DALLAS (FWAA) – The FWAA has announced the 2004 Bronko Nagurski Watch List, which is a compilation of the best defensive players in college football regardless of position.
The winner of the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, presented by the FWAA and the Charlotte Touchdown Club, will be named on Dec. 6 at a banquet in Charlotte, N.C. Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops will be the keynote speaker.
Last season’s Bronko Nagurski winner was Oklahoma defensive back Derrick Strait, who was the second Sooner to win the award in three seasons. Oklahoma defensive back Roy Williams won the award in 2001.
The FWAA will select a defensive player of the week during the 2004 season. Top defensive performances around the country will be submitted by schools and conferences. And an FWAA committee will select the winner from those nominees.
None of the 2003 Bronko Nagurski finalists returns this season, but a finalist from 2002, Georgia end David Pollack, is returning for his senior season.
One player per school is listed below. But all defensive players on the All-America Watch List are considered by the FWAA All-America Committee. Those players who win defensive player of the week awards and have not been previously listed also will be considered. Please contact your conference committee person for updates during the season.
| 2004 BRONKO NAGURSKI TROPHY PRESEASON WATCH LIST | |
| Muhammad Abdullah, DB, Kentucky Allan Adami, DT, SMU Brian Atkinson, LB, Northern Illinois Andy Avalos, LB, Boise State Adrian Awasom, DE, North Texas Jermaine Berry, DT, Kansas State Jason Berryman, DE, Iowa State Jamaal Brimmer, DB, UNLV Michael Boley, LB, Southern Miss Nick Bunting, LB, Tulsa Kevin Burnett, LB, Tennessee Chris Canty, DE, Virginia Shaun Cody, DT-DE, USC Channing Crowder, LB, Florida Will Derting, LB, Washington State Diamond Ferri, SS, Syracuse Dan Cody, DE, Oklahoma Trent Cole, DE, Cincinnati Justin Crooks, LB, Baylor Adell Duckett, DE, Texas Tech Simon Fraser, DE, Ohio State Orien Harris, DT., Miami Spencer Havner, LB, UCLA Jovan Haye, DE, Vanderbilt Anttaj Hawthorne, DT, Wisconsin Eric Henderson, DE, Georgia Tech Leroy Hill, LB, Clemson D'Qwell Jackson, LB, Maryland Derrick Johnson, LB, Texas Jarvis Johnson, SS, Rutgers | Adam Jones, CB, West Virginia Eric King, DB, Wake Forest James Kinney, LB, Missouri Mathias Kiwanuka, DE, Boston College Maurice Lloyd, LB, Connecticut Jamus Martin, DE, Marshall Donnie McCleskey, DB, California Mitch Meeuwsen, FS, Oregon State Eric Moore, DE, Florida St. Zach Morris, NG, Wyoming Kirk Morrison, LB, San Diego State Terna Nande, LB, Miami (Ohio) David Pollack, DE, Georgia Brady Poppinga, DE, BYU Josh Powell, DB, San Jose State Julius Roberts, DE, Boise State Robert Rodriguez, LB, UTEP Matt Roth, DE, Iowa DeMeco Ryans, LB, Alabama James Sanders, DB, Fresno State Morgan Scalley, DB, Utah Marcus Spears, DE, LSU John Syptak, DE, Rice Pat Thomas, LB, N.C. State Justin Tuck, DE, Notre Dame Rian Wallace, LB, Temple Darrent Williams, DB, Oklahoma State Jimmy Williams, DB, Virginia Tech Pierre Woods, LB, Michigan Zac Woodfin, LB, UAB |