Football: Wide Receiver on national award list

Pitt junior wide receiver Mike Shanahan was named to the watch list for the Biletnikoff…

Pitt junior wide receiver Mike Shanahan was named to the watch list for the Biletnikoff Award, the Tallahassee Quarterback Club Foundation announced Tuesday.

The foundation has given the award to the nation’s top wide receiver since 1994 as determined by a committee of sports journalists, commentators and broadcasters as well as former players. There are 75 players on the watch list for the award.

Shanahan finished the 2010 season with 43 receptions for 589 yards and one touchdown. He averaged 13.7 yards per catch. Over his first two seasons as a Panther, Shanahan has made 58 catches for 800 yards. Bryant has one career touchdown and averages 13.8 yards per catch for his career.

Only Pitt and Texas Tech have had more than one receiver win the award. Pitt’s Antonio Bryant took home the Biletnikoff in 2000. Most recently, Larry Fitzgerald won the award in 2003.

Bryant caught 68 passes for 1,302 yards and 11 touchdowns. In 2003, Fitzgerald caught 92 passes for 1,672 yards and 22 touchdowns

Other Big East players on the list include West Virginia junior Tavon Austin, Syracuse senior Van Chew, Rutgers junior Mark Harrison, Connecticut senior Michael Smith and Cincinnati senior DJ Woods.