Mundine Earns Spot on Mackey Award Watch List

LAWRENCE, Kan. – The John Mackey Award Selection Committee announced Tuesday that Kansas senior tight end Jimmay Mundine was named to the 2014 John Mackey Award preseason watch list.
 
Awarded to the nation’s most outstanding collegiate tight end since 2000, the Mackey Award is named in honor of collegiate and professional all-time great John Mackey. Mackey, a product of Syracuse University, played 10 years of professional football as a tight end. Spending nine seasons with the Baltimore Colts and one year with the San Diego Chargers, Mackey found success on and off the field as he was a Super Bowl champion and a member of the NFL Hall of Fame, as well as the first president of the National Football League Players Association.
 
A native of Denison, Texas, Mundine was one of three tight ends hailing from the Big 12 Conference, and one of the 38 total nominees, selected for the committee’s preliminary watch list. Mundine returns as KU’s active leader in touchdown catches, while ranking second in receptions (41) and receiving yards (498).
 
After a breakout year in 2013, Mundine completed the season in third place among Big 12 tight ends in receptions and yards resulting in All-Big 12 Honorable Mention honors as voted by league coaches. Out of the nine total touchdowns thrown by Kansas quarterbacks a season ago, Mundine caught a team-high five passes in the end zone, including a streak of four-straight games with a touchdown reception.
 
Semifinalists for the award will be revealed on Nov. 17 while on Nov. 24 the list will be trimmed down to three finalists. The winner of the 2014 Mackey Award will be announced on Dec. 11 as part of the Home Depot College Football Awards Red Carpet Show.  
 
Mundine and Kansas are set to begin the 2014 season on Sept. 6, as they play host to Southeast Missouri State. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m., from Memorial Stadium.
 
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