Wax Up for National Defensive Player of the Year Honor
8/14/2023 12:00:00 PM | Football
Linebacker Marlowe Wax Jr. is up for national defensive player of the year!
The 'Cuse junior and leading tackler from last season was named to the Chuck Bednarik Award Watch List, which is presented annually to the most outstanding defensive player in college football.
Wax, who enters the 2023 campaign with 25-straight starts, was an All-ACC selection a year ago. Already voted a team captain for this upcoming season, he enters the year with 184 career tackles (113 solo), 25.0 tackles for loss, 12.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and a blocked kick in his time at SU.
The only member of the Orange linebacking corps to appear in every game last season, Wax has a team-best 91 tackles in 2022, with 10.5 tackles for loss. His 91 tackles ranked 11th in the ACC. He Anchored a defensive unit that finished the season 14th nationally in passing defense (184.8) and 20th in total defense (328.6).
The 'Cuse defense has finished in the top-20 nationally of total defense in back-to-back seasons.
The Bednarik Award has been presented to the College Defensive Player of the Year since 1994 and is named in honor of Chuck "Concrete Charlie" Bednarik who was an All-American player at the University of Pennsylvania and later a multiple year All Pro linebacker and center for the Philadelphia Eagles. He is a member of both the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame and was the last NFL player to be a full-time player on both offense and defense.
The Bednarik Award watch list will once again incorporate a broad spectrum of Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) programs and conferences from coast to coast, led by 5 returning 2022 semifinalists: Kool-Aid McKinstry (Alabama), Tyler Davis (Clemson), Jer'Zhan Newton (Illinois), Tommy Eichenberg (Ohio State) and Jason Henderson (Old Dominion). Clemson and Penn State lead the way with 3 candidates each with an additional 9 schools boasting 2 candidates.
Wax it's the second national watch list that Wax has been named to, also representing the Orange on the Butkus Award Watch List. He's one of a handful of players on the team to garner major preseason recognition ahead of the year. Quarterback Garrett Shrader has been named to the Davey O'Brien Award, Wuerffel Trophy and Maxwell Award watch lists, tight end Oronde Gadsden II is on the Maxwell Award and Biletnikoff Award watch lists and Preseason All-ACC team, LeQuint Allen was named to the Doak Walker Award watch list and Trebor Pena earned a spot on the Paul Hornung Award Watch List.
The Orange open the 2023 season on Sept. 2 vs. Colgate. Season tickets, partial plans and individual game tickets are now on sale at Cuse.com/Tickets. Season tickets, which start at just $99, remain the best value for Orange fans. Fans can also purchase group tickets, hospitality packages and tailgate packages. With two of the last three games in the JMA Dome having been sold out, fans are encouraged to secure their seats today to be part of the action.
The 'Cuse junior and leading tackler from last season was named to the Chuck Bednarik Award Watch List, which is presented annually to the most outstanding defensive player in college football.
Wax, who enters the 2023 campaign with 25-straight starts, was an All-ACC selection a year ago. Already voted a team captain for this upcoming season, he enters the year with 184 career tackles (113 solo), 25.0 tackles for loss, 12.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and a blocked kick in his time at SU.
The only member of the Orange linebacking corps to appear in every game last season, Wax has a team-best 91 tackles in 2022, with 10.5 tackles for loss. His 91 tackles ranked 11th in the ACC. He Anchored a defensive unit that finished the season 14th nationally in passing defense (184.8) and 20th in total defense (328.6).
The 'Cuse defense has finished in the top-20 nationally of total defense in back-to-back seasons.
The Bednarik Award has been presented to the College Defensive Player of the Year since 1994 and is named in honor of Chuck "Concrete Charlie" Bednarik who was an All-American player at the University of Pennsylvania and later a multiple year All Pro linebacker and center for the Philadelphia Eagles. He is a member of both the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame and was the last NFL player to be a full-time player on both offense and defense.
The Bednarik Award watch list will once again incorporate a broad spectrum of Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) programs and conferences from coast to coast, led by 5 returning 2022 semifinalists: Kool-Aid McKinstry (Alabama), Tyler Davis (Clemson), Jer'Zhan Newton (Illinois), Tommy Eichenberg (Ohio State) and Jason Henderson (Old Dominion). Clemson and Penn State lead the way with 3 candidates each with an additional 9 schools boasting 2 candidates.
Wax it's the second national watch list that Wax has been named to, also representing the Orange on the Butkus Award Watch List. He's one of a handful of players on the team to garner major preseason recognition ahead of the year. Quarterback Garrett Shrader has been named to the Davey O'Brien Award, Wuerffel Trophy and Maxwell Award watch lists, tight end Oronde Gadsden II is on the Maxwell Award and Biletnikoff Award watch lists and Preseason All-ACC team, LeQuint Allen was named to the Doak Walker Award watch list and Trebor Pena earned a spot on the Paul Hornung Award Watch List.
The Orange open the 2023 season on Sept. 2 vs. Colgate. Season tickets, partial plans and individual game tickets are now on sale at Cuse.com/Tickets. Season tickets, which start at just $99, remain the best value for Orange fans. Fans can also purchase group tickets, hospitality packages and tailgate packages. With two of the last three games in the JMA Dome having been sold out, fans are encouraged to secure their seats today to be part of the action.
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