GREEN & WHITE FOOTBALL

Michigan State football's Brian Lewerke, LJ Scott, Joe Bachie make preseason watch lists

Phil Friend
Lansing State Journal
Michigan State RB LJ Scott, QB Brian Lewerke and LB Joe Bachie were named to preseason watch lists Monday.

A trio of Michigan State football players have found their way on to a couple of the more high-profile preseason watch lists.

Junior QB Brian Lewerke and senior RB LJ Scott were two of the 84 players named to the watch list for the Maxwell Award, which is given to the best player in college football.

Junior LB Joe Bachie was one of 85 players named to the Bednarik Award watch list, given to the top defensive player in college football.

Lewerke, an honorable mention All-Big Ten pick, threw for 2,793 yards and 20 touchdowns while rushing for 559 yards in leading Michigan State to a 10-3 record and a No. 15 rankings in the final Associated Press poll.

In the overtime loss to Northwestern last year, Lewerke set single-game school records for passing yards (445), completions (39) and total offense (475).

Lewerke's name is being floated around as the best QB in the Big Ten and as a dark-horse Heisman Trophy candidate.

Scott had led the Spartans in rushing each of the past three seasons. The honorable mention all-Big Ten pick last year tallied 898 yards rushing and eight touchdowns, averaging 4.5 yards per carry. There was much speculation that Scott would depart for the NFL after last year, but he opted to stay in East Lansing.

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Bachie, a third-team all-Big Ten pick, was voted Michigan State's team MVP last year after tallying 100 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 8.5 tackles for loss, three interceptions, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. 

Bachie was named a preseason third-team All-American by Athlon Sports earlier this summer.

Michigan State only has one Maxwell Award winner in program history — Brad Van Pelt in 1972.

 

Follow digital sports reporter Phil Friend on Twitter @Phil_Friend.