Fresno State Athletics
KeeSean Johnson named to Biletnikoff Award Preseason Watch List
7/18/2017 7:00:00 AM | Football
Fresno State junior KeeSean Johnson became the third 'Dog to be recognized on a preseason watch list as the wide receiver was one of 46 players nationally named to the 2017 Biletnikoff Award Preseason Watch List as announced by the Tallahassee Quarterback Club Foundation on Tuesday.
FRESNO, Calif. - After a pair of Fresno State football student-athletes were named to Preseason National Awards Watch Lists last week, junior KeeSean Johnson became the third 'Dog to be recognized this preseason as the wide receiver was one of 46 players nationally named to the 2017 Biletnikoff Award Preseason Watch List as announced by the Tallahassee Quarterback Club Foundation on Tuesday.
Given to college football's outstanding receiver at any position, the Biletnikoff Award was created and is sponsored by the Tallahassee Quarterback Club Foundation. Any player, regardless of position (wide receiver, tight end, slot back, and running back) who catches a pass is eligible for the award. As such, the Biletnikoff Award recognizes the outstanding receiver, not merely the outstanding wide receiver.
Johnson, a native of Palo Alto, California, is coming off a breakout sophomore campaign in 2016 as he earned All-Mountain West honorable mention honors after starting all 12 games for the 'Dogs leading the team in receptions (66), receiving yards (773) and receiving touchdowns (6). Johnson finished third in the MW in receptions per game (5.50), seventh in receiving yards (773) and eighth in receiving yards per game (64.4) and tied for the team lead with Jamire Jordan in all-purpose yards with 1,049 adding 13 rushing yards, 227 yards on kickoff returns and 36 yards on punt returns.
The 6'2, 202-pound fourth-year junior caught at least one pass in each game in 2016 and has caught at least one pass in 22-straight games dating back to 2015. He posted single-game career bests for catches (10), receiving yards (142) and receiving touchdowns (3) against Air Force in 2016 and became the first Bulldog since current Green Bay Packer Davante Adams against San Jose State on Nov. 29, 2013 to catch three touchdowns in a contest.
Johnson is one of three Mountain West receivers on the preseason watch list joined by Michael Gallup from Colorado State and Cedrick Wilson from Boise State. The Mid-American Conference led the nation with eight receivers on the watch list followed by the American Conference with seven and the ACC with six. All 10 FBS conferences had at least one representative on the watch list as the Big 12 and Pac-12 had five apiece followed by Conference USA (4), SEC (4), Mountain West (3), Sun Belt (2), Big 10 (1) and Independent (1).
The name Biletnikoff is synonymous with the term receiver. Fred Biletnikoff, a member of the pro and college football halls of fame, was an All-America receiver at Florida State University, and an All-Pro receiver for the Oakland Raiders. He caught 589 passes for 8,974 yards and 76 touchdowns in his 14-year Raiders career from 1965 through 1978. Fred was the Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl XI. The Tallahassee Quarterback Club Foundation (TQC), Inc., created the Biletnikoff Award in 1994.
The 2017 Biletnikoff Award winner will be presented live on December 7, 2017, on The Home Depot College Football Awards Show to be broadcast 7:00 - 9:00 pm (EST) on ESPN. College Football Hall of Famer, Heisman Trophy winner, and Biletnikoff Award voter Desmond Howard will present the 2017 Biletnikoff Award winner on the show. Howard is one of only 5 ends or receivers who has won the Heisman Trophy, joining Larry Kelley, Leon Hart, Johnny Rodgers, and Biletnikoff Award voter Tim Brown.
The correlation between Biletnikoff Award winners and stardom in the National Football League is uncannily predictable. Past Biletnikoff Award winners include Calvin Johnson, Randy Moss, Michael Crabtree, Amari Cooper, and Larry Fitzgerald. The 2017 Biletnikoff Award winner will be presented the Biletnikoff Award trophy by college and pro football hall of famers Fred Biletnikoff and keynoter Floyd Little before 550 patrons at the Biletnikoff Award Banquet at the University Center Club at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee on Saturday, February 10, 2018.Â
"Just the Ticket to Build Our Community" – The Bulldog Scholarship Fund gives Bulldog alumni, fans and friends the opportunity to support Fresno State Athletics and the student-athletes who inspire them. For information about how you can support the Bulldog Scholarship Fund, please visit www.bulldogscholarshipfund.com or call 559-278-7160
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Follow us on:
Twitter:Â @FresnoStateFB
Instagram:Â Fresno_State_Football
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Given to college football's outstanding receiver at any position, the Biletnikoff Award was created and is sponsored by the Tallahassee Quarterback Club Foundation. Any player, regardless of position (wide receiver, tight end, slot back, and running back) who catches a pass is eligible for the award. As such, the Biletnikoff Award recognizes the outstanding receiver, not merely the outstanding wide receiver.
Johnson, a native of Palo Alto, California, is coming off a breakout sophomore campaign in 2016 as he earned All-Mountain West honorable mention honors after starting all 12 games for the 'Dogs leading the team in receptions (66), receiving yards (773) and receiving touchdowns (6). Johnson finished third in the MW in receptions per game (5.50), seventh in receiving yards (773) and eighth in receiving yards per game (64.4) and tied for the team lead with Jamire Jordan in all-purpose yards with 1,049 adding 13 rushing yards, 227 yards on kickoff returns and 36 yards on punt returns.
The 6'2, 202-pound fourth-year junior caught at least one pass in each game in 2016 and has caught at least one pass in 22-straight games dating back to 2015. He posted single-game career bests for catches (10), receiving yards (142) and receiving touchdowns (3) against Air Force in 2016 and became the first Bulldog since current Green Bay Packer Davante Adams against San Jose State on Nov. 29, 2013 to catch three touchdowns in a contest.
Johnson is one of three Mountain West receivers on the preseason watch list joined by Michael Gallup from Colorado State and Cedrick Wilson from Boise State. The Mid-American Conference led the nation with eight receivers on the watch list followed by the American Conference with seven and the ACC with six. All 10 FBS conferences had at least one representative on the watch list as the Big 12 and Pac-12 had five apiece followed by Conference USA (4), SEC (4), Mountain West (3), Sun Belt (2), Big 10 (1) and Independent (1).
The name Biletnikoff is synonymous with the term receiver. Fred Biletnikoff, a member of the pro and college football halls of fame, was an All-America receiver at Florida State University, and an All-Pro receiver for the Oakland Raiders. He caught 589 passes for 8,974 yards and 76 touchdowns in his 14-year Raiders career from 1965 through 1978. Fred was the Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl XI. The Tallahassee Quarterback Club Foundation (TQC), Inc., created the Biletnikoff Award in 1994.
The 2017 Biletnikoff Award winner will be presented live on December 7, 2017, on The Home Depot College Football Awards Show to be broadcast 7:00 - 9:00 pm (EST) on ESPN. College Football Hall of Famer, Heisman Trophy winner, and Biletnikoff Award voter Desmond Howard will present the 2017 Biletnikoff Award winner on the show. Howard is one of only 5 ends or receivers who has won the Heisman Trophy, joining Larry Kelley, Leon Hart, Johnny Rodgers, and Biletnikoff Award voter Tim Brown.
The correlation between Biletnikoff Award winners and stardom in the National Football League is uncannily predictable. Past Biletnikoff Award winners include Calvin Johnson, Randy Moss, Michael Crabtree, Amari Cooper, and Larry Fitzgerald. The 2017 Biletnikoff Award winner will be presented the Biletnikoff Award trophy by college and pro football hall of famers Fred Biletnikoff and keynoter Floyd Little before 550 patrons at the Biletnikoff Award Banquet at the University Center Club at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee on Saturday, February 10, 2018.Â
"Just the Ticket to Build Our Community" – The Bulldog Scholarship Fund gives Bulldog alumni, fans and friends the opportunity to support Fresno State Athletics and the student-athletes who inspire them. For information about how you can support the Bulldog Scholarship Fund, please visit www.bulldogscholarshipfund.com or call 559-278-7160
Â
Follow us on:
Twitter:Â @FresnoStateFB
Instagram:Â Fresno_State_Football
Facebook:Â FresnoStateAthletics
Snap Chat:Â FSAthletics
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