Yesterday, I talked about how Venric Mark’s Doak Walker award watch list nomination drew him into a tie for first place with Brandon Vitabile in the race for Northwestern watch list supremacy. That race is now over, and Venric Mark is the winner. Mark banked his fourth preseason recognition Friday when he was named to the list of players nominated for the Walter Camp Award, which honors the Player of the Year. Mark was also named to the Maxwell (player of the year), Paul Hornung (nation’s most versatile player) and, as mentioned above, Doak Walker (nation’s best running back) preseason lists.
This is immensely impressive stuff for Mark, and it bookends a rather large contingent of NU preseason watch list distinctions in 2013. It’s hard to say whether one, two or any of NU’s nominees will win the respective awards, but Mark – by virtue of sheer frequency – probably has the best shot of taking at least one award home. Even if he doesn’t, the widespread award love validates something most NU and Big Ten fans already knew: Mark is an excellent player, and he deserves to be recognized as such.
A promising 2013 season awaits.