Texas Tech had a trio of offensive standouts named to the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award watch list Tuesday afternoon in junior wide receiver Keke Coutee, senior wideout Dylan Cantrell and senior quarterback Nic Shimonek.
This is the first time in each of their respective careers where they have been named to the Earl Campbell watch list. Coutee, a preseason All-Big 12 selection, is already a member of the Biletnikoff Award watch list for the nation’s top receiver while Shimonek was named to a similar list for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award earlier this summer.
The Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award recognizes the top offensive player in Division I who also exhibits the enduring characteristics that define Earl Campbell: integrity, performance, teamwork, sportsmanship, drive, community, and tenacity; specifically tenacity in persist and determination to overcome adversity and injury in pursuit of reaching goals.
In addition, the nominee must meet one or more of the following criteria: born in Texas and/or graduated from a Texas High School and/or played at a Texas-based junior college or a four-year D-I Texas university.
Tech has had success with the Earl Campbell Award in the past as Patrick Mahomes II was one of five finalists for the award a year ago. Mahomes was also a semifinalist for the award in 2015 alongside Jakeem Grant and DeAndre Washington, both of whom are active in NFL training camps for the Miami Dolphins and Oakland Raiders.
Cantrell hails from just outside the award’s main location in Tyler, Texas, as the Whitehouse native joins Coutee, a Lufkin native, as East Texas representatives on the watch list. Cantrell ranked third on the team for both receptions (58) and receiving yards (675) a year ago despite playing in just 10 games. He also caught eight touchdowns, second-most on the team.
Coutee ranked among the top pass catchers during Big 12 play in 2016 as he finished with 55 catches for 890 yards and seven touchdowns. All but three of Coutee’s catches came against conference foes, though, as he ranked second in the league after averaging 95.7 yards per game through the air during Big 12 action.
Shimonek, meanwhile, is vying to become the latest in successful Red Raider quarterbacks after he completed 38-of-58 passes for 464 yards and six touchdowns a year ago. Shimonek, a native of Mildred, Texas, threw just one interception over the course of four games.
The Red Raiders open the 2017 season in just over two weeks as Tech welcomes Eastern Washington to Jones AT&T Stadium on Sept. 2. Ticket packages are still available for all six games this year, including season tickets for as low as $184 a person.
To purchase season tickets or learn more information regarding single-game passes or mini-plans, please visit the online ticket portal at TexasTech.com or call 806-742-TECH.
(Courtesy: Texas Tech Sports Communications Department)
