The Walter Camp Award is perhaps the most prestigious non-Heisman award in college football, and Calijah Kancey is one of just eight defenders who has been named to the preseason watchlist.
Kancey, who has been racking up preseason honors left and right over the last week, was officially named to the Walter Camp Award watchlist — the award given to the best player in college football — by the Walter Camp Football Foundation.
“We are proud to continue the great work of Walter Camp and recognize the best college football players in the nation,” Foundation president Tony Mortali said in the statement. “This watch list is a great start to what is shaping up to be another exciting year of college football.”
As a sophomore in 2021, earning first-team All-ACC and third-team All-American honors, Kancey racked up 35 tackles (25 solo), 13 tackles for loss, seven sacks, a forced fumble and a pass defense as the anchor of Pitt’s stellar defensive line.
In just two seasons, he’s compiled 62 tackles (37 solo), 20 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks, three passes defended and a forced fumble. And that’s all come as a defensive tackle — an anchor inside.
Kancey has been named Lott Impact Trophy, Outland Trophy and Bronko Nagurski Award watchlists and has been named to preseason first-team All-ACC and preseason first- and second-team All-American honors this offseason.
“That’s the standard here, sacks and TFLs,” Kancey said in March. “Everyone here is ready, a lot of young guys stepping up and a lot of older guys just polishing and knocking off the rust.”
Kancey is joined by defenders in Oregon’s Noah Sewell, Georgia’s Kelee Ringo, Alabama’s Eli Ricks, Iowa State’s Will McDonald IV, Georgia’s Jalen Carter, Army’s Andre Carter and Alabama’s Will Anderson.
A list of 10 semifinalists will be announced by the Walter Camp Football Foundation in November, and the winner will be announced at ESPN’s College Football Awards in December.