Colin Simmons and Rasheem Biles Are Walter Camp Player of the Year Semifinalists
Texas placed two defenders on the Walter Camp semifinalist list Wednesday — Simmons, who also made the Bednarik list, and first-year Longhorn Biles, the team leader in tackles and interceptions. Neither appeared on the LSU availability report, so both are set to play Saturday.
AUSTIN — Two Texas defenders are semifinalists for the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award. Colin Simmons and Rasheem Biles were named to the semifinalist list on Wednesday, with Texas at 7-2 overall and 4-2 in conference play through nine games and a trip to LSU coming on Saturday.
Biles, in his first year as a Longhorn, has started every game and leads the team with 67 tackles and three interceptions, along with three forced fumbles and 10 quarterback hurries. Simmons, in his third collegiate season, has 10.5 sacks and 16 tackles for a loss and leads the nation in sacks and tackles for a loss per game, numbers he has put up despite missing time. On Tuesday, Simmons was also named one of 18 semifinalists for the Chuck Bednarik Award, given to the nation's top defensive player, on a Texas defense that ranks seventh nationally in pass-efficiency defense and tenth in total defense.
The Walter Camp list narrows to five finalists later this month, and the winner is announced at the ESPN College Football Awards Show on Friday, Dec. 11. A Texas winner would be the third in program history, joining Ricky Williams and Colt McCoy, who won the award twice.
Both semifinalists also cleared the week's availability hurdle. Neither Simmons nor wide receiver Cam Coleman appeared on Wednesday night's student-athlete availability report for the LSU game, which means both are set to play in Baton Rouge; running back Hollywood Smothers and offensive tackle Trevor Goosby remain out for the year. Saturday is the next chance for Simmons and Biles to build their cases in front of a national audience.
