FWAA Kentucky News

Kentucky’s J.J. Weaver is this week’s nominee for the 2024 Capital One Orange Bowl-FWAA Courage Award. Weaver, a sixth-year senior, has become a leader in the mental health space, particularly with grieving children, after dealing with several devastating setbacks in both his football and personal life.

Two first-time winners and nine previous ones comprise the 15th Super 11 Awards, presented annually by the Football Writers Association of America to the best performing College Sports Communicators departments in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision. The awards announced this week are for the 2023 season.

The Kentucky Wildcats upset No. 9 Louisville, 38-31, as running back Ray Davis set school records for touchdowns and points scored and quarterback Devin Leary added three touchdown passes. For topping their in-state rivals for a fifth consecutive season and keeping the Governor’s Cup, Kentucky earned the Cheez-It National Team of the Week for games the weekend of Nov. 25, as selected by the All-America Committee of the Football Writers Association of America.

Kentucky cornerback Maxwell Hairston set a school record and tied a Southeastern Conference record with two interception returns for touchdowns Saturday in the Wildcats’ 45-28 win at Vanderbilt. For the 29- and 54-yard scoring returns plus an all-around game that included four tackles and three pass breakups, Hairston earned the Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week honor for games during the weekend of Sept. 23, as selected by the Football Writers Association of America.

DALLAS (FWAA) – North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye was the toast of Atlantic Coast Conference quarterbacks this season, throwing for 38 touchdowns and leading the league in passing yards (4,321) and total touchdowns (45). For his dynamic efforts that led the Tar Heels (9-5) to the ACC’s Coastal Division title, the Football Writers Association of America awarded him as its Freshman Player of the Year presented by Chris Doering Mortgage.

Each week during the 2022 season, we will highlight the notable performances of first-year players and head coaches leading up to the selection of our annual Freshman All-America Team and the Steve Spurrier First-Year Coach of the Year Award presented by Chris Doering Mortgage. Here are the top performances from Week 12, the weekend of Nov. 19

Six standout interior linemen tabbed by FWAA

Wildcats end 31-game spell against Florida

Wildcats complete second straight fourth-quarter comeback