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DALLAS
(FWAA) – Five finalists for the
2002 Bronko Nagurski Trophy, which is awarded
to the best defensive player in college
football by the Football Writers Association
of America and the Charlotte Touchdown Club,
were announced on Tuesday.
The
five finalists are: Maryland linebacker
E.J. Henderson, Kansas State cornerback
Terence Newman, Georgia end David Pollack,
Arizona State end Terrell Suggs and Notre
Dame cornerback Shane Walton.
The
winner will be named on Dec. 9 at a banquet
in Charlotte, N.C. All the players are first
time finalists for the FWAA Defensive Player
of the Year Award, which is in its 10th
year of existence. Henderson is a repeat
FWAA All-American from last season.
The
finalists were selected by the FWAA All-America
Committee, which is geographically balanced
across the country. Walton and Suggs each
won FWAA Defensive Player of the Week Awards
this past season.
Walton,
a 5-11, 185-pound senior, was spectacular
in several games. He tied a school record
with three interceptions in a Notre Dame
victory over Maryland. He had an interception
which sealed a victory over Michigan. He
was named the Bronko Nagurski National Defensive
Player of the Week for his performance against
the Wolverines.
Newman,
a 5-11, 185-pound senior, was voted TBS/Superstation
Player of the Game in Kansas State's 27-20
victory over Southern California. He is
among national leaders in passes defensed
with 11 breakups and four interceptions
despite teams throwing to the other side
of the field to avoid him. He had a career-high
eight tackles in the Wildcats' victory over
Nebraska.
Suggs,
a 6-3, 242-pound junior, has already set
an NCAA Division I-A single-season sack
record with 20 this season. He has 26.5
total tackles for losses in 2002. In a 27-16
victory over Washington, when Suggs won
the FWAA Player of the Week Award, he had
6.5 tackles for losses of 44 yards. He also
has forced five fumbles and intercepted
a pass this season.
Pollack,
a 6-3, 264-pound sophomore, leads the Southeastern
Conference and is fourth nationally in quarterback
sacks. He is Georgia's most active defensive
player in virtually every category and is
threatening the Georgia single-season record
for sacks. He was CBS Player of the Game
with a interception returned for a touchdown
in victory at South Carolina.
Henderson,
a 6-2, 250-pound senior, has made 118 tackles
this season, 13.5 for 51 yards in losses.
He has five sacks for minus-31 yards. He
has also intercepted a pass, broken up four
passes and forced two fumbles. Last season,
he was the MVP of the Atlantic Coast Conference.
2002
Bronko Nagurski Players of the Week
• Sept. 9: Maurice Sikes, Miami
• Sept. 16: Shane Walton, Notre Dame
• Sept. 23: Willie Pile, Virginia Tech
• Sept. 30: R.J. Jones, Missouri
• Oct. 7: Matt Grier, Mississippi
• Oct. 14: Corey Webster, LSU
• Oct. 21: Brandon Everage, Oklahoma
• Oct. 28: Terrell Suggs, Arizona State
• Nov. 4: Josh Ott, Boston College
• Nov. 11: Bobby Walker, Kansas State
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