and Louisville native Paul Hornung. Forty-eight players representing nine conferences plus one independent school that compete for the Football Bowl Series have been selected for the 2024 Paul Hornung Award Pre-Season Watch List.
A two-time All-SEC kick returner at Vanderbilt, McGowan transferred in to Boston College for the 2024 spring season. He finished top-five in average kickoff return yards in the league as a freshman and a sophomore; averaging over 24.0 yards per return each season.
As a receivers, McGowan hauled in 80 receptions in 24 career games for 836 yards and three touchdowns. He added 32 career rushing attempts for 160 yards. Overall, McGowan begins his time on the Heights with 1,875 all-purpose yards under his belt.
OUTLAND TROPHY
OZZY TRAPILO
OL | Graduate | Norwell, Mass.
The Outland Trophy, celebrating 79 years since its founding, is the third-oldest major college football award. Created in 1946 when Dr. John Outland presented the FWAA with a financial contribution to initiate the award, the Outland Trophy has been given to the best interior lineman in college football ever since Dr. Outland, an All-American at the University of Pennsylvania in the late 1890s, eventually took up practice in Kansas City, Mo. An avid outdoorsman, Dr. Outland believed linemen did not get the credit they deserved and wanted an award to recognize them.
Trapilo, a two-year starter at offensive tackle, earned Second Team All-ACC in 2023. He started 12 games at left tackle, including the Fenway Bowl. He earned an 81.7 pass blocking grade from PFF and 75.0 overall grade.
The Phil Steele and Athlon Sports Preseason All-ACC pick did not allow a sack in 363 dropbacks in 2023. He totaled 720 offensive snaps played and took the field for every offensive snap in eight games played. Trapilo was part of an offensive line unit that paved the way for 198.8 rushing yards per game, which ranked 13th in FBS and second in the ACC a year ago.
MAXWELL AWARD
THOMAS CASTELLANOS
QB | Junior | Waycross, Ga.
The Maxwell Award has been presented to the College Player of the Year since 1937 and is named in honor of Robert “Tiny” Maxwell who was a former standout at Swarthmore College and a renowned sportswriter and football official. The Maxwell Football Club was founded in 1935 and is the oldest football organization of its kind in America. The Club recognizes excellence in performance at the high school, collegiate and professional levels of the game. The Maxwell Club is also deeply involved and fully vested in the community through programs to promote academic excellence, community volunteerism, and leadership.
Castellanos ascended to the starting quarterback position for week two of his sophomore season at BC after transferring to the Heights from UCF. He became the first 2,000-yard passer, 1,000-yard rusher in program history in the Eagles' Fenway Bowl victory over No. 17/24 SMU; a game in which he earned Offensive MVP.
Among ACC quarterbacks, he became just the fifth in league history since 1996 to surpass 2,000 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards. He ranked third in the ACC in rushing yards (1,113) and third in rushing touchdowns (13) while also ranking fourth in total offense per game (258.5).
AFCA GOOD WORKS TEAM
DONOVAN EZEIRUAKU
DE | Senior | Williamstown, N.J.
Established in 1992, the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team recognizes college football athletes for their unwavering commitment to community service and their “good works” off the field. This year’s 178 nominees champion causes including mental health awareness, youth mentorship, hunger relief, domestic abuse prevention, and many more. In addition to being actively involved with a charitable organization or service group, each player must also maintain strong academic standing to be considered for a spot on the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team.
Ezeiruaku earned his first AFCA Good Works Team nomination through his involvement in the Boston community, while maintaining a cumulative GPA above 3.0 and contributing to the Eagles' success on the field. Throughout his BC career, he has become a familiar face representing the Eagles with Team Impact, the BC Neighborhood Center, Catholic Charities events and more.
He was a second-team All-ACC selection in 2022 as a sophomore with 8.5 sacks and followed up with a pair of sacks in 2023. His 13.5 career sacks are the fifth most among active ACC players.
