CHARLOTTE, N.C. (FWAA) Five finalists for the 2005 Bronko
Nagurski Trophy were announced on Thursday by the Football Writers Association
of America and the Charlotte Touchdown Club.
Vying for the honor of the best defensive football player in the country
are Louisville senior end Elvis Dumervil (Miami, Fla.), Penn State
senior end Tamba Hali (Teaneck, N.J.), Oregon junior tackle Haloti
Ngata (Salt Lake City, Utah), Alabama senior linebacker DeMeco Ryans
(Bessemer, Ala.) and Virginia Tech senior cornerback Jimmy Williams
(Hampton, Va.).
The winner, the 13th to be so honored by the FWAA, will be announced
on Dec. 5 and presented the Bronko Nagurski Trophy at a gala banquet at
the Westin Hotel in Charlotte, N.C. Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis will give
the keynote address.
Nagurski, in his day, was a massive 6-2, 225-pound physical specimen
who dominated college football at Minnesota as a bruising fullback and tackle
from 1927-29. He could have been an All-American at any position playing
60 minutes as the best player wherever he lined up. In 1929, he was the
first player to be selected as a consensus All-American in the same year
at two different positions. Some even named him an All-American end.
Of the schools represented among the finalists, only Virginia Tech has
had a previous Nagurski Trophy winner Corey Moore in 1999.
Dumervil and Hali are explosive rushers who have
caused big problems for offensive lines and their quarterbacks this season.
The 6-0, 256-pound Dumervil leads Division I-A in tackles for loss, sacks
and forced fumbles through games of Nov. 12. The 6-3, 267-pound Hali has
come on strong during the second half of the season and in 10 games has
54 tackles, 16 tackles for loss and 11 sacks.
Ngata, a gargantuan 6-5, 338-pound tackle, has been a major force
since mid-season and was a one-man wrecking crew in the Ducks' win over
of California. He's also a candidate to carry off the Outland Trophy, which
the FWAA awards to the top interior lineman in college football.
The 6-2, 232-pound Ryans is the best player on an Alabama defense, which
ranked third in the country against the rush going into games this week.
The 6-3, 216-pound Williams is considered perhaps the best
defensive back in the Atlantic Coast Conference and a top NFL draft prospect
next spring. The Hokies' pass defense ranks second nationally.
The Football Writers Association of America, a non-profit organization
founded in 1941, consists of more than 900 men and women across North America
who cover college football for a living. The membership includes journalists,
broadcasters and publicists, as well as key executives in all the areas
that involve the game. The FWAA works to govern areas that include game
day operations, major awards, a national poll and its annual All-America
team.
The Charlotte Touchdown Club is a non-profit organization founded
in 1990 for the purpose of promoting high school, collegiate, and professional
football in the Charlotte, N.C. region. The club's activities and services
focus community attention on the outstanding citizenship, scholarship, sportsmanship,
and leadership of area athletes and coaches. For more information, contact
John Rocco (704-347-2918 or
jrocco@touchdownclub.com).
The official website of the Charlotte Touchdown Club is
www.touchdownclub.com.
For more information on the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, contact FWAA executive
director Steve Richardson (972-713-6198 or
tiger@fwaa.com).