Duke WR Conner Vernon scores his 1st of 2 TDs against Tulane last year -BDN Photo
DURHAM, N.C. — Duke senior wide receiver Conner Vernon has been named to the 49-member Biletnikoff Award Watch List. The Biletnikoff Award is presented annually by the Tallahassee Quarterback Club Foundation to the most outstanding wide receiver in college football.
A senior from Miami, Fla., Vernon is the nation’s active leader in pass receptions (198) and receiving yards (2,675) and enters the 2012 season with a streak of 35 consecutive games with at least one catch. Last year, he caught 73 passes for 956 yards and six touchdowns to become the first player in ACC history with multiple seasons of 70-plus receptions.
Vernon will open his final season in Durham within reach of the ACC’s all-time records for receptions and receiving yards, currently standing 33 catches shy of Clemson’s Aaron Kelly’s league standard of 232 and 841 yards away from the conference yardage mark of 3,517 held by Florida State’s Peter Warrick.
Vernon is one of eight representatives from the ACC on the list, joining Jheranie Boyd (North Carolina), Michael Campanaro (Wake Forest), Marcus Davis (Virginia Tech), Willie Haulstead (Florida State), Erik Highsmith (North Carolina), DeAndre Hopkins (Clemson) and Allen Hurns (Miami (Fla.)).
Previous winners of the award include Bobby Engram (1994; Penn State), Terry Glenn (1995; Ohio State), Marcus Harris (Wyoming; 1996), Randy Moss (Marshall; 1997), Troy Edwards (Louisiana Tech; 1998), Troy Walters (Stanford; 1999), Antonio Bryant (Pittsburgh; 2000), Josh Reed (LSU; 2001), Charles Rogers (Michigan State; 2002), Larry Fitzgerald (Pittsburgh; 2003), Braylon Edwards (Michigan; 2004), Mike Hass (Oregon State; 2005), Calvin Johnson (Georgia Tech; 2006), Michael Crabtree (Texas Tech; 2007 & 2008), Golden Tate (Notre Dame; 2009) and Justin Blackmon (Oklahoma State, 2010 & 2011).
The Tallahassee Quarterback Club Foundation, Inc., (TQC Foundation), the creator and sponsor of the Biletnikoff Award (presented annually to the nation’s outstanding college football receiver), is an independent, charitable organization … for more visit GoDuke.com
