Georgia Tech added three award watch lists to its list of preseason honors, with safety Jamal Golden (Paul Hornung Award), defensive tackle Adam Gotsis (Chuck Bednarik Award) and quarterback Justin Thomas (Maxwell Award) being honored this week.
The Hornung Award is given to the most versatile player in college football. The Bednarik Award honors the top defensive player. The Maxwell Award is for overall player of the year.
Golden was on the 2013 Hornung watch list. The last time a Tech player was on the Bednarik preseason watch list was 2013 (Jeremiah Attaochu, Jemea Thomas). Anthony Allen and Joshua Nesbitt were on the preseason watch list for the Maxwell in 2010. Tevin Washington was added midseason to the Maxwell watch list in 2011.
Center Freddie Burden (Rimington Trophy, top center) is the only other Tech player thus far to be put on a watch list. Gotsis was also named to the watch list for the Lott IMPACT Trophy (top defensive player for impact on and off field).
Holsey in NBA summer league
Former Tech power forward Kammeon Holsey is playing for the Detroit Pistons’ summer league team in Orlando, Fla., and scored 16 points on 7-for-9 shooting off the bench in his debut on Sunday. Holsey played in Colombia last summer before playing in the winter with the Grand Rapids Drive of the D-League. The Drive are affiliated with the Pistons. Holsey is trying to win a spot in Detroit’s training camp. With the Drive, Holsey averaged 5.4 points and 3.7 rebounds in 16.2 minutes per game.
"If they give me the opportunity, I'd really appreciate it, but I've just got to come out and here and play and do what I can," Holsey told M Live.
Holsey followed his 16-point effort with six points and four rebounds the following game on Monday.
Former Tech guard Glen Rice Jr. is also playing in the Orlando summer league, for the Magic “White” team. Rice was drafted by Washington in 2013 but was released in January of this year. He joined the Magic prior to the start of the summer league. In his first two games, he had 10 points on 3-for-13 shooting.
Peresson with U-20 Italian team
Women’s basketball guard Antonia Peresson is playing for the Italian under-20 national team in the European championships in Spain. Through five games in group play, Peresson is averaging 9.2 points per game on 37.0 percent shooting.
This is the seventh time that Peresson has played for the national team, all at European junior championships.
She played in 32 games last season, starting 22, and averaged 3.9 points on 29.1 percent shooting.
Udofia camp
Former Tech guard Mfon Udofia will run his own skills camp July 27-30 at Miller Grove High (his alma mater) in DeKalb County. It's open to boys 7-14 and is $80 per camper. For more information, visit the camp website.
Udofia played for the Austin Spurs in the D-League this past season, playing 34 games with seven starts. He averaged 2.2 points and .8 assists in 10.6 minutes per game. His team reached the Western Conference finals.
Thomas trying to avoid franchise deal
The deadline for the Denver Broncos to sign wide receiver Demaryius Thomas to a multi-year contract is next Wednesday (July 15). The Broncos placed their franchise tag on Thomas, which would entitle him to $12.82 million for the coming season, but Thomas is seeking a longer-term contract with, according to a Denver Post report, "Calvin Johnson money." If a deal isn't reached by the 15th, Thomas can only play for the one-year franchise salary.
Johnson’s contract with Detroit, an eight-year deal signed in 2012, is worth $16 million annually with $48 million guaranteed. Post beat writer Troy Renck provided an interesting insight into why Denver might not want to give him a long-term deal. With quarterback Peyton Manning nearing the end of his career, and backup Brock Osweiler’s potential unknown, the Broncos may be disinclined to pay a high-end contract to a wide receiver if the offense becomes more run-oriented than it is now, as could become the case with new coach Gary Kubiak.
Sun Life Stadium seats for sale
Tech fans who made it to South Florida last December for the Orange Bowl have the opportunity to purchase an unusual memento from the game. The Dolphins are selling a limited number of seats from Sun Life Stadium as the facility undergoes renovations.
