University of Memphis Athletics
Ian Foster Named to Preseason Bednarik Award Watch List
Aug 21, 2026 | Football
PHILADELPHIA – University of Memphis safety Ian Foster was named to the 32nd Chuck Bednarik Award preseason watch list, the Maxwell Football Club announced on Friday. The award is presented annually to the most outstanding defensive player in all of 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 Bednarik, who was an All-American at the University of Pennsylvania and later a multi-year All-Pro linebacker and center for the Philadelphia Eagles. He is a member of both the College and Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Foster, a transfer who has spent the past two seasons under head coach Charles Huff, has picked up a multitude of preseason honors ahead of his first year at Memphis. The redshirt junior was named to the Shriners Children's East-West Bowl 1000, tabbed as a HERO Sports Preseason Group of Six First Team All-American and a preseason first team all-conference honoree by Phil Steele, Sports Info Solutions, Pro Football Network and Athlon Sports, also being named a preseason third-team kick returner by Athlon Sports.
Foster becomes the third Tiger to be named to the preseason watch list in as many seasons, joining William Whitlow Jr. in 2025 and Chandler Martin in 2024.
Semifinalists for the Chuck Bednarik Award will be announced November 10, 2026, while the three finalists will be unveiled on November 24, 2026. The winner of the 32nd Chuck Bednarik Award will be announced as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show held on December 10, 2026. The formal presentations of the Bednarik Award will be made at the Maxwell Football Club Awards on Saturday, March 13, 2027, at the Coca Cola Roxy Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia.
Head coach Charles Huff's first season in Memphis is set to be an exciting one with eight of Memphis' 11 FBS opponents earning bowl berths in 2025.
The Tigers will have a six-game home slate at the new-look Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium, hosting Arkansas State (Sept. 5) and UT Martin (Sept. 19) in the nonconference slate before American Conference contests against UAB (Oct. 10) in the "Battle for the Bones", East Carolina (Oct. 22), Army (Oct. 31) and Temple (Nov. 27 or 28).
Memphis also has a stout road slate against the two top Mountain West programs in UNLV (Aug. 29) and Boise State (Sept. 12), along with conference matchups at Charlotte (Oct. 3), Tulane (Oct. 16), South Florida (Nov. 12) and Navy (Nov. 21), with the Green Wave, Bulls and Midshipmen all finishing in the top five in the American in 2025.
Season tickets for the 2026 Memphis Football season can be purchased HERE.
For the 2026 season, Memphis will implement tiered pricing for single-game tickets:
Tier 1: Army – starting at $25
Tier 2: UAB, Arkansas State, East Carolina – starting at $20
Tier 3: UT Martin, Temple – starting at $15
Fans are encouraged to purchase early and save. Ticket prices will increase by $5 during game week and again by an additional $5 on gameday at the Box Office. This change helps support enhanced planning for security, concessions and staffing.
Single-game tickets purchased in the West Side Chairbacks will include access to Landers Plaza.
For fans seeking flexibility, the Memphis Football Mini Plan gives the option to choose any three games that best fit your schedule, starting at just $60.
Similar to last year, Memphis Athletics will be asking fans to cover the Shelby County sales tax rate of 9.75 percent on all tickets and parking.
Single-game tickets can be purchased online at THIS LINK or by calling the Memphis Ticket Office at (901) 678-2331. For group tickets and experiences, please contact the Memphis Ticket Office at (901) 678-2331.
For premium seating experiences, please contact the Memphis Athletic Fund at MAFpremium@memphis.edu.
How to follow the Tigers: For complete information on Memphis Tigers Football, visit www.GoTigersGo.com and follow the team's social media channels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
The Bednarik Award has been presented to the College Defensive Player of the Year since 1994 and is named in honor of Chuck Bednarik, who was an All-American at the University of Pennsylvania and later a multi-year All-Pro linebacker and center for the Philadelphia Eagles. He is a member of both the College and Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Foster, a transfer who has spent the past two seasons under head coach Charles Huff, has picked up a multitude of preseason honors ahead of his first year at Memphis. The redshirt junior was named to the Shriners Children's East-West Bowl 1000, tabbed as a HERO Sports Preseason Group of Six First Team All-American and a preseason first team all-conference honoree by Phil Steele, Sports Info Solutions, Pro Football Network and Athlon Sports, also being named a preseason third-team kick returner by Athlon Sports.
Foster becomes the third Tiger to be named to the preseason watch list in as many seasons, joining William Whitlow Jr. in 2025 and Chandler Martin in 2024.
Semifinalists for the Chuck Bednarik Award will be announced November 10, 2026, while the three finalists will be unveiled on November 24, 2026. The winner of the 32nd Chuck Bednarik Award will be announced as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show held on December 10, 2026. The formal presentations of the Bednarik Award will be made at the Maxwell Football Club Awards on Saturday, March 13, 2027, at the Coca Cola Roxy Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia.
Head coach Charles Huff's first season in Memphis is set to be an exciting one with eight of Memphis' 11 FBS opponents earning bowl berths in 2025.
The Tigers will have a six-game home slate at the new-look Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium, hosting Arkansas State (Sept. 5) and UT Martin (Sept. 19) in the nonconference slate before American Conference contests against UAB (Oct. 10) in the "Battle for the Bones", East Carolina (Oct. 22), Army (Oct. 31) and Temple (Nov. 27 or 28).
Memphis also has a stout road slate against the two top Mountain West programs in UNLV (Aug. 29) and Boise State (Sept. 12), along with conference matchups at Charlotte (Oct. 3), Tulane (Oct. 16), South Florida (Nov. 12) and Navy (Nov. 21), with the Green Wave, Bulls and Midshipmen all finishing in the top five in the American in 2025.
Season tickets for the 2026 Memphis Football season can be purchased HERE.
For the 2026 season, Memphis will implement tiered pricing for single-game tickets:
Tier 1: Army – starting at $25
Tier 2: UAB, Arkansas State, East Carolina – starting at $20
Tier 3: UT Martin, Temple – starting at $15
Fans are encouraged to purchase early and save. Ticket prices will increase by $5 during game week and again by an additional $5 on gameday at the Box Office. This change helps support enhanced planning for security, concessions and staffing.
Single-game tickets purchased in the West Side Chairbacks will include access to Landers Plaza.
For fans seeking flexibility, the Memphis Football Mini Plan gives the option to choose any three games that best fit your schedule, starting at just $60.
Similar to last year, Memphis Athletics will be asking fans to cover the Shelby County sales tax rate of 9.75 percent on all tickets and parking.
Single-game tickets can be purchased online at THIS LINK or by calling the Memphis Ticket Office at (901) 678-2331. For group tickets and experiences, please contact the Memphis Ticket Office at (901) 678-2331.
For premium seating experiences, please contact the Memphis Athletic Fund at MAFpremium@memphis.edu.
How to follow the Tigers: For complete information on Memphis Tigers Football, visit www.GoTigersGo.com and follow the team's social media channels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Players Mentioned
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Friday, August 14