By Steve Habel, Senior Contributing Writer
AUSTIN, Texas – Senior slot receiver Devin Duvernay, Texas’s best and most productive player this season, failed to make the list of semifinalists for the Biletnikoff Award, given each year to the college football’s best receiver, when the top 20 in consideration for the honor was named Monday.
That omission had Texas coach Tom Herman [s2If current_user_can(access_s2member_level2)]pretty steamed Monday at his media availability.
“I don’t know how you leave off a guy who’s leading the Power Five in catches, leading the country in broken tackles, he’s leading the country in third-down receptions,” Herman said, “and you’re telling me he’s not one of the 20 best wideouts in the country? That’s a shame. I don’t know what the criteria is, then.”
Duvernay might have had the cards stacked against him from the start. He was midseason addition to the Biletnikoff Award watch list, but had gained traction with with his impressive performances through the first 10 games of the season as Texas has scrapped to a 6-4 record, 4-3 in the Big 12 Conference.
Duvernay has caught 87 passes for 1,017 yards and seven touchdowns so far this season. He is the ninth Big 12 receiver in the last 20 years to have 85 or more receptions, at least 1,000 receiving yards and at least seven receiving touchdowns through 10 games.
Six of the first eight went on to be named Biletnikoff Award finalists, with a pair of the Big 12 receivers later winning the award (Texas Tech’s Michael Crabtree in 2007 and Oklahoma State’s Justin Blackmon in 2011). Duvernay will not be joining that list.
Duvernay has made 24 catches (29 targets) on third down, converting 21 of those into first downs for the Texas offense.
Duvernay ranks No. 2 nationally in receptions per game (8.7) behind SMU’s James Proché — who has been catching passes this year from some guy named Shane Buechele — and total receptions (87). His 1,017 receiving yards are eighth among FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) receivers this season. He is one of only two Power Five receivers with at least 75 receptions, 1,000 receiving yards and seven receiving touchdowns this season.
“He goes so hard,” Herman said about Duvernay. “He doesn’t say a whole lot. Just his attitude in practice — he doesn’t smile a whole lot. He’s a hard hat. When he straps up the shoulder pads and buckles his chin strap, he’s going. When he talks, people listen. His work ethic is unbelievable.”
Duvernay has produced six 100-yard games this season, including two against ranked opponents. He joins Roy Williams (2002) and Jordan Shipley (2009) as the only Longhorn receivers in the last 20 years to have six or more games with at least 100 receiving yards in a single campaign.
He has posted four straight 100-yard games, the longest streak by a Longhorn since Williams set the school record with seven straight 100-yard outings across the 2002 and 2003 seasons.
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