FAYETTEVILLE -- Arkansas' defensive turnaround from a sieve in 2013 to No. 10 nationally in total defense in 2014 isn't reflected on the watch list for the 2015 Chuck Bednarik Award.
Named for the great University of Pennsylvania and Philadelphia Eagles linebacker-center, the Bednarik is among the awards that designate the best defensive player in college football.
Eighty players were on the Bednarik watch list released Tuesday, but not one Razorback was among them.
The omissions reflect the Bednarik folks knowing their geometry. They know a missing triangle when they don't see one.
Defensive tackle Darius Philon, defensive end Trey Flowers -- both of whom were either second-team or honorable mention selections on various 2014 All-SEC teams -- and outside linebacker Martrell Spaight, a consensus All-SEC first-team player after leading the league in tackles, will report to NFL camps while the Razorbacks commence preseason practice at Arkansas.
Arkansas fans should not despair that the Bednarik list didn't include any Razorbacks, or that other national defensive award watch lists will likely follow suit.
Other than some 2013 preseason notoriety in Arkansas for his hard hits that knocked several teammates out of August practices, Spaight received zero SEC attention coming into 2014.
The North Little Rock native and transfer from Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College exhibited nothing in an injury-plagued 2013 that foretold of him blossoming in 2014 with 128 tackles under first-year defensive coordinator Robb Smith.
So there is no telling whom among those coached by Smith, defensive line coach Rory Segrest, defensive backfield coach Clay Jennings and new linebackers coach Vernon Hargreaves might emerge to SEC and even national prominence.
For now, junior linebacker Brooks Ellis of Fayetteville seems the best bet.
Like last year with Flowers, who nearly turned pro after a fine junior year in 2013, and Philon, who made the 2013 All-SEC freshman team, Ellis' name at least rings a bell with some in the football know even though the Bednarik Award watchers passed him by.
A starting middle linebacker since the last four games of his freshman year in 2013, Ellis accounted for 72 tackles, including 5 1/2 behind the line, intercepted 2 passes, broke up 5 more, forced 2 fumbles and was credited with 2 quarterback hurries last season.
Last spring Ellis moved from the middle to Spaight's old spot.
LOSING A BEST BUDDY
The University of Arkansas and the state of Arkansas lost a best buddy with the July 2 passing of Buddy Sutton, 84.
Though trapped in the 1950-52 Otis Douglas era of 2-8, 5-5, 2-8 Razorbacks teams, the 1952 Razorbacks co-captain rose to such statewide prominence as an attorney and a leader and a giver that he was elected into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame in Little Rock and the UA's Razorbacks Hall of Honor.
"He qualified for what he stood for," said Harold Horton, the retired president of the Razorback Foundation. "He was a man of honor."
Sports on 07/11/2015