Tag: Nagurski Award

R Mason Thomas earns Nagurski Trophy National Defensive Player of the Week award

After a strong performance against Tulane, R Mason Thomas named Bronko Nagurski Defensive Player of the Week.

The breakout was coming at some point for [autotag]R Mason Thomas[/autotag]. And it came in a big way against the Tulane Green Wave on Saturday.

It wasn’t simply that it was a three-sack day for defensive end R Mason Thomas. It was when that three-sack day occurred that was so special.

With just over six minutes to play in the Oklahoma Sooners win over Tulane, the Green Wave were attempting to mount a comeback. But on their second-to-last drive of the game, Thomas put a stop to that.

The junior edge rusher came up with two sacks and batted down a pass on third down to set up his fourth-down sack. Then, on the Green Wave’s final drive of the game, Mason closed up shop for the Tulane offense, getting to Darian Mensah, stripping the quarterback of the ball, and recovering his own forced fumble.

Thomas was named the Bronko Nagurski Trophy Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts.

It was an epic performance that showed off the ability that’s flashed over the last couple of years. During his weekly press conference, Brent Venables said of R Mason Thomas, “Been a long time coming for him from an injury standpoint.”

The Sooners needed someone to step up to create a consistent pass rush, and Thomas showed up in a big way. With Tennessee’s prolific offense coming to town Saturday night, the Sooners need more from R Mason Thomas and the rest of the defensive line to be able to slow down the Volunteers.

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Sooners LB Danny Stutsman named to Nagurski Award watch list

Oklahoma Sooners linebacker Danny Stutsman was named to the Nagurski Award watch list.

As fall camp gets ready to ramp up, watch list season begins in the world of college football awards.

This morning, Oklahoma linebacker Danny Stutsman was named to the Nagurski Award watch list. Named after hall of famer Bronco Nagurski, the award is given to the best defensive player in the country.

After leading the Big 12 in tackles in 2022, the expectations are high for Stutsman in year two under Venables. He’s taken on a bigger leadership role and is looking to take his game to the next level in 2023.

Two Oklahoma Sooners have taken home the Nagurski, which has been in existence since 1993. [autotag]Roy Williams[/autotag] won it in 2001, and [autotag]Derrick Strait[/autotag] in 2003. Williams was the last safety to win the award, and Strait the last cornerback to take home the trophy. The only other defensive backs to win the Nagurski were Charles Woodson and Champ Bailey back in 1997 and 1998.

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Catalon, Pool added to another watch list

It appears that Jalen Catalon and Bumper Pool will be competing against each other this season for the Bronko Nagurski Award.

Preseason watchlists are no strangers to Arkansas Football, especially when it comes to DB [autotag]Jalen Catalon[/autotag] and LB [autotag]Bumper Pool[/autotag].

Both athletes have their names listed on an abundance of preseason award watch lists, but it appears that Catalon and Pool will have to compete for the most recent award that they are early candidates for, the Bronko Nagurski Award.

The Nagurski Award is given annually to the nation’s top defensive player and is given by the Charlotte Touchdown Club. According to the Charlotte Touchdown Club, the award is given to complement the Heisman Trophy, since it is a rare occurrence that a defensive player wins the award.

Pool returns to Arkansas for his fifth season, accepting the extra season of eligibility awarded due to the COVID-19 pandemic that altered the 2020 schedule. He led the team in tackles last season with 125, and has made 349 stops in his career as a Razorback.

So far this preseason, Pool has been named Preseason All-SEC First Team, as well as Preseason All-American Second Team by Phil Steele, and was recently named to the watch list for the Dick Butkus Award.

Catalon is preparing for a comeback after suffering a season-ending injury during the sixth game of the season in 2021. Prior to his injury, Catalon made 46 stops with two interceptions. Catalon was recently named to the watch list for the Jim Thorpe Award.

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Owusu-Koramoah Named Nagurski Trophy Finalist

Another day and another national award that Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah makes the cut for.

NOTRE DAME, Indiana — Notre Dame senior linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah was selected as a finalist for the 2020 Bronko Nagurski Trophy honoring the national defensive player of the year. Owusu-Koramoah is one of five finalists, and is the third Irish player to earn that distinction, joining Manti Te’o (2012) and Shane Walton (2002). Te’o won the Nagurski Trophy in 2012.

A preseason All-ACC First Team selection, Owusu-Koramoah has totaled 49 tackles this season, which leads Notre Dame’s defense, also leading the team with 9.0 tackles-for-loss. He has been responsible for forcing multiple turnovers, including an interception, two fumble recoveries (one returned for a touchdown) and three forced fumbles this season. He has added three pass breakups.

His first-career interception came at Pitt, setting up a Notre Dame touchdown drive. In the win over then-No. 1 Clemson, Owusu-Koramoah posted nine tackles (seven solo), 0.5 sack, 2.0 TFL, one forced fumble and the fumble recovery touchdown, which was the first score of his career. Three plays later, he forced a Clemson fumble, which was also recovered by the Irish.

Owusu-Koramoah ranks tied for seventh among all FBS players with two fumble recoveries this season. He ranks fifth among all ACC players in forced fumbles (0.3 per game) and his 9.0 TFL tie for 16th-most in the ACC

Widely considered among the elite defensive players across the country regardless of position, Owusu-Koramoah is a Butkus Award, Bednarik Award and Lott IMPACT Trophy semifinalist, and now Nagurski Trophy finalist, he was named Nagurski Trophy and Bednarik Award Player of the Week, as well as ACC Linebacker of the Week, all for his performance against Clemson. At Pitt, Owusu-Koramoah was named to the Pro Football Focus Team of the Week.

Two Georgia football players named semifinalists for prestigious awards

A pair of Georgia football players were named semifinalists for prestigious CFB awards.

Two Georgia Bulldogs have been named semifinalists for a pair of college football’s most prestigious postseason awards.

Andrew Thomas, a junior left tackle, was named one of six semifinalists for the Outland Trophy, which goes to America’s top interior lineman.

Joining Thomas on the list is:

OC Tyler Bidasz (Wisconsin), DT Derrick Brown (Auburn), OT Penei Sewell (Oregon), OG John Simpson (Clemson) and OT Tristan Wirfs (Iowa).

I could definitely see Thomas bringing home the trophy, but Auburn’s Brown poses a tough fight. Currently, Thomas is a top-five pick in almost every NFL mock draft I’ve seen.

On Monday, the list of six will be trimmed to three and the winner will be announced at ESPN’s College Football Awards on December 12th from the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta.

Georgia junior safety J.R. Reed was named a semifinalists for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, which is given to America’s best defensive player.

Reed is joined by Brown (Auburn), LB Isaiah Simmons (Clemson), DB Antoine Winfield Jr. (Minnesota) and DE Chase Young (Ohio State).

Right now, this trophy is looking like it’s Young’s to lose, despite the fact hew was suspended for a portion of the season. But Reed has been a consistent force in the secondary all season and will go on to a long NFL career.