‘Tis the season for college football’s watch lists.
And even though the Kansas University football team is coming off its worst season in nine years, a couple of Jayhawks have landed on one of those watch lists.
Senior Daymond Patterson, of Mesquite, Texas, was one of 33 punt returners named to the College Football Performance Awards watch list, and senior Tim Biere, of Omaha, Neb., was one of 38 tight ends on the list.
The College Football Performance Awards are selected each year by a panel that uses a scientific ranking system that measures how an individual player increases the effectiveness of his team.
By that standard, Biere and Patterson are two of KU’s most productive players.
Last season, in addition to leading all KU receivers in yards (487), receptions (60) and touchdowns (two), Patterson returned 13 punts for an average of 3.8 yards per return. For his career, Patterson has racked up 460 yards on 56 punt returns, including one touchdown, which came against Florida International in 2008 during his first career game. Patterson has led the Jayhawks in punt returns in each of three seasons in Lawrence.
KU’s most current depth chart does not list returners, but it’s likely that Patterson again will receive many reps with the punt-return unit.
Biere, who started 11 of 12 games a season ago, led the Jayhawks in touchdown receptions with four. For his career, Biere has totalled 476 yards and four TDs on 39 receptions in 34 career games. He also earned Academic All-Big 12 honors in both his sophomore and junior seasons.
