The leaves are turning, the College Football Playoff picture is coming into focus, and Christmas music is days away. That all must mean it’s time for national awards to start rolling out semifinalists and finalists! Last week, the William V. Campbell Trophy announced its list of 16 finalists. On Tuesday, the Thorpe Award dropped its 15 semifinalists. Of those 15, four come from the Big Ten, the most from a single conference.
As expected, the cream rises to the top. The four Big Ten Thorpe Award semifinalists hold down the secondaries for four programs still in CFP contention. However, one is hanging by a thread.
Four Big Ten Thorpe Award Semifinalists Honored
Caleb Downs, Ohio State
One of the three finalists for the prestigious award from last year, Caleb Downs, entered this year as the favorite. He has been hyped as not only the top defensive back in the country, but also the top defensive talent regardless of position. In terms of ability, Downs should be heavily considered to move on to the next round and be a finalist in back-to-back seasons. He has incredible instincts and football IQ and has continued to improve year over year. Considering how impressive his freshman season was at Alabama, that’s saying something. Downs is as sure a tackler as you’d find and has a very real opportunity to be the first non-quarterback drafted in next year’s NFL Draft.
The question will be his counting stats. He has 34 total tackles on the year with two tackles for loss, one interception, and one quarterback hurry. When it comes to defensive backs, those are not exactly eye-popping. However, offenses have tried to avoid him all year.
If he moves on to be a finalist, it may be deemed controversial by those who box score watch. However, as was the case last year, the Thorpe Award committee will be able to watch his play and how he affects the offensive game plan.
The Ohio State star was a unanimous first-team All-American last year and took home the Woodson-Tatum Defensive Back of the Year award from the Big Ten. He has allowed just five receptions in coverage and has yet to allow a touchdown this year.
Downs is trying to become the third Buckeye to win the award, joining Malcolm Jenkins (2008) and Antoine Winfield (1998)
Bishop Fitzgerald, USC
The only Big Ten Thorpe Award semifinalist that did not enter the season as one of our top returning defensive backs in the conference, USC’s Bishop Fitzgerald, had made a name for himself. The NC State transfer came to USC already a well-known name among ACC folks, but he’s taken his game to another level.
Through seven games, Fitzgerald has amassed 40 total tackles, two tackles for loss, a sack, two pass breakups, and he leads the nation with five interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown. He has already doubled his career interception number (at the FBS level). He was initially a JUCO product and hauled in six interceptions with Coffeyville Community College before recording five over his two seasons with the Wolfpack.
If Pro Football Focus is your thing, Fitzgerald is the highest-graded safety in the nation heading into Week 10.
His age may scare off NFL teams a bit, but Fitzgerald’s ball-hawk ability and after-the-catch athleticism will be intriguing at the next level.
Fitzgerald would become the third Trojan to win the award. He would join Adoree’ Jackson (2016) and Mark Carrier (1989).
D’Angelo Ponds, Indiana
One of the many James Madison defectees to follow Curt Cignetti, D’Angelo Ponds broke out last year with three interceptions, with a pick-six. He earned first-team All-Big Ten honors in his first season at Indiana. This year, offenses have gotten wise to Ponds and avoided him as much as possible.
Through seven games, Pods has 26 total tackles, four tackles for loss, four pass breakups, and one interception. As with Downs, these numbers do not leap off the page. However, Pods leaps off the film when you watch.
Ponds is one of the top cornerbacks in the country and is the only corner among these Big Ten Thorpe award semifinalists. If he declares, Ponds could test his way into the first-round discussion. If he eventually wins the award, Pods would be the first Hoosier to do so.
Dillon Thienema, Oregon
The Big Ten is loaded at safety. Downs, Fitzgerald, and Dillon Thieneman lead the way (and Koi Perich is not far behind). After earning third-team All-American honors in 2023 as a true freshman, Thieneman was left off the national recognition last year with Purdue. He hopped into the transfer portal and landed at Oregon.
His role with the Ducks is much different from what it was with the Boilermakers. Thieneman notched over 100 tackles in both of his seasons at Purdue, with six interceptions in 2023. This year, that number is just 37 with three pass breakups and one interception.
Box score watching safeties is difficult and not the best way to measure talent. Thieneman is a premier example of that.
That one interception was about as impressive as any. With the game on the line, Thieneman leaped what looked like six feet into the air to pluck Drew Allar’s pass in the second overtime to win what was considered a CFP preview.
Thieneman is expected to be the third safety off the board in next year’s draft if he were to declare. He is working to be the first Oregon Duck to win the Thorpe Award.
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