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Oklahoma's Ben Anderson Named Mannelly Award Semifinalist

The Sooners' third-year sophomore long snapper is having another perfect season on special teams.

John E. Hoover

Oklahoma long snapper Ben Anderson
Oklahoma long snapper Ben Anderson / Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
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By OU Media Relations

NORMAN — University of Oklahoma redshirt sophomore long snapper Ben Anderson has been named a semifinalist for the Patrick Mannelly Award, which is presented to the nation’s best long snapper, the award organization announced Monday evening.

Anderson is one of 10 players on the list of semifinalists for the Mannelly Award, which is in its sixth year.

A third-year Sooner from Charlotte, NC, Anderson has served as the long snapper on all of Oklahoma’s punts and placekicks over the last two seasons, and has made two tackles on punt returns in 2024.

A multidisciplinary studies (leadership in coaching) major, Anderson owns a 3.69 cumulative GPA. He was named to the President’s Honor Roll one semester (4.0 GPA) and to the Dean’s Honor Roll twice (3.5+ GPA). He was also a member of the 2023 Fall Academic All-Big 12 Team.

The Patrick Mannelly Award was first awarded in 2019 and was established to recognize one of the most important, but often overlooked, players on the football field. The award is named for former NFL long snapper Patrick Mannelly, who played 16 seasons for the Chicago Bears.

Three Mannelly Award finalists will be named on Nov. 25, and the winner will be announced on Dec. 14 in a live ceremony in Lake Bluff, IL.

Oklahoma (5-5, 1-5 SEC) is off this week before playing host to No. 9/9 Alabama (7-2, 4-2 SEC) on Saturday, Nov. 23, at Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. on ABC.

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John E. Hoover
JOHN E. HOOVER

John is an award-winning journalist whose work spans five decades in Oklahoma, with multiple state, regional and national awards as a sportswriter at various newspapers. During his newspaper career, John covered the Dallas Cowboys, the Kansas City Chiefs, the Oklahoma Sooners, the Oklahoma State Cowboys, the Arkansas Razorbacks and much more. In 2016, John changed careers, migrating into radio and launching a YouTube channel, and has built a successful independent media company, DanCam Media. From there, John has written under the banners of Sporting News, Sports Illustrated, Fan Nation and a handful of local and national magazines while hosting daily sports talk radio shows in Oklahoma City, Tulsa and statewide. John has also spoken on Capitol Hill in Oklahoma City in a successful effort to put more certified athletic trainers in Oklahoma public high schools. Among the dozens of awards he has won, John most cherishes his national "Beat Writer of the Year" from the Associated Press Sports Editors, Oklahoma's "Best Sports Column" from the Society of Professional Journalists, and Two "Excellence in Sports Medicine Reporting" Awards from the National Athletic Trainers Association. John holds a bachelor's degree in Mass Communications from East Central University in Ada, OK. Born and raised in North Pole, Alaska, John played football and wrote for the school paper at Ada High School in Ada, OK. He enjoys books, movies and travel, and lives in Broken Arrow, OK, with his wife and two kids.

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