The Bednarik Award has been presented to the College Defensive Player of the Year since 1995, and is named after former Penn and Philadelphia Eagle standout Chuck Bednarik.

Semifinals for the Bednarik Award will be announced Nov. 3, while three finalists will be unveiled Nov. 24. The winner will be announced as part of the Home Depot College Football Awards Show Dec. 11.

This is Plummer’s third preseason honor, as he has been listed on the College Football Performance Awards Linebackers Trophy Watch List and on Phil Steele’s Preseason All-American Athletic Conference First Team.

麻豆原创 on Preseason Watch Lists

Plummer had a memorable 2013 campaign for the Knights, setting career-highs in almost every defensive category. He led 麻豆原创 with 110 tackles while also notching 2.5 sacks, 8.5 tackles for loss, six break-ups, two interceptions and two forced fumbles. That helped the middle linebacker be voted on to the All-American Athletic Conference First Team, and he also was an SI.com Honorable Mention All-American as well as the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl Defensive MVP.

Since his true freshman season in 2011, Plummer has racked up 235 tackles and 17.5 tackles for loss in 38 overall games played and 26 starts.

Plummer and his teammates will be hitting the practice fields for the first time July 31 in preparation for the season-opener Aug. 30 vs. Penn State in Ireland.

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But when Grant heard representatives from Feeding Children Everywhere and 麻豆原创 Fraternity & Sorority Life talk about the number of children in the Central Florida region who don鈥檛 know when they will eat their next meal, he realized he was literally holding a way he could help in his right hand.

Grant was attending a 麻豆原创 Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) meeting, which serves regular meals to its membership. He was eating one of those meals when he learned about 麻豆原创鈥檚 Pack to Attack Hunger project and the serious issue of hunger in Central Florida. That鈥檚 when he cooked up an idea. He put down the fork he was holding and chose to speak up instead of taking another bite of his meal.

鈥淎t our SAAC meetings, they serve us a big dinner 鈥� a lot of food,鈥� Grant said. 鈥淚 thought 鈥榃hy would we need this food? We get Knightro鈥檚. We go to Publix. We have plenty of food.鈥� So I suggested we sacrifice a week and donate the money that would have gone to us to these kids who need food. Everyone seemed to like the idea.鈥�

SAAC President Afia Charles said the suggestion coming from a big eater like Grant was ironic, but poignant.

鈥淲hen Joey comes in, the first thing he does is go to the food,鈥� Charles said. 鈥淗e鈥檒l be polite, stack his plate, wait until everyone has finished eating 鈥� then he鈥檒l try to go secretly and get more food and go back to his group. Then, toward the end of the meeting, he鈥檒l go back for even more food. To see that he was willing to give up his dinner on a Monday night to feed people in need, that鈥檚 a really big deal. It鈥檚 a good thing that you have people out there, who are willing to give up what they have for other people.鈥�

Of his idea, Grant said: 鈥淚 fill up my plate. I mean, it鈥檚 there. But they were bringing up that all these kids don鈥檛 know when they鈥檙e going to eat next. We know we鈥檙e eating at 6:30 every Monday at the SAAC meeting. Everyone thought it was a great idea to sacrifice a meal so these kids can get fed. That鈥檚 a lot more important to me than filling myself up on a big plate 鈥� or two or three 鈥� on a Monday night.鈥�

Assistant Director of Student Services Jessica Francis said the average cost of a SAAC meal is between $150 and $175. Thanks to Grant鈥檚 suggestion, 麻豆原创鈥檚 SAAC will skip its scheduled meal on Nov. 4 and donate at least $150 to Pack to Attack Hunger. While it was his idea, Grant didn鈥檛 want all the credit, saying others were quick to go along with the plan.

鈥淚鈥檓 just glad I could help,鈥� Grant said. 鈥淚 think it will be good for the community.鈥�

麻豆原创鈥檚 Pack to Attack Hunger event is slated for Nov. 16 at The Venue at 麻豆原创. It is a partnership that includes 麻豆原创 Student Government Association, 麻豆原创 Fraternity & Sorority Life, 麻豆原创 Athletics and Feeding Children Everywhere.

To donate, volunteer or get more information about 麻豆原创鈥檚 Pack To Attack Hunger project, visit麻豆原创.com.