Justin Rice LOGAN, Utah – Utah State senior inside linebacker Justin Rice was named to the watch list for the Bednarik Award, presented annually to the outstanding defensive player in college football, it was announced Monday by the Maxwell Football Club. Rice is in his first year with the Aggies after transferring from Arkansas State, where he earned first-team all-Sun Belt Conference honors during the 2020 season after finishing with 76 tackles, including a nation-leading 18.5 tackles for loss and 7.0 sacks, to go along with one pass breakup in 11 games. Prior to playing at Arkansas State, Rice spent four seasons at Fresno State (2016-19) and earned first-team all-Mountain West honors as a junior after starting all 12 games in his first full year on the defensive side of the ball. He recorded 112 tackles, including 8.0 tackles for loss and 3.0 sacks, to go along with four forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, two interceptions, eight pass breakups and one safety. The Chuck Bednarik Award has been presented to the College Defensive Player of the Year since 1995 and is named in honor of Chuck Bednarik, a former standout at the University of Pennsylvania and with the Philadelphia Eagles. Bednarik