Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell's Sean Conover Named to Buchanan Award Watch List
8/24/2005 8:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 24, 2005
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Bucknell senior defensive lineman Sean Conover on Wednesday was named to the Buck Buchanan Award Watch List by The Sports Network. The award is presented to the top defensive player in Division I-AA football.
Conover is the reigning Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year and was a 2004 Second Team All-America selection by both The Sports Network and the Associated Press. Last month he was named the Patriot League Preseason Defensive Player of the Year as well as a Preseason All-American by The Sports Network, which is I-AA's most widely recognized information service organization.
Conover enjoyed a terrific 2004 campaign in which he tied for the Patriot League lead in sacks with 10.5 and led the conference with five forced fumbles. He also posted 18 tackles behind the line of scrimmage, resulting in 110 lost yards. Conover, who enjoyed back-to-back three-sack showings against Lehigh and Holy Cross, earned the George Rieu Award as Bucknell's top defensive lineman last season.
Conover came to Bucknell as a tight end but switched to the defensive side of the ball prior to his sophomore season in 2003. He has started every game at defensive end over the last two seasons, totaling 98 tackles and 14.5 sacks. He has an outside chance to break the Bucknell career sack record of 25.5, currently held by Dave Hibbard (1978-80) and Ed Burman (1993-95).
The Buchanan Award, along with the Walter Payton Award (top offensive player in I-AA) and the Eddie Robinson Award (I-AA coach of the year) will be presented at the 19th annual I-AA College Football Awards on Thursday, Dec. 15.
The official "Payton Watch" and "Buchanan Battle" lists will undergo three revisions prior to the distribution of ballots on Nov. 21. The first revisions will be announced Oct. 12, the second Nov. 2, and the third just prior to the distribution of ballots.
Following are the 32 current members of both the "Payton Watch" and "Buchanan Battle" lists, with additional information on each player, as well as history and facts about each of the I-AA awards, available HERE.
"Buchanan Battle" Candidates (Aug. 24)
Maurice Bennett, LB, Lafayette
Katon Bethay, DT, Wofford
Antoine Bethea, DB, Howard
Sean Conover, DE, Bucknell
Reed Doughty, S, Northern Colorado
Justin Durant, LB, Hampton
Brady Fosmark, DE, Weber State
William Freeman, LB, Furman
Chris Gocong, DE, Cal Poly
Shannon James, S, Massachusetts
Jerome Jones, LB, Eastern Kentucky
Tony LeZotte, S, James Madison
Markus Mikulec, LB, Sam Houston State
Tom Parks, DT, Delaware
David Pittman, CB, Northwestern State
Antonio Thomas, CB, Western Kentucky
"Payton Watch" Candidates (Aug. 24)
Jermaine Austin, RB, Georgia Southern
David Ball, WR, New Hampshire
Steve Baylark, RB, Massachusetts
Clifton Dawson, RB, Harvard
Bruce Eugene, QB, Grambling State
Terrance Freeney, RB, UNI
Travis Glasford, RB, Western Illinois
Nick Hartigan, RB, Brown
Lex Hilliard, RB, Montana
Eric Kimble, WR, Eastern Washington
Travis Lulay, QB, Montana State
Ingle Martin, QB, Furman
Erik Meyer, QB, Eastern Washington
Joel Sambursky, QB, Southern Illinois
Ricky Santos, QB, New Hampshire
Richie Williams, QB, Appalachian State
