Floyd, White named to Nagurski Watch List
April 11, 2002 | Football
April 11, 2002
CHICAGO - Five Conference USA players appear on the 2002 Watch List of candidates for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, awarded annually to the nation's top defensive college player, according to the Charlotte Touchdown Club and the Football Writers Association of America. A total of 64 premier Division I-A players are included on the Watch List.
Conference USA's representatives on the list are Southern Miss linebacker ROD DAVIS, Cincinnati defensive end ANTWAN PEEK, TCU junior linebacker LaMARCUS McDONALD and a pair of Louisville standouts, defensive back ANTHONY FLOYD and defensive end DEWAYNE WHITE. Floyd is the University of Louisville and Conference USA's all-time leader in interceptions with 17. He was named a Walter Camp all-American following a 2000 season in which he led the nation with 10 INT's. Floyd ranked third on the Cardinals in tackles last season with 97 and he had six pass breakups and four picks. He has helped the U of L secondary to a nation-leading 44 interceptions over the past two seasons.
White was named Conference USA's Defensive Player of the Year last season after leading the league (and finishing second in the nation) with 15 sacks. He set a new school record for tackles for losses in a season with 23. In 23 career games, White has 27 sacks and 41 TFL's. He has tallied six multiple-sack games in his career. White, along with teammate Ronnie Ghent, has also been named to the Lombardi watch list. Davis, a first team All-Conference USA selection last season, posted a team-high 92 tackles and 10 sacks, to go along with four interceptions and two fumble recoveries. He reach double-figure tackles in six games and also had four pass breakups on the season.
Peek is coming off a record-setting junior campaign in which he led all UC linemen with 60 tackles while setting school standards for quarterback sacks in a game (four vs. Louisiana-Monroe), season (12.5) and career (21). During the 2001 season, he ranked fourth in the nation in sacks, fifth with five forced fumbles and 10th with 22 tackles for loss.
McDonald earned second team all-conference honors in 2001 after finishing second on the squad with 80 tackles. He led Conference USA and tied for fourth in the nation with 25 tackles for loss. He also led the team with six sacks, which tied for sixth in the league, and added four quarterback hurries.
The 800-member Football Writers Association of America selects the Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List candidates, identifies the players of the week and names the trophy winner. The Charlotte Touchdown Club, a non-profit organization that raises funds for scholarships, has presented the trophy each year since 1995.
The distinguished recipients who have been awarded the Bronko Nagurski Trophy in past years include the following: Arizona's Rob Waldrop (1993), Miami's Warren Sapp (1994), Northwestern's Pat Fitzgerald (1995 and '96), Michigan's Charles Woodson (1997), Georgia's Champ Bailey (1998), Virginia Tech's Corey Moore (1999) and Miami's Dan Morgan (2000). The 2001 recipient was Roy Williams, a junior defensive back from the University of Oklahoma.
The award, named after Hall of Famer and University of Minnesota and Chicago Bears star Bronko Nagurski, recognizes the best all-around defensive players throughout the year with the Bronko Nagurski Player of the Week. In November, five finalists will be selected and the trophy will be presented to the winner at a banquet on December 9 in Charlotte, N.C.
