University of Tennessee Athletics
Sampson & Pearce Jr. Recognized as Semifinalists for National Awards
November 12, 2024 | Football
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – A pair of Tennessee standouts on each side of the ball were recognized on Tuesday afternoon for being selected as semifinalists for prestigious national awards.
Junior running back Dylan Sampson is one of 16 semifinalists for the Maxwell Award, including one of five players from the SEC and one of five running backs to make the list. Junior defensive end James Pearce Jr. was named one of 20 semifinalists for the Chuck Bednarik Award, nine of which are from SEC programs.
Sampson is the third Vol to earn semifinalist status for the Maxwell Award in the last three years, joining the duo of Hendon Hooker and Jalin Hyatt in 2022. He is the fourth player overall in program history to be named a semifinalist for the award and the first running back to do so.
Established in 1937, the Maxwell Award is one of the top honors in college football. It is presented annually to the most outstanding player in the sport, recognizing excellence on the field and exceptional contributions to the game. The award is named in honor of Robert "Tiny" Maxwell, a distinguished sportswriter and influential figure in college football.
Sampson has been one of the most productive players in all of college football this season, leading the FBS with eight 100-yard rushing games and ranking among the national leaders in rushing touchdowns (20 – 3rd), rushing yards (1,129 – 7th), rushing yards per game (125.4 – 7th), scoring (13.3 – 3rd) and total points (120 – 5th).
The Baton Rouge, Louisiana, native's 20 rushing scores are a Tennessee single-season record and are the most by an SEC player in a season since Alabama's Najee Harris had 26 in 2020.
Pearce Jr. is the fourth Bednarik Award semifinalist in UT history and the first since Derek Barnett in 2016.
The Bednarik Award has been presented annually to the most outstanding defensive player in college football since 1994 and is named in honor of Chuck "Concrete Charlie" Bednarik, who was an All-American player at the University of Pennsylvania and later a multiple year All-Pro linebacker and center for the Philadelphia Eagles.
Pearce Jr. leads the Vols with 7.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks and has been a dominant force in SEC play, where has collected at least a half tackle for loss and a half sack in six straight games.
According to PFF.com, Pearce Jr. has tallied 43 total pressures this season, which ranks third nationally among edge rushers and leads the SEC. He had a season-high 10 total pressures in the win against Alabama and posted six apiece in Tennessee's two most recent wins over Kentucky and Mississippi State.
The complete lists of semifinalists and more info on both the Maxwell and Bednarik Awards can be found HERE.
Junior running back Dylan Sampson is one of 16 semifinalists for the Maxwell Award, including one of five players from the SEC and one of five running backs to make the list. Junior defensive end James Pearce Jr. was named one of 20 semifinalists for the Chuck Bednarik Award, nine of which are from SEC programs.
Sampson is the third Vol to earn semifinalist status for the Maxwell Award in the last three years, joining the duo of Hendon Hooker and Jalin Hyatt in 2022. He is the fourth player overall in program history to be named a semifinalist for the award and the first running back to do so.
Established in 1937, the Maxwell Award is one of the top honors in college football. It is presented annually to the most outstanding player in the sport, recognizing excellence on the field and exceptional contributions to the game. The award is named in honor of Robert "Tiny" Maxwell, a distinguished sportswriter and influential figure in college football.
Sampson has been one of the most productive players in all of college football this season, leading the FBS with eight 100-yard rushing games and ranking among the national leaders in rushing touchdowns (20 – 3rd), rushing yards (1,129 – 7th), rushing yards per game (125.4 – 7th), scoring (13.3 – 3rd) and total points (120 – 5th).
The Baton Rouge, Louisiana, native's 20 rushing scores are a Tennessee single-season record and are the most by an SEC player in a season since Alabama's Najee Harris had 26 in 2020.
Pearce Jr. is the fourth Bednarik Award semifinalist in UT history and the first since Derek Barnett in 2016.
The Bednarik Award has been presented annually to the most outstanding defensive player in college football since 1994 and is named in honor of Chuck "Concrete Charlie" Bednarik, who was an All-American player at the University of Pennsylvania and later a multiple year All-Pro linebacker and center for the Philadelphia Eagles.
Pearce Jr. leads the Vols with 7.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks and has been a dominant force in SEC play, where has collected at least a half tackle for loss and a half sack in six straight games.
According to PFF.com, Pearce Jr. has tallied 43 total pressures this season, which ranks third nationally among edge rushers and leads the SEC. He had a season-high 10 total pressures in the win against Alabama and posted six apiece in Tennessee's two most recent wins over Kentucky and Mississippi State.
The complete lists of semifinalists and more info on both the Maxwell and Bednarik Awards can be found HERE.
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