USF senior cornerback Trae Williams, who led the Big East with seven interceptions and earned first-team all-conference honors last season, has been named to the watch list for the Jim Thorpe Award, given to college football's top defensive back.

I'm close to just making a Watch List Watch List, but what's most interesting about the 35 names on this list is that teammate Mike Jenkins, typically mentioned in the same breath as Williams, isn't included. The list will be pared to 10 semifinalists in November, then three finalists in December.

Williams is one of four Big East defensive backs on the list, along with Rutgers' Courtney Greene, Cincinnati's Mike Mickens and West Virginia's Eric Wicks. As far as others from Florida schools, there's Florida State's Tony Carter and Myron Rolle and Miami's Kenny Phillips.

So, to recap the USF watched list: linebacker Ben Moffitt is on the Nagurski list (one of 49) and quarterback Matt Grothe is 65 on the Maxwell list. Sixty-five seems a bit bloated to me -- I've been telling people it's easier to issue a Don't Watch List of players not being considered. But what's July without preseason college football accolades? ...