Bolser named to Mackey Award Preseason Watch List

Indiana junior tight end Ted Bolser has been named to the 2012 John Mackey Award Preseason Watch List for the second straight season, the Nassau County Sports Commission announced Tuesday morning.

The award is given annually to the most outstanding collegiate tight end and is selected by vote of the John Mackey Award Selection Committee.

In 2011, Bolser’s production in the passing game dropped off from his freshman season despite appearing in all 12 games. He caught 14 passes for 165 yards with one touchdown.

As a freshman in 2010, Bolser caught 27 passes for 407 yards with five touchdowns while averaging 15.1 yards per catch. His five touchdowns set the single-season record for IU tight ends and ranked first nationally among freshman tight ends.

Bolser also set the IU freshman tight end records for catches and yards in a single season.

For his performance as a freshman, Bolser earned honorable mention All-Big Ten honors and was named to the Football Writers Association of America and Rivals.com Freshman All-American teams.

The 2012 John Mackey winner will be presented live on ESPNU at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 6 as part of The Home Depot College football Awards Red Carpet Show.

2012 award semifinalists will be announced Nov. 12 and finalists Nov. 19. All future announcements can be found at www.johnmackeyaward.org.

John Mackey was an NFL Hall of Fame tight end and helped the Baltimore Colts win their first super bowl title in 1971. He later became the first president of the NFL Player’s Association and died of dementia last July.

--Joe Popely