Here’s the release from UConn about tight end Ryan Griffin being named to the John Makey Award watch list.
BETHPAGE, N.Y. – University of Connecticut junior tight end Ryan Griffin (Londonderry, N.H.) has been named to the preseason watch list for the 2011 John Mackey Award preseason released by the Nassau County Sports Commission.
Given annually to the best collegiate tight end, the award recipient is selected by a vote of the John Mackey Award Selection Committee. The 2011 John Mackey winner will be presented live at the Home Depot ESPN College Football Awards Red Carpet Show on December 8, 2011 at 6 p.m. EST on ESPNU.
Griffin has been UConn’s starting tight end for the past two seasons as he has played in 24 games with 18 starts. He was a very productive blocker in both the rushing and passing games in 2011.
Griffin earned an Offensive Game Ball following the Pittsburgh win (Nov. 11) along with other blockers in recognition of UConn’s 265 rushing yards, including 222 by Jordan Todman. Griffin has three pass receptions for 21 yards in regular season finale at USF as UConn clinched a berth in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl – its first-ever BCS game.
NFL Hall of Fame member John Mackey is considered to be the best to have played the tight end position. Mackey was a role model on and off the field as demonstrated by his Super Bowl Championship, his commitment to community and his place in history as the first President of the NFLPA.
The John Mackey Award presented since 2000, lists ten NFL players as alumni: Dallas Clark (’01) of the 2006 Super Bowl Champion Indianapolis Colts, two-time Super Bowl Champion Daniel Graham (’02), Kellen Winslow II (’03) of the Tampa Bay Bucaneers, two-time Super Bowl Champion Heath Miller (’04) of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Marcedes Lewis (’05) of the Jacksonville Jaguars, 2008 Super Bowl Champion Matt Spaeth (’06), Fred Davis (’07) of the Washington Redskins, Chase Coffman (’08) of the Cincinnati Bengals, Aaron Hernandez (’09) of the New England Patriots and the 2010 John Mackey Award recipient D.J. Williams of the Green Bay Packers.
Click on the read more button below to see the full list if you’re on the home page.
The following is a complete list of the watch list:
| Dwayne Allen | Clemson | Jr |
| Brandon Barden | Vanderbilt | Sr |
| Tim Biere | Kansas | Sr |
| Ted Bolser | Indiana | So |
| George Bryan | NC State | Sr |
| Orson Charles | Georgia | Jr |
| Josh Chichester | Louisville | Sr |
| Jack Doyle | WKU | Jr |
| Drake Dunsmore | Northwestern | Sr |
| Kyle Efaw | Boise St | Sr |
| Michael Egnew | Missouri | Sr |
| Tyler Eifert | Notre Dame | So |
| Rhett Ellison | USC | Sr |
| Coby Fleener | Stanford | Sr |
| Ladarius Green | Louisiana | Sr |
| Ryan Griffin | Connecticut | Jr |
| Joe Halahuni | Oregon St | Sr |
| Cooper Helfet | Duke | Sr |
| DC Jefferson | Rutgers | Jr |
| Kevin Koger | Michigan | Sr |
| Eric Lair | Minnesota | Sr |
| Brian Linthicum | Michigan St | Sr |
| Philip Lutzenkirchen | Auburn | Jr |
| Anthony Miller | California | Sr |
| Chris Pantale | Boston College | Jr |
| David Paulson | Oregon | Sr |
| Colter Phillips | Virginia | Jr |
| Nick Provo | Syracuse | Sr |
| Lucas Reed | New Mexico | Jr |
| Kyler Reed | Nebraska | Jr |
| Evan Rodriguez | Temple | Sr |
| Jake Stoneburner | Ohio St | Jr |
| Michael Williams | Alabama | Jr |
| Luke Willson | Rice | Jr |
