BERKELEY – Cal senior inside linebacker Evan Weaver was announced Tuesday as one of 20 semifinalists for the 2019 Chuck Bednarik Award as selected by the Maxwell Football Club National Selection Committee.

Below are notes on Weaver with an extended bio available by clicking on his name.
 
Evan Weaver, ILB, 6-3, 245, Sr., 3L, Spokane, WA (Gonzaga Prep)
Senior (2019)
• A national honors candidate who has racked up a slew of midseason honors including being named a first-team midseason All-American in nearly unanimous fashion being recognized as such by the Associated Press, Athlon Sports, CBS Sports, ESPN, The Athletic and USA Today
• Named the midseason leading candidate for Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year honors and a first-team All-Pac-12 selection by the Bay Area News Group
• A semifinalist for the Chuck Bednarik Award, quarterfinalist for the Lott IMPACT Trophy, candidate for the Senior CLASS Award, and on watch lists for the Butkus Award and Bronko Nagurski Trophy
• Leads the nation in total tackles (127), total tackles per game (15.9), solo tackles (69) and solo tackles per game (8.6)
• On pace for 191 tackles in a 12-game season and 206 in a 13-game campaign with the current NCAA record for total tackles in a season 193 set in 14 games by Lawrence Flugence of Texas Tech in 2002 and the most in a 12-game season 191 by Luke Kuechly in 2011, while Cal's school record is 167 set Hardy Nickerson in 1985
• Has added 7.5 tackles for loss (-31 yards) to rank tied for fifth in the Pac-12, 2.5 sacks (-19 yards), his first three career forced fumbles to co-lead the Pac-12 and rank tied for 11th nationally, two pass breakups and a career-high four quarterback hurries
• Has combined with Kuony Deng (80 tackles) to form the nation's leading FBS duo with 237 tackles and 29.6 stops per game with the duo on a pace for 360 in a 12-game season to break the school record for combined tackles by a duo set in 2018 by Weaver and Jordan Kunaszyk with 307
• Has twice equaled Kunaszyk for the most tackles in a single game in Cal's recorded history when he had a career-high-tying 22 at Ole Miss and at Utah
 
Cal Career (2016 – Present)
• Has played in 44 of 45 possible games with 26 starts since his arrival at Cal in 2016 including each of the last 21 contests over the past two seasons and posted career totals of 357 tackles, 20.5 tackles for loss (-83 yards), 8.5 sacks (-54 yards), two interceptions that he has returned for 47 yards and one touchdown on a career-long 37-yard return against Washington as a 2018 junior, three forced fumbles, 10 pass breakups, 12 passes defended and five quarterback hurries
• Cal's active career leader in tackles and fourth on the school's all-time list
• Third in career tackles nationally among all active FBS players
• Has recorded double digit tackles in 14 of his last 15 games and had a streak of 12 straight contests with double-digit tackles that included the final seven games of his 2018 junior season and first five contests of his 2019 senior campaign
 
Semifinalist voting for the Chuck Bednarik Award will run from October 30 – November 24 and three finalists will be announced on November 25. Eligible voters include Maxwell Football Club members, NCAA head football coaches, sports information directors and selected national media.

The winner of the 25^th Chuck Bednarik Award will be announced as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Award Show presented by Gildanwhich telecast live on ESPN on December 12, 2019. The formal presentation of the award will be made at the Maxwell Football Club's Awards Dinner on Friday, March 6, 2020, at the Tropicana Casino & Resort in Atlantic City, New Jersey.