After an electrifying 2019 campaign, it should come as no surprise that senior wide receiver Whop Philyor was named to the Biletnikoff Award preseason watch list. The award annually recognizes the top receiver in the FBS.
The Tampa product threatened the IU record books in 2019 with 70 receptions for 1,002 yards and five TDs despite missing more than one and a half games.
The full release from IU Athletics is below.
See also: Philyor looking to put it all together in year four | Mullen on Bednarik Watch List | Scott on Doak Walker Watch List
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana senior wide receiver Whop Philyor has been named to the 2020 Biletnikoff Award Pre-season Watch List, the Tallahassee Quarterback Club (TQC) Foundation, Inc., announced today.
The Biletnikoff Award annually recognizes the college football season’s outstanding FBS receiver. Any player, regardless of position (wide receiver, tight end, slot back, and running back) who catches a pass is eligible for the award. As such, the Biletnikoff Award recognizes college football’s outstanding receiver, not merely college football’s outstanding wide receiver.
Philyor enters 2020 with 126 receptions, 1,572 yards, nine touchdowns, six 100-yard games and five double-digit catch games. He became the 13th Hoosier to reach 125 receptions and 1,500 yards.
The Tampa native is the program’s leader in double-figure catch games, shares seventh in 100-yard games, is 15th in receptions and 20th in yardage.
A second-team All-Big Ten selection and a Biletnikoff Award Watch Lister in 2019, Philyor was named IU’s Most Outstanding Offensive Player after he caught 70 passes for 1,002 yards and five TDs. He became the seventh Hoosier to reach 1,000 yards, recorded three double-digit catch games, a program single-season record, was one of 10 FBS players with a trio of contests with 10-or-more, and he posted four 100-yard games (T-4th in the Big Ten).
Philyor’s receptions are sixth, 100-yarders share sixth and yards are seventh on the school’s single-season lists. He finished third in the conference in catches and receptions per game, and fourth in yardage and yardage per game.
The semifinalists, finalists and award recipient are selected by the highly-distinguished Biletnikoff Award National Selection Committee, a group of prominent college football journalists, commentators, announcers, Biletnikoff Award winners and other former receivers. Foundation trustees do not vote and have never voted. For a list of voters, please see BiletnikoffAward.com/voters.
Receivers are frequently added to the watch list as their season performances dictate. Actual, not potential, performance is the basis for inclusion on the Biletnikoff Award Watch List.
The Biletnikoff Award candidate eligibility and voting criteria, transparently explicit and detailed, are available for review at BiletnikoffAward.com/criteria.
The 2020 Biletnikoff Award winner will be presented the Biletnikoff Award trophy by TQC Foundation Chairman George Avant, Jr., keynoter and college hall of famer Chad Hennings, and college and pro football hall of famer Fred Biletnikoff before 550 patrons at the Biletnikoff Award Banquet at the University Center Club at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee on Saturday, March 6, 2021. The banquet was hailed by 2014 keynote speaker Dick Vermeil, as well as by 2013 keynoter Larry Csonka, as “the best banquet in college sports.”
The TQC Foundation’s charitable mission is the provision of college and vocational scholarships to North Florida high school seniors who have overcome significant barriers to achieve at the highest academic and extracurricular levels. Participation in sports is not a requirement. The Foundation has provided many millions of dollars for several hundreds of scholarships and related benefits through 2020.
The name Biletnikoff is synonymous with the term receiver. Fred Biletnikoff, a member of the pro and college football halls of fame, was a consensus All-America receiver at Florida State University, and an All-Pro receiver for the Oakland Raiders. He caught 589 passes for 8,974 yards and 76 touchdowns in his 14-year Raiders career from 1965 through 1978. Fred was the Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl XI.
The Biletnikoff Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. Founded in 1997, the NCFAA and its 25 awards now boast over 800 recipients, dating to 1935. Visit ncfaa.org and @NCFAA on Twitter to learn more about the association.
Following is the entire 2020 preseason watch list calendar:
Monday July 13: Chuck Bednarik Award
Tuesday July 14: Davey O’Brien Award
Wednesday July 15: Doak Walker Award
Thursday July 16: Biletnikoff Award
Friday July 17: Mackey Award
Monday July 20: Jim Thorpe Award
Tuesday July 21: Outland Trophy & Nagurski Award
Wednesday July 22: Groza Award & Ray Guy Award
Thursday July 23: Hornung Award & Wuerffel Trophy
Friday July 24: Walter Camp Award
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