It’s back to work this week after spending the last six days relaxing on a beach and not doing much of anything. I was unplugged and disconnected and honestly it felt fantastic. Now, I’m catching up on everything from the past week. Here’s a rundown of some of the items that slipped by me while I soaked up the sun.
Shuler Named to Biletnikoff Award Watch List
Rakeem Cato’s favorite target in 2012 has once again garnering some national attention. Tommy Shuler was added to the Bilentikoff Watch List in October of last year after he led the nation in receiving through the first five games of the season.
Shuler led the country in 2012 with 9.17 receptions per game and his 110 catches set a Marshall record.
Two More Watch Lists for Cato
Cato is now on three preseason watch lists, the latest being the Davey O’Brein Award, given each year to the country’s best quarterback.
Cato is also on the Maxwell and College Football Performance Awards lists.
Two former Herd quarterbacks have been Davey O’Brien Award candidates— Chad Pennington was a finalist in 1999 and Byron Leftwich a semifinalist in 2002.
Cato was also selected for the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award Watch List.
C-USA coaches pick Herd 2nd in East
It seems the league’s coaches are not convinced Marshall is ready to contend for the C-USA title. Marshall received 82 points and two first-place votes in the Conference USA preseason poll. East Carolina has been picked to win the East Division. The Pirates received 95 points and 11 first-place votes in the poll.
Marshall and East Carolina could very well be battling for the East Division crown when they meet in Huntington on the day after Thanksgiving.
All-Conference Honors
Rakeem Cato was named the league’s Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. He was joined on the preseason All-Conference USA team by three Herd teammates — wideout Tommy Shuler, tight end Gator Hoskins and punter Tyler Williams.