Local, UH players make watch lists

Saint Louis School graduate Marcus Mariota and Kahuku graduate Hau’oli Kikaha will be among the most "watched" players this college football season, each showing up on preseason watch lists for three major postseason awards and a prestigious community service award.

Overall four players from Hawaii and two who play for UH have so far been named to award watch lists.

Mariota, a University of Oregon quarterback, has been named to the watch list for the Davey O’Brien Award, the Maxwell Award and the Heisman Trophy.

In addition, Mariota and Kikaha have been nominated for the Allstate American Football Coaches Association "Good Works Team."

The O’Brien Award honors the nation’s top college quarterback, while the Maxwell Award goes to the most outstanding player and Heisman is awarded to the top college football player.

Mariota, a redshirt junior for the Ducks, is a two-time All-Pac-12 quarterback selection. He was a semifinalist for the O’Brien Award and leader in Heisman surveys last year before suffering a knee injury against UCLA. Mariota completed 245 of 386 passes for 3,665 yards and 31 touchdowns with four interceptions and led the Ducks to an 11-2 record.

Kikaha, a senior linebacker at the University of Washington, is on lists for the Dick Butkus Award, the Chuck Bednarik Award and Bronko Nagurski Trophy. The Butkus Award recognizes the top linebacker while the Bednarik Award and the Nagurski Trophy go to the defensive player of the year.

Kikaha had 13 sacks in 2013, second most in UW history and is the nation’s returning sack leader.

Punahou graduates Jeremy Ioane and Brian Suite are on the watch list for the Jim Thorpe Award that goes to the top defensive back. Ioane, a Boise State safety and Suite, a Utah State safety, are both seniors.

UH’s Scott Harding has been listed for the Paul Hornung Award that goes to college football’s most versatile player. Teammate Ben Clarke is on the watch list for the Lombardi Award, which goes to the top college lineman, offense or defense.

The AFCA "Good Works Team" recognizes players "whose charitable involvement and community service contributions stand out among all other student-athletes participating in the sport," an announcement said.

No UH players were listed for the "Good Works" team.