Carlson and Mackey -- Together Again

Notre Dame fifth-year senior tight end John Carlson was named to the Mackey Award Watch List, named for former All-American tight end from Syracuse and Baltimore Colt, John Mackey.
Carlson was a finalist for the award last year, the second straight year a Notre Dame tight end was in the Top 3 (Anthony Fasano was a finalist in 2005). He is the only returning finalist among those named to the preseason watch list.

The rest: Gary Barnidge, Sr., Louisville;  Travis Beckum, Jr.,  Wisconsin;  Martellus Bennett,  Jr. , Texas A&M;  Chris Brown, Sr., Tennessee; Eric Butler, Sr., Mississippi State; Chase Coffman, Jr., Missouri; Jeff Cumberland, Sr., Illinois; Fred Davis, Sr., USC; Brody Eldridge, Soph., Oklahoma;  DajLeon Farr, Jr., Miami; Jermichael Finley, Soph., Texas; Joey Haynos, Sr., Maryland; Anthony Hill, Sr., NC State; Darius Hill, Jr., Ball State; Chris Hopkins, Sr., Toledo; Dustin Keller, Sr., Purdue; Branden Ledbetter, Jr., Toledo; Tony Moeaki, Jr., Iowa; Shawn Nelson, Jr., Southern Mississippi; Bear Pascoe, Jr., Fresno State; Logan Paulsen, Jr., UCLA; Brandon Pettigrew, Jr., Oklahoma State; Andrew Quarless, Soph., Penn State; Martin Rucker, Sr., Missouri; Tom Santi, Sr., Virginia; Cody Slate, Soph., Marshall; Kory Sperry, Sr. Colorado State; Craig Stevens, Sr., California; Jacob Tamme, Sr., Kentucky; Brandon Warren, Soph., Tennessee; Zeek Zacharie, Jr., Louisiana-Monroe.

Note that Tennessee and Missouri each have two on the list. Notre Dame opponents are bolded.

Side note: We're back from vacation now and will be blogging regularly again -- so welcome back.
-By Michael Rothstein of The Journal Gazette