Nebraska defensive tackle Nash Hutmacher was honored Monday when he was named to the Chuck Bednarik Award Watch List. The Bednarik Award is given annually to the most outstanding defensive player in college football.

Hutmacher was a mainstay of Nebraska’s defense in 2023, as the Blackshirts ranked in the top 20 nationally in defense, scoring defense and rushing defense in his first year as a starter. He started all 12 games and totaled 40 tackles, 8.0 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. He had a season-high seven tackles, including 2.5 sacks, against Northwestern and had four or more tackles six times in 2023. For his performances, the 6-foot-4, 300-pound defensive lineman earned All-Big Ten honors from the coaches and media. In addition to his football accomplishments, Hutmacher joined the Husker wrestling team as a heavyweight and qualified for the 2024 NCAA Wrestling Championships.

The Bednarik Award has been given to the college defensive player of the year since 1994 and is named after Chuck “Concrete Charlie” Bednarik, who was an All-American at the University of Pennsylvania and later an All-Pro linebacker and center for the Philadelphia Eagles for several years. He is a member of the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame and was the last NFL player to play both offense and defense full-time.

The semifinalists for the Chuck Bednarik Award will be announced on November 12, 2024, while the three finalists for the Maxwell Award will be revealed on November 26, 2024. The winners of the 30th Chuck Bednarik Award will be announced during the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show on December 12, 2024.