Olajubutu Named to Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Arkansas linebacker Sam Olajubutu has been named to the watch list for the Bronko Nagurski Award, an honor recognizing the nation’s top defensive player, it was announced by the The Football Writers Association of America (FWAA).
The Razorback senior from LaGrange, Ga., is one of 56 players that have been nominated for consideration for the award given to the best defensive player in college football. Olajubutu has already been named to the watch list for both the Lott Trophy (nation’s top defensive player) and the Lombardi Award (top defensive lineman or linebacker).
“I’m pleased that Sam is being recognized among the best defensive players in the country,” Arkansas head coach Houston Nutt said. “He has come along way in his time here and he still has a lot to accomplish. He is one of our leaders on the field and we will count on him again this fall.”
Olajubutu earned honorable mention All-America honors and first-team All-Southeastern Conference accolades last season after racking up a team-leading 118 tackles, including 14.5 tackles for loss (-40) and 4.5 sacks (-22). In 2005, he recorded 14 or more tackles four times and was in double-figures five times. Olajubutu, who earned Hogwired.com Defensive Player of the Week honors four times, made a career-high 18 tackles against Auburn, which tied for the SEC single-game high, and had 16 against Alabama.
Olajubutu enters his senior season with 257 career tackles and needing only 43 stops to become just the 14th Razorback to earn 300 tackles in his collegiate career.
The Bronko Nagurski Trophy, awarded to the best defensive player in college football, has been a staple of the FWAA’s awards since 1993. It is sponsored by the Charlotte Touchdown Club, which has held the annual awards banquet since 1995.
The 2006 banquet is set for Monday, Dec. 4, at the Westin Hotel in Charlotte, N.C., where five finalists will vie for the prize. Louisville defensive end Elvis Dumervil won the 2005 Bronko Nagurski Trophy.
The FWAA All-America Committee selects the Bronko Nagurski winner from the association’s 11-man All-America defensive team in late November. Players may be added from the Bronko Nagurski Watch List during the course of the 2005 season.
For the sixth-consecutive season, the FWAA will select Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Players of the Week, beginning with games the week of Sept. 2 and running through the middle of November. Each national player of the week will beadded to the trophy’s watch list throughout the season.
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2006 BRONKO NAGURSKI TROPHY PRESEASON WATCH LIST |
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|
Player, School |
Pos. |
Cl. |
Hometown |
|
Gaines Adams, Clemson |
DE |
Sr. |
Greenwood, S.C. |
|
Rufus Alexander, Oklahoma |
LB |
Sr. |
Baton Rouge, La. |
|
Antwan Applewhite, San Diego State |
DE |
Jr. |
Torrance, Calif. |
|
Brandon Archer, Kansas State |
LB |
Sr. |
St. Paul, Minn. |
|
Baraka Atkins, Miami, Fla. |
DL |
Sr. |
Sarasota, Fla. |
|
Daniel Bazuin, Central Michigan |
DE |
Sr. |
McBain, Mich. |
|
H.B. Blades, Pittsburgh |
LB |
Sr. |
Plantation, Fla. |
|
Tommy Blake, TCU |
DE |
Jr. |
Aransas Pass, Texas |
|
Keyonvis Bouie, Florida International |
LB |
Sr. |
Pahokee, Fla. |
|
Mkristo Bruce, Washington State |
DE |
Sr. |
Renton, Wash. |
|
Nick Bunting, Tulsa |
LB |
Sr. |
Tulsa, Okla. |
|
Rob Caldwell, Navy |
LB |
Sr. |
St. John, Ind. |
|
Adam Carriker, Nebraska |
DE |
Sr. |
Kennewick, Wash. |
|
Brent Curvey, Iowa State |
DL |
Sr. |
Houston, Texas |
|
Keyunta Dawson, Texas Tech |
DE |
Sr. |
Shreveport, La. |
|
Joe Garcia, Nevada |
DB |
Sr. |
Westminster, Calif. |
|
Courtney Greene, Rutgers |
DB |
So. |
New Rochelle, N.Y. |
|
Michael Griffin, Texas |
S |
Sr. |
Austin, Texas |
|
Korey Hall, Boise State |
LB |
Sr. |
Glenns Ferry, Idaho |
|
Leon Hall, Michigan |
CB |
Sr. |
Vista, Calif. |
|
Vince Hall, Virginia Tech |
LB |
Jr. |
Chesapeake, Va. |
|
Marcus Hamilton, Virginia |
CB |
Sr. |
Centreville, Va. |
|
Will Herring, Auburn |
LB |
Sr. |
Opelika, Ala. |
|
David Herron, Michigan State |
LB |
Sr. |
Warren, Ohio |
|
Loren Howard, Arizona State |
DE |
Sr. |
Scottsdale, Ariz. |
|
Daymeion Hughes, California |
CB |
Sr. |
Los Angles, Calif. |
|
Lawrence Jackson, USC |
DE |
Jr. |
Inglewood, Calif. |
|
Cameron Jensen, BYU |
LB |
Sr. |
Bountiful, Utah |
|
Jeremy Jones, UTEP |
LB |
Sr. |
San Jose, Calif. |
|
LaRon Landry, LSU |
FS |
Sr. |
Ama, La. |
|
Marcus McCauley, Fresno State |
CB |
Sr. |
Sacramento, Calif. |
|
Kevin McLee, West Virginia |
LB |
Sr. |
Uniontown, Pa. |
|
Larry McSwain, UAB |
DE |
Sr. |
Vigor, Ala. |
|
Brandon Mebane, California |
DT |
Sr. |
Los Angles, Calif. |
|
Brandon Meriweather, Miami, Fla. |
DB |
Sr. |
Apopka, Fla. |
|
Quentin Moses, Georgia |
DE |
Sr. |
Athens, Ga. |
|
J.D. Nelson, Oregon |
FS |
Sr. |
Mountain View, Calif. |
|
Stephen Nicholas, South Florida |
LB |
Sr. |
Jacksonville, Fla. |
|
Sam Olajubutu, Arkansas |
LB |
Sr. |
LaGrange, Ga. |
|
Chase Ortiz, TCU |
DE |
Jr. |
League City, Texas |
|
Sabby Piscitelli, Oregon State |
S |
Sr. |
Boca Raton, Fla. |
|
Quinn Pitcock, Ohio State |
DT |
Sr. |
Piqua, Ohio |
|
Paul Posluszny, Penn State |
LB |
Sr. |
Aliquippa, Pa. |
|
Darrelle Revis, Pittsburgh |
DB |
Jr. |
Aliquippa, Pa. |
|
Brandon Siler, Florida |
LB |
Jr. |
Orlando, Fla. |
|
Brian Smith, Missouri |
DE |
Sr. |
Denton, Texas |
|
Aqib Talib, Kansas |
CB |
So. |
Richardson, Texas |
|
Kelly Talavou, Utah |
DL |
Sr. |
Santa Ana, Calif. |
|
Thaddaeus Washington, Colorado |
LB |
Sr. |
Marrero, La. |
|
Anthony Waters, Clemson |
LB |
Sr. |
Lake View, S.C. |
|
Eric Weddle, Utah |
DB |
Sr. |
Alta Loma, Calif. |
|
John Wendling, Wyoming |
S |
Sr. |
Rock Springs, Wyo. |
|
Eric Wicks, West Virginia |
DB |
Sr. |
Pittsburgh, Pa. |
|
Patrick Willis, Mississippi |
LB |
Sr. |
Bruceton, Tenn. |
|
LaMarr Woodley, Michigan |
LB |
Sr. |
Saginaw, Mich. |
|
Tom Zbikowski, Notre Dame |
DB |
Sr. |
Arlington Heights, Ill. |
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Players may be added or deleted from the list before or during the season |
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