College football notebook: Ex-Central star Nick Wilson on Maxwell watch list

A stellar true-freshman season is shaping up as just a prelude to what could be a sensational sophomore campaign for ex-Central High star Nick Wilson.

The University of Arizona running back, coming off an All-Pac-12 season in which he rushed for a school freshman record 1,375 yards on 236 carries with 16 touchdowns, has been named to the watch list for the Maxwell Award — which since 1937 has been presented annually to the college football player of the year.

Wilson ranked fourth nationally among bowl subdivision freshmen in total yards.

Semifinalists will be announced Nov. 2 and three finalists Nov. 23. The winner will be announced as part of the Home Depot College Football Awards Show Dec. 10 and formal presentations made at the Maxwell Football Club Awards Gala on March 11 in Atlantic City.

Camp approaches for Bonnheim, ’Dogs

Fresno State’s Bo Bonnheim earned watch list mention of his own earlier in the offseason, named in May to the list for the Rimington Trophy that honors the top center in NCAA Division I.

The senior lineman along with the rest of the Bulldogs are counting down toward fall training camp, which opens Aug. 3 in preparation for the Sept. 3 opener against Abilene Christian at Bulldog Stadium.

Bonnheim, at 6 feet, 2 inches and 286 pounds, started all 14 games last season and helped pave the wave for a running attack that averaged 182.4 yards per game and scored 22 touchdowns.

There were just two others from the Bulldogs’ rivals in the Mountain West among the 63 players on the Rimington list — Austin Stephens of Utah State and Boise State’s Marcus Henry.

Bonnheim was a member of the first offensive line at Fresno State to start every regular-season game together since starts by game began being recorded by the school in 1990. He has 21 career starts in all.

Fresno State gains transfer, commit

Former West Virginia running back Dustin Garrison announced last week that he’s headed to Fresno State for his senior season and as a graduate transfer will be eligible to play immediately.

He appeared on his way to stardom in 2011 when as a freshman out of Pearland (Texas) High he started eight of 12 games for the Mountaineers and finished with a team-high 742 yards. But he suffered an ACL injury during Orange Bowl practice and only had 70 carries the past three seasons combined.

“There was a lot that went into my decision,” he was quoted in a February story on wvillustrated.com, when he was granted his release to transfer. “Not only was it the amount of playing time, but also talking with my own coaches, it was suggested that I should transfer.

“It was hard for me to take the back seat for a while, especially with all of the compliments I got from all of my coaches and everything within the media and things like that. I felt like I just wasn’t where I was supposed to be.”

▪ Dawson High-Pearland senior fullback Saevion Johnson committed to the Bulldogs, Eagles coach Eric Wells confirmed. Johnson and Dawson finished 9-5 last season, losing in the regional semifinal round of the University Interscholastic League 6A Division II playoffs to eventual championship runner-up Katy. The 6-foot, 190-pound Pearland native was named to the All-District first team.

This story was originally published July 11, 2015 at 4:10 PM with the headline "College football notebook: Ex-Central star Nick Wilson on Maxwell watch list."