Tag: Bednarik Award

Dallas Turner named a finalist for the Chuck Bednarik Award: the nation’s top defender

Dallas Turner being recognized as one of the top defensive players in college football

Despite being a high-end recruit and a very talented player himself, the first two years of [autotag]Dallas Turner’s[/autotag] collegiate career were spent in Will Anderson’s shadow. Turner was sensational his first two years as he combined for 67 tackles and 12.5 sacks, but Anderson was the star of the defense during that span with 152 total tackles and an insane 27.5 sacks. With insane numbers like that Anderson was viewed as a generational prospect and declared for the 2023 NFL Draft after just his junior year where he was selected third overall by the Houston Texans.

Now, with Anderson out of the picture, Turner has became the superstar of the Alabama defense. Through 12 games this season, Turner is already at 46 tackles, eight sacks and two forced fumbles as he is able to just pin his ears back and go get after the passer. It feels like every time that there is a crucial third down, 15 is somewhere around the ball.

Turner will more than likely be a First-Team All-American and Firs-Team All-SEC, but it sounds like he will also be in contention for the Chuck Bednarik Award which is handed out annually to the nation’s top defensive player. Turner would be the 4th player under Coach Saban at Alabama to win the award alongside Jonathan Allen 2016, Minkah Fitzpatrick 2017 and Will Anderson in 2022.

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Edgerrin Cooper named as a Bednarik Award semifinalist

Junior linebacker Edgerrin Cooper was among the semifinalists for this prestigious award.

It was a shock to many that All-American caliber linebacker Edgerrin Cooper was snubbed off the 2023 Butkus Award Semifinalist list considering the number he’s put up so far this season. Showing no signs of slowing down Cooper brushed that off and led the team with 11 tackles.

Cooper took a huge leap forward this season and his draft stock is shooting up as the season is going along. I’d expect to see him named as a finalist when the time comes with a strong case as the winner.

Below you can see the stats through 10 games:

  • 70 Tackles
  • 16 Tackles for Loss
  • 7 sacks
  • 2 forced fumbles

With two games left, Cooper still has a great chance to hit some milestones that would look great for any postseason awards. Congratulations to the junior linebacker Edgerrin Cooper on him making it to the stage of the selection process.

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Trotter named a Bednarik Award Semifinalist

Jeremiah Trotter Jr. has been phenomenal this season and has been selected as a Bednarik Award semifinalist for his play.

The Maxwell Football Club announced today that linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr. has been named as one of 20 semifinalists for the Chuck Bednarik Award, presented annually to the nation’s top defensive player. More information from the Maxwell Football Club is included below.

Maxwell Football Club Executive Director, Mark Wolpert, announced the 2023 semifinalists for the 87th Maxwell Award for the Collegiate Player of the Year and the 29th Chuck Bednarik Award for the Outstanding Defensive Player of the Year. The lists include a field of 17 candidates for the Maxwell Award and 20 candidates for the Bednarik Award as selected by the Maxwell Football Club National Selection Committee.

The Maxwell Football Club has once again partnered with Pro Football Focus (PFF) and Phil Steele Publications as selection committee partners. PFF provides detailed statistical and performance-based assessments to selection committee staff, and several senior PFF analysts have been added to the selection committee and have participated in the process. Phil Steele’s College Football Preview is generally recognized as the most complete football reference in the country.

A strong field of Maxwell Award semifinalists includes representatives from 6 conferences, with the SEC boasting 6 candidates each and the Big Ten and Big 12 notching 3 spots each. Caleb Williams (USC), the 2022 Maxwell Award winner, leads this class of candidates which features 11 quarterbacks, 3 wide receivers, 2 running backs and 1 tight end.

On the defensive side of the ball, the field of contenders is comprised of fresh faces. Seven different conferences and 1 independent are represented, led by 4 student-athletes each from the Big Ten and SEC and 3 each from the Big 12 and ACC.

Last season, the Maxwell Award was presented to USC quarterback Caleb Williams and the Bednarik Award went to Alabama linebacker Will Anderson Jr. Anderson was selected with the No. 3 overall pick in this year’s NFL draft by the Houston Texans and Williams is completing his junior season for the Trojans.

Semifinalist voting for both of the collegiate awards presented by the Maxwell Football Club will begin on Wednesday Nov. 14 and will close on Nov. 26. Three finalists for each award will be announced on Nov. 28 and a finalist round of voting will take place at that time. Eligible voters include Maxwell Football Club members, NCAA head football coaches, sports information directors and selected national media. All semifinalists are listed in alphabetical order by school with the player’s school, position and class designated.

The winners of the 87th Maxwell Award and the 29th Chuck Bednarik Award will be announced as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show which will be broadcast live on ESPN on Friday December 8, 2023. The formal presentation of the Maxwell and Chuck Bednarik Awards will take place at the 87th Maxwell Awards Gala which will be held on Friday March 8, 2024.

MAXWELL AWARD SEMIFINALISTS
QB Jalen Milroe, Alabama
QB Jordan Travis, Florida State
QB Carson Beck, Georgia
TE Brock Bowers, Georgia
QB Kaidon Salter, Liberty
WR Malik Nabers, LSU
QB Jayden Daniels, LSU
RB Blake Corum, Michigan
QB J.J. McCarthy, Michigan
WR Luther Burden III, Missouri
QB Drake Maye, North Carolina
WR Marvin Harrison Jr, Ohio State
QB Dillon Gabriel, Oklahoma
RB Ollie Gordon Jr, Oklahoma State
QB Bo Nix, Oregon
QB Caleb Williams, USC
QB Michael Penix Jr., Washington

BEDNARIK AWARD SEMIFINALISTS
LB Dallas Turner, Alabama
LB Jeremiah Trotter Jr, Clemson
DB Malaki Starks, Georgia
DL Jer’Zhan Newton, Illinois
DB Cooper DeJean, Iowa
DB T.J Tampa, Iowa State
DL Jalen Green, James Madison
DL Ashton Gillotte, Louisville
DL Kris Jenkins, Michigan
DB Kris Abrams-Draine, Missouri
LB Payton Wilson, NC State
DL Howard Cross III, Notre Dame
LB Tommy Eichenberg, Ohio State
LB Jason Henderson, Old Dominion
DL T’Vondre Sweat, Texas
LB Edgerrin Cooper, Texas A&M
CB Quinyon Mitchell, Toledo
DL Laiatu Latu, UCLA
DE Jonah Elliss, Utah
CB Beanie Bishop Jr., West Virginia

ABOUT THE MAXWELL FOOTBALL CLUB – The Maxwell Football Club was founded in 1935 and is the oldest football organization of its kind in America. The Club recognizes excellence in performance at the high school, collegiate and professional levels of the game. The Maxwell Club is also deeply involved and fully vested in the community through programs to promote academic excellence, community volunteerism, and leadership. High school student-athletes around the country have an opportunity to participate in MFC Showcase events, free of charge, through the generosity of our corporate partners, Montage Mountain Resort, Ivy Rehab, The Buccini Pollin Group, the Edward T. Coombs Foundation and the Run Around Inc. To learn more about our story visit www.maxwellfootballclub.org.

ABOUT PRO FOOTBALL FOCUS – PFF is widely recognized as the industry leader in the advanced data collection and analysis for American football. Since 2011, PFF has led football’s charge into the world of analytics. Their services are trusted by all 32 NFL teams and over 100 FBS programs. Major broadcast networks, national media outlets and player agencies all use PFF as a resource as well. PFF’s media network provides fans with apps, tools, podcasts and other content to help satisfy their thirst for deeper insights in the game.

The Maxwell Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. Founded in 1997, the NCFAA and its 25 awards now boast over 800 recipients, dating to 1935. Visit ncfaa.org to learn more about the association.

Cooper DeJean named to 2023 Bednarik Award watch list

Iowa defensive back Cooper DeJean was named to the Bednarik Award watch list and looks to become the Hawkeyes’ first to win the award.

Iowa defensive back Cooper DeJean was placed on the watchlist for the prestigious Bednarik Award. The Maxwell Football Club announced their watchlist candidates for the 29th iteration of the award on Monday.

Few trophies are more distinguished in college football than the Bednarik Award. It is amply named after “Concrete Charlie” Chuck Bednarik, who was one of the greatest football players at both the collegiate and professional levels. One of the hardest hitters in football history, Bednarik was the last of the Iron Men, playing all 60 minutes on both sides of the ball throughout his career.

His namesake award was instituted in 1995 by the Maxwell Group. It is presented annually to the best defensive player in the nation. Many greats, including Charles Woodson, Julius Peppers, and Aaron Donald, have received the award. Will Anderson Jr. is the most recent recipient.

DeJean makes the list after a stellar sophomore season. He was a first-team All-Big Ten selection by the media and second team by the coaches in 2022 after finishing with 75 tackles, five interceptions and eight pass breakups.

Cooper is looking to become the first Iowa Hawkeye to win the award. The Hawkeyes have had eight semifinalists for the award since 2005. They include Jack Campbell last year, Daviyon Nixon in 2020, both Josh Jackson and Josey Jewell in 2017, Desmond King in 2016, Adrian Clayborn in 2010, Pat Angerer in 2009, and Chad Greenway back in 2005.

Earlier this month DeJean was named to the 2023 Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Jim Thorpe Award, and Paul Hornung Award watch lists.

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Aaron Beasley named to Bednarik Award preseason watch list

Tennessee linebacker Aaron Beasley named to Bednarik Award preseason watch list.

Tennessee senior linebacker Aaron Beasley was named to the Chuck Bednarik Award preseason watch list.

He is one of 85 players on the list released by the Maxwell Football Club.

The award is presented to the College Defensive Player of the Year and named after Chuck Bednarik, an All-American at Pennsylvania.

Beasley is one of 12 Southeastern Conference players named to the list.

As a junior in 2022, Beasley recorded 75 tackles, 13 tackles for a loss, three sacks, nine quarterback hurries and three pass deflections.

Beasley was named to the Associated Press All-Bowl Team after recording 12 tackles, four tackles for a loss and two sacks in the Orange Bowl.

Semifinalists for the Bednarik Award will be announced Nov. 13. Three finalists will be determined Nov. 28.

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Michigan State football LB Cal Haladay named to Bednarik Award watch list

Michigan State football LB Cal Haladay named to Bednarik Award watch list

Michigan State football linebacker Cal Haladay is starting to get quite the hype train going. On Monday, it was announced that Haladay has made the watch list for the Bednarik Award, which is given to college football’s best defensive player.

This is the third award watch list for Haladay this month. Haladay racked up an impressive 120 tackles last year for the Spartans.

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Penn State defensive trio named on Bednarik Award watch list

No school has more Chuck Bednarik Awards than Penn State. These three players hope to add another to the collection in 2023.

No school has more Chuck Bednarik Award winners than Penn State, and the Nittany Lions have three players looking to keep it that way this season.

The watch list for the Bednarik Award (most outstanding defensive player in college football) was released on Monday, and it included three of Penn State’s top defensive stars. Linebacker [autotag]Abdul Carter[/autotag], cornerback [autotag]Kalen King[/autotag], and defensive end [autotag]Chop Robinson[/autotag] were each included on the award’s watch list from the Maxwell Football Club.

Carter started six games and played in all 13 games for Penn State in 2022. He earned All-Big Ten second-team honors and was a freshman All-American for the FWAA. He led Penn State with 10.5 tackles for loss last season and he finished fourth in the Big Ten with 6.5 sacks last season.

Carter has also appeared on the watch lists for the Butkus Award, Bronko Nagurski Trophy, and the Lott IMPACT Trophy.

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King is coming off a stellar season in the Penn State defense in 2022. He was named a third-team All-Big Ten player by the Big Ten coaches and media and received third-team All-America from Pro Football Focus and an honorable mention for All-American by Phil Steele. The Walter Camp Football Foundation named King a second-team All-American.

King has also been named to the watch lists for the Lott IMPACT Trophy, Bronko Nagurski Award, and the Jim Thorpe Award.

Robinson transferred to Penn State from Maryland and he quickly asserted himself as a playmaker on the Penn State defensive line. Robinson appeared in 12 games and recorded 10 tackles for a loss with 5.5 sacks. He earned team defensive player of the week honors three times last season, including in the Rose Bowl against Utah.

Robinson also appears on the watch list for the Bronko Nagurski Award.

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The Chuck Bednarik Award was first presented by the Maxwell Football Club in 1995 to former Northwestern linebacker (and head coach) Pat Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald won the award each of the first two years it was presented. He is one of two two-time winners of the Bednarik Award.

Penn State’s Paul Posluszny is the other. Pusluszny won back-to-back Bednarik Awards in 2005 and 2006, and he was followed a year later by Dan Conner to make it three consecutive seasons for Penn State to be home to the Bednarik Award. Penn State’s first Bednarik Award winner was linebacker LaVar Arrington in 1999.

Penn State may have four all-time Bednarik Awards, but they are tied with Alabama for the most individual players to have won the Bednarik Award with three each. Alabama linebacker Will Anderson Jr. was last season’s Bednarik Award winner.

Other notable Bednarik Award winners through the years include Charles Woodson (Michigan, 1997), Julius Peppers (North Carolina, 2001), Ndamukong Suh (Nebraska, 2009), Tyrann Mathieu (LSU, 2011), Aaron Donald (Pitt, 2013), Chase Young (Ohio State, 2019), and Jordan Davis (Georgia, 2021).

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Three Tigers named to the Bednarik Award watch list, presented annually to the nation’s most outstanding defensive player

Three Tigers on the Bednarik Award watch list heading into the 2023 college football season.

The Maxwell Football Club announced today that linebacker Barrett Carter, defensive tackle Tyler Davis and linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr. have been named as three of 85 candidates on the watch list for the Chuck Bednarik Award, presented annually to the nation’s most outstanding defensive player. Clemson and Penn State are the only programs in the nation to feature three members on the watch list in 2023.

Additional information from the Maxwell Football Club is included below. Visit the 2023 Preseason Honors hub for more preseason accolades garnered by Clemson.

The Maxwell Football Club today announced its watch list for the 29th Chuck Bednarik Award presented annually to the outstanding defensive player in college football.

The Bednarik Award has been presented to the College Defensive Player of the Year since 1994 and is named in honor of Chuck “Concrete Charlie” Bednarik who was an All-American player at the University of Pennsylvania and later a multiple year All Pro linebacker and center for the Philadelphia Eagles. He is a member of both the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame and was the last NFL player to be a full-time player on both offense and defense.

The Bednarik Award watch list will once again incorporate a broad spectrum of Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) programs and conferences from coast to coast, led by 5 returning 2022 semifinalists: Kool-Aid McKinstry (Alabama), Tyler Davis (Clemson), Jer’Zhan Newton (Illinois), Tommy Eichenberg (Ohio State) and Jason Henderson (Old Dominion). Clemson and Penn State lead the way with 3 candidates each with an additional 9 schools boasting 2 candidates.

Last year’s Chuck Bednarik Award winner was Will Anderson Jr. (Alabama) who went on to be the 1st round selection of the Houston Texans in the 2023 NFL Draft. Anderson joined Alabama greats Jonathan Allen (2016) and Minkah Fitzpatrick (2017) as the third Crimson Tide player to win the award.

S Trey Taylor, Air Force
CB Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama
LB Dallas Turner, Alabama
LB Leo Lowin, Army
CB D.J. James, Auburn
LB DJ Schramm, Boise State
DE Donovan Ezeiruaku, Boston College
LB Shaun Dolac, Buffalo
LB Ben Bywater, BYU
LB Jackson Sirmon, Cal
DT Dontay Corleone, Cincinnati
DT Tyler Davis, Clemson
LB Jeremiah Trotter Jr., Clemson
LB Barrett Carter, Clemson
S Jack Howell, Colorado State
LB Jackson Mitchell, Connecticut
DT DeWayne Carter, Duke
DE Princely Umanmielen, Florida
DE Jared Verse, Florida State
LB Levelle Bailey, Fresno State
DB Javon Bullard, Georgia
LB Jamon Dumas-Johnson, Georgia
S LaMiles Brooks, Georgia Tech
DL Jer’Zhan Newton, Illinois
DL Keith Randolph, Illinois
DL Andre Carter, Indiana
CB Cooper DeJean, Iowa
CB T.J. Tampa, Iowa State
CB Cobee Bryant, Kansas
S Kobe Savage, Kansas State
LB J.J. Weaver, Kentucky
LB Harold Perkins, LSU
DE Owen Porter, Marshall
LB Jaishawn Barham, Maryland
DT Leonard Taylor, Miami
S Kamren Kinchens, Miami
DT Kris Jenkins, Michigan
LB Junior Colson, Michigan
LB Cal Haladay, Michigan State
S Tyler Nubin, Minnesota
LB Nathaniel Watson, Mississippi State
LB Ty’Ron Hopper, Missouri
CB Aydan White, NC State
LB Payton Wilson, NC State
LB Cedric Gray, North Carolina
CB Benjamin Morrison, Notre Dame
DE JT Tuimoloau, Ohio State
LB Tommy Eichenberg, Ohio State
DE Ethan Downs, Oklahoma
LB Collin Oliver, Oklahoma State
LB Jason Henderson, Old Dominion
DE Cedric Johnson, Ole Miss
DE Brandon Dorlus, Oregon
S Kitan Oladapo, Oregon State
CB Kalen King, Penn State
DE Chop Robinson, Penn State
LB Abdul Carter, Penn State
CB M.J. Devonshire, Pitt
DE Aaron Lewis, Rutgers
S Yam Banks, South Alabama
S Jay Stanley, Southern Miss
LB David Bailey, Stanford
LB Marlowe Wax, Syracuse
CB Josh Newton, TCU
LB Layton Jordan, Temple
LB Aaron Beasley, Tennessee
LB Jaylan Ford, Texas
DT Jaylon Hutchings, Texas Tech
CB Quinyon Mitchell, Toledo
CB Reddy Steward, Troy
CB Jarius Monroe, Tulane
DT Patrick Jenkins, Tulane
DT Fish McWilliams, UAB
LB Jason Johnson, UCF
LB Laiatu Latu, UCLA
S Calen Bullock, USC
S Cole Bishop, Utah
LB Tyrice Knight, UTEP
S Rashad Wisdom, UTSA
DE Chico Bennett, Virginia
DE Bralen Trice, Washington
S Aubrey Burks, West Virginia
LB JaQues Evans, Western Kentucky
LB Maema Njongmeta, Wisconsin
LB Easton Gibbs, Wyoming

The Chuck Bednarik Award has once again partnered with Pro Football Focus (PFF) and Phil Steele Publications as selection committee partners. PFF provides detailed metrics and performance-based assessments to selection committee staff, with several senior PFF analysts are members of our selection committee. Phil Steele’s College Football Preview is generally recognized as the most complete preseason magazine.

Semifinalists for the Chuck Bednarik Award will be announced November 13, 2023, while the three finalists for the Bednarik Award will be unveiled November 28, 2023. The winners of the 29th Chuck Bednarik Award will be announced as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show held on December 7, 2023. The formal presentations of the Chuck Bednarik Award will be made at the Maxwell Football Club Awards in March 2024.

Questions concerning the 2023 Bednarik Award watch list can be directed to MFC Executive Director Mark Wolpert mwolpert@maxwellfootballclub.org or MFC Vice President of College Awards Rich Cirminiello rcirminiello@maxwellfootballclub.org.

ABOUT THE MAXWELL FOOTBALL CLUB – The Maxwell Football Club was founded in 1935 and is the oldest football organization of its kind in America. The Club recognizes excellence in performance at the high school, collegiate and professional levels of the game. The Maxwell Club is also deeply involved and fully vested in the community through programs to promote academic excellence, community volunteerism, and leadership. High school student-athletes around the country have an opportunity to participate in MFC Showcase events, free of charge, through the generosity of our corporate partners, Montage Mountain Resorts, the Buccini Polin Group, the ETC Foundation and the Run Around Inc. To learn more about our story visit www.maxwellfootballclub.org.

ABOUT PRO FOOTBALL FOCUS – PFF is widely recognized as the industry leader in the advanced data collection and analysis for American football. Since 2011, PFF has led football’s charge into the world of analytics. Their services are trusted by all 32 NFL teams and over 100 FBS programs. Major broadcast networks, national media outlets and player agencies all use PFF as a resource as well. PFF’s media network provides fans with apps, tools, podcasts and other content to help satisfy their thirst for deeper insights in the game.

The Chuck Bednarik Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which encompasses college football’s most prestigious awards. The NCFAA’s 24 awards have honored more than 900 recipients since 1935. This season, 12 NCFAA awards will honor national players of the week each Tuesday.

Sixteen NCFAA members are unveiling preseason watch lists over a two-week period as the association spearheads a coordinated effort to promote each award’s preseason candidates. Following is the remaining 2023 preseason watch list calendar:

Mon., July 31: Maxwell Award
Tue., Aug. 1: Outland Trophy/Bronko Nagurski Trophy
Wed., Aug. 2: Lou Groza Award/Ray Guy Award
Thu., Aug. 3: Paul Hornung Award/Wuerffel Trophy
Fri., Aug. 4: Mackey Award/Rimington Trophy

Mon., Aug. 7: Biletnikoff Award
Tue., Aug. 8: Davey O’Brien Award
Wed., Aug. 9: Doak Walker Award
Thu., Aug. 10: Butkus Award/Paycom Jim Thorpe Award
Fri., Aug. 11: Walter Camp Award

Mon., Aug. 14: Bednarik Award

For more information about the NCFAA and its college football awards, visit the redesigned NCFAA.org or follow on Twitter @NCFAA.

-Via Clemson Athletic Communciations

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Rutgers football: Aaron Lewis named to prestigious watch list

Aaron Lewis of Rutgers football is named to the preseason watchlist for the Bednarik Award.

Aaron Lewis is generating plenty of buzz this summer, the Rutgers football defensive end being named to the preseason watch list for the Bednarik Award.

The award is given annually to the top defensive player in college football.

In mid-July, Lewis was named to the 2023 All-Big Ten team by Pro Football Focus. The hype around Lewis is warranted, given his strong second season at Rutgers.

In 2022, Lewis racked up 54 tackles and 1.5 sacks in addition to a forced fumble for Rutgers. He was the only Rutgers player to earn an All-Big Ten team designation from PFF.

This will be the third season at Rutgers for Lewis, who transferred from Michigan prior to the 2020 season.

 

The last two winners of the Bednarik Award came from Georgia (Georgia defensive tackle Jordan Davis in 2021 and Alabama linebacker Will Anderson Jr. in 2022).

Chase Young, a defensive end at Ohio State, was the last player from the Big Ten to win the Bednarik Award. Now with the Washington Commanders, Young won the award in 2019.

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Tommy Eichenberg and J.T. Tuimoloau make Bednarik watch list

Two more Buckeyes on a watch list, this time for the Bednarik. #GoBucks

It’s the start of another week that’s closing in on the beginning of the college football season so that must mean we’ve got some more preseason watch list news. And if it’s a watch list, there’s a good chance some Ohio State players are included.

Sure enough, the Chuck Bednarik Award released its 2023 preseason watch list on Monday, and there are two more OSU players included among the whopping 86 names. Those two Buckeyes are linebacker Tommy Eichenberg and defensive end J.T. Tuimoloau who are both already appearing on other watch lists this preseason.

The Bednarik Award is handed out by the Maxwell Football Club and has been around since 1995. It honors the best defensive player in college football annually.

That’s a lot of names for one of the most prestigious awards out there. Only one Ohio State players has taken the honor home, and that was defensive end Chase Young in that ridiculous 2019 campaign.

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