Click on the image below to read the Bay Area Blitz October newsletter.
Tag Archives: Football Writers Association of America
Florida State’s Robinson nominated for Orange Bowl-FWAA Courage Award
Sophomore defensive end lost childhood home in hurricane
DALLAS — Florida State’s Janarius Robinson is this week’s nominee for the 2018 Capital One Orange Bowl-FWAA Courage Award. Robinson, a redshirt sophomore defensive end, starred for the Seminoles in their win Saturday over Wake Forest, his first game back after losing his childhood home to Hurricane Michael.
Janarius Robinson
“It’s been better getting back to practice after going through what I’ve been going through for the last week,” Robinson said last week, according to The Athletic. “It’s a time for me to get my mind away and off of the things that have happened. I come out here, get my mind off of it and get back to work with my brothers.”
Robinson’s hometown of Panama City, Fla., was one of the hardest-hit areas of Hurricane Michael. His family had evacuated to Georgia beforehand, and when they returned Friday, the house – which was originally owned by Robinson’s grandmother – was gone.
The 6-foot-5, 259-pound Robinson returned to practice last Tuesday and on Saturday notched a career-best six tackles, including one sack, in the Seminoles’ 38-17 win over the Demon Deacons.
A GoFundMe page was created with NCAA approval to help the Robinsons, with a goal of raising $75,000. As of Oct. 22, it has raised more than $107,000.
The Courage Award was first presented by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) in 2002. A select group of writers from the FWAA vote on the winner each year. The requirements for nomination include displaying courage on or off the field, including overcoming an injury or physical handicap, preventing a disaster or living through hardship. The winner of the award will be included in festivities during Capital One Orange Bowl week and receive his trophy at an on-field presentation.
Previous winners of the Capital One Orange Bowl-FWAA Courage Award are Wisconsin safety D’Cota Dixon (2017) Pittsburgh running back James Conner (2016), Miami offensive lineman Hunter Knighton (2015), Duke offensive lineman Laken Tomlinson (2014), San Jose State defensive lineman Anthony Larceval (2013), Clemson wide receiver Daniel Rodriguez (2012), Michigan State offensive lineman Arthur Ray Jr. (2011), Rutgers defensive tackle Eric LeGrand (2010), the University of Connecticut football team (2009), Tulsa’s Wilson Holloway (2008), Navy’s Zerbin Singleton (2007), Clemson’s Ray Ray McElrathbey (2006), the Tulane football team (2005), Memphis’ Haracio Colen (2004), San Jose State’s Neil Parry (2003) and Toledo’s William Bratton (2002).
About the Orange Bowl
The Orange Bowl is a 360-member, primarily-volunteer non-profit sports organization that promotes and serves the South Florida community. With its primary mission since being created in 1935 to bring tourism to South Florida through an annual football game and events, it has also maintained a legacy of charitable contributions and community outreach. Orange Bowl community outreach efforts are comprised of four pillars: youth sports, fundraising and community events, academic programs and scholarships, and legacy gifts. The Orange Bowl features a year-round schedule of events culminating with the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl on December 29, 2018. For more information on the 2018-19 Orange Bowl events, including promotional and volunteer opportunities through the Ambassador Program presented by Panera Bread, log on to orangebowl.org. Follow Orange Bowl: @OrangeBowl, Facebook and Instagram.
Founded in 1941, the Football Writers Association of America consists of 1,400 men and women who cover college football. The membership includes journalists, broadcasters and publicists, as well as key executives in all the areas that involve the game. The FWAA works to govern areas that include game-day operations, major awards and its annual All-America team. For more information about the FWAA and its award programs, contact Steve Richardson at tiger@fwaa.com.
2018 Orange Bowl Courage Award Nominees
• Sept. 12: John Schlarman, Kentucky | High-resolution headshot
• Sept. 19: Nic Weishar, Notre Dame | High-resolution headshot
• Sept. 26: Rex Culpepper, Syracuse | High-resolution headshot
• Oct. 3: Caleb Farley, Virginia Tech | High-resolution headshot
• Oct. 10: Antwan Dixon, Kent State | High-resolution headshot
• Oct. 17: Marquez Stevenson, Houston | High-resolution headshot
• Oct. 24: Janarius Robinson, Florida State | High-resolution headshot
Related link:
• Capital One Orange Bowl Courage Award
Houston’s Robinson is Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week
Senior linebacker posts 21 tackles in win over Navy
DALLAS — Houston inside linebacker Austin Robinson posted career highs with 21 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and two sacks as the Cougars handed Navy its worst home loss since 2011, 49-36. For posting the second-highest tackle total in American Athletic Conference history, Robinson has earned the Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week honor for games of the weekend of Oct. 20, as selected by the Football Writers Association of America.
Robinson’s 21 tackles tied for the eighth-best single-game effort in school history, and is the team’s most since 2012. It was his third double-digit tackle game this season, and Robinson now leads the conference with 75 tackles on the season. His 8.5 tackles for loss and four sacks each are sixth in the conference for a Houston defense that is tied for 19th nationally with 56.0 TFL’s.
The 6-3, 240-pound senior from Pearland, Texas, drew specific praise from Houston head coach Major Applewhite after the win.
“He’s been through a lot. He was a quarterback who moved to safety and then to linebacker, from one school (UTSA) to the next,” Applewhite said. “He’s just another tough Houston kid that has worked his tail off and we’re starting to see it paying off for him. The way our players prepare, if you could see them throughout the week you’d be so happy for them to see them get what they work for. It’s awesome.”
Each Tuesday during the regular season, the FWAA has selected a Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week since 2001. Robinson will be added to the Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List. The FWAA and the Charlotte Touchdown Club will announce five finalists for the 2018 Bronko Nagurski Trophy on Wed., Nov. 14. The winner will be chosen from those five finalists who are part of the 2018 FWAA All-America Team.
The FWAA All-America Committee, after voting input from the association’s entire membership, selects a 26-man All-America Team and eventually the Bronko Nagurski Trophy finalists. The committee members then select the winner as the best defensive player in college football.
The annual Bronko Nagurski Trophy Banquet, presented by ACN, will be held on Mon., Dec. 3 at the Charlotte Convention Center. In addition to the 2018 Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner’s announcement, the banquet will also celebrate the recipient of the Bronko Nagurski Legends Award, sponsored by the Rolle Oral & Facial Surgery.
The FWAA has chosen a National Defensive Player of the Year since 1993. In 1995, the FWAA named the award in honor of the legendary two-way player from the University of Minnesota. Nagurski dominated college football then became a star for professional football’s Chicago Bears in the 1930s. Bronislaw “Bronko” Nagurski is a charter member of both the College Football and Pro Football Halls of Fame.
The Bronko Nagurski Trophy is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA) which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. Visit ncfaa.org to learn more about our story.
About the Football Writers Association of America:
Founded in 1941, the FWAA consists of 1,400 men and women who cover college football. The membership includes journalists, broadcasters and publicists, as well as key executives in all the areas that involve the game. The FWAA works to govern areas that include game-day operations, major awards and its annual All-America team. For more information about the FWAA and its award programs, contact Steve Richardson at tiger@fwaa.com.
ABOUT THE CHARLOTTE TOUCHDOWN CLUB AND ITS SPONSORS
The Charlotte Touchdown Club is a non-profit organization founded in 1991 for the purpose of promoting high school, collegiate, and professional football in the Charlotte, N.C., region. The club’s activities and services focus community attention on the outstanding citizenship, scholarship, sportsmanship, and leadership of area athletes and coaches. Since 1991, the club has raised more than $2,000,000 to benefit area high school and collegiate athletics. For more information, contact John Rocco (704-347-2918 or jrocco@touchdownclub.com). The official website of the Charlotte Touchdown Club is touchdownclub.com.
ACN, Inc.
Founded in 1993, ACN is the world’s largest direct seller of telecommunications, energy and essential services for residential and business customers. ACN provides the services people need and use every day including phone service, high-speed internet, wireless, television, security and automation, computer support, payment processing and natural gas and electricity. ACN operates in 25 countries with offices located throughout North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia and the Pacific. For more information, visit myacn.com. For information on ACN’s home-based business opportunity, visit acninc.com.
About Rolle Oral & Facial Surgery
Dr. Richard R. Rolle Jr. is a leading oral & maxillofacial surgeon, with strong ties to athletics and delivering excellence http://www.rolleoralfacialsurgery.com. Rolle Oral & Facial Surgery offers expertise in: dental implants, wisdom tooth extraction, youth-capturing, cosmetic injectables, oral surgery and cleft lip reconstruction in his Lake Norman, North Carolina practice. Dr. Rolle holds a B.A. from the University of Notre Dame where he played varsity football under legendary Coach Lou Holtz. He completed his oral surgery internship at Harvard’s Massachusetts General Hospital and holds a Doctor of Dental Surgery from Meharry Medical College. Rolle Oral & Facial Surgery is the official surgeon for the Charlotte Hornets, Charlotte Checkers and Charlotte 49ers.
2018 Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Players of the Week
• Weekend of Sept. 1: Tyler Horton, Boise State
• Weekend of Sept. 8: Nate Landman, Colorado
• Weekend of Sept. 15: Alvin Davis Jr., Akron
• Weekend of Sept. 22: Ben Burr-Kirven, Washington
• Weekend of Sept. 29: Jerry Tillery, Notre Dame
• Weekend of Oct. 6: Montez Sweat, Mississippi State
• Weekend of Oct. 13: Keisean Lucier-South, UCLA
• Weekend of Oct. 20: Austin Robinson, Houston
Related link:
• Bronko Nagurski Trophy (All-Time Winners, Finalists and Players of the Week)
In the Trenches: Outland Trophy Matchups Week 8
The conference races are heating up as we take a look at matchups this weekend that will have impact on the ACC and SEC races. N.C. State and Clemson is a battle of unbeatens in Death Valley, while Tennessee, coming off its upset of Auburn, plays host to top-ranked Alabama.
http://www.sportswriters.net/fwaa/awards/outland/inthetrenches181020.pdf
While you’re at it, we ask that you follow all of the FWAA’s endeavors online:
@TheFWAA
@OutlandTrophy
We have partnered with the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases and their #FightFlu campaign this season, so we ask that you join spokesman Joe Thomas, a 2006 FWAA All-American and the Outland Trophy winner, in supporting the cause.
Steve Richardson
Executive Director
Houston’s Stevenson nominated for Orange Bowl-FWAA Courage Award
DALLAS — Houston’s Marquez Stevenson is this week’s nominee for the 2018 Capital One Orange Bowl-FWAA Courage Award. Stevenson, a redshirt sophomore, has overcome three injuries from his first two college seasons to become the Cougars’ leading receiver.
Marquez Stevenson
“It’s been a painful journey,” Stevenson told the Houston Chronicle. “I knew at the end of the road there was some light. I’m blessed and grateful. I know how fast this game can be taken away from you.”
Stevenson broke his collarbone during fall camp as a freshman. He got banged up when he returned, limiting his rookie campaign to two games. Then he tore the ACL in his left knee in the following spring, costing him the entire 2017 season.
The 6-foot, 190-pound Stevenson has caught team-bests of 32 passes for 472 yards. His six receiving touchdowns are tied for the team lead, too, and he has added 122 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown, in addition to returning four kicks for 77 yards.
Stevenson, a Shreveport, La., native, caught three passes for 40 yards in Saturday’s 42-20 win at East Carolina to lift Houston to 5-1 overall, and 2-0 in American Athletic Conference play.
The Courage Award was first presented by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) in 2002. A select group of writers from the FWAA vote on the winner each year. The requirements for nomination include displaying courage on or off the field, including overcoming an injury or physical handicap, preventing a disaster or living through hardship. The winner of the award will be included in festivities during Capital One Orange Bowl week and receive his trophy at an on-field presentation.
Previous winners of the Capital One Orange Bowl-FWAA Courage Award are Wisconsin safety D’Cota Dixon (2017) Pittsburgh running back James Conner (2016), Miami offensive lineman Hunter Knighton (2015), Duke offensive lineman Laken Tomlinson (2014), San Jose State defensive lineman Anthony Larceval (2013), Clemson wide receiver Daniel Rodriguez (2012), Michigan State offensive lineman Arthur Ray Jr. (2011), Rutgers defensive tackle Eric LeGrand (2010), the University of Connecticut football team (2009), Tulsa’s Wilson Holloway (2008), Navy’s Zerbin Singleton (2007), Clemson’s Ray Ray McElrathbey (2006), the Tulane football team (2005), Memphis’ Haracio Colen (2004), San Jose State’s Neil Parry (2003) and Toledo’s William Bratton (2002).
About the Orange Bowl
The Orange Bowl is a 360-member, primarily-volunteer non-profit sports organization that promotes and serves the South Florida community. With its primary mission since being created in 1935 to bring tourism to South Florida through an annual football game and events, it has also maintained a legacy of charitable contributions and community outreach. Orange Bowl community outreach efforts are comprised of four pillars: youth sports, fundraising and community events, academic programs and scholarships, and legacy gifts. The Orange Bowl features a year-round schedule of events culminating with the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl on December 29, 2018. For more information on the 2018-19 Orange Bowl events, including promotional and volunteer opportunities through the Ambassador Program presented by Panera Bread, log on to orangebowl.org. Follow Orange Bowl: @OrangeBowl, Facebook and Instagram.
Founded in 1941, the Football Writers Association of America consists of 1,400 men and women who cover college football. The membership includes journalists, broadcasters and publicists, as well as key executives in all the areas that involve the game. The FWAA works to govern areas that include game-day operations, major awards and its annual All-America team. For more information about the FWAA and its award programs, contact Steve Richardson at tiger@fwaa.com.
2018 Orange Bowl Courage Award Nominees
• Sept. 12: John Schlarman, Kentucky | High-resolution headshot
• Sept. 19: Nic Weishar, Notre Dame | High-resolution headshot
• Sept. 26: Rex Culpepper, Syracuse | High-resolution headshot
• Oct. 3: Caleb Farley, Virginia Tech | High-resolution headshot
• Oct. 10: Antwan Dixon, Kent State | High-resolution headshot
• Oct. 17: Marquez Stevenson, Houston | High-resolution headshot
Related link:
• Capital One Orange Bowl Courage Award
UCLA’s Lucier-South is Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week
Junior linebacker leads Bruins to season’s first win
DALLAS – UCLA linebacker Keisean Lucier-South helped the Bruins to their first win of the season by playing a role in three of UCLA’s four fourth-quarter takeaways in its 37-7 win at Cal. For grabbing his first career interception, a fumble recovery he returned for a touchdown and a making a sack that forced another fumble, Lucier-South has earned the Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week honor for games of the weekend of Oct. 13, as selected by the Football Writers Association of America.
UCLA led 20-7 entering the fourth quarter when Lucier-South, a redshirt junior from Santa Ana, Calif., snagged his first career interception to end Cal’s first possession of the quarter. On Cal’s next possession, a sack by fellow linebacker Odua Isibor caused a fumble, which Lucier-South picked up and returned 38 yards for a touchdown, the first score of his career. Lucier-South had a sack on Cal’s next possession that caused a fumble which UCLA also recovered before expanding its lead.
Lucier-South finished the game with six tackles and a career-high 3.5 tackles for loss in helping UCLA snap its 12-game losing streak in true road games and 11 straight in conference road games. Lucier-South now has 8.5 tackles for loss on the season, which leads the Bruins and is tied for 31st nationally at 1.42 per game. He has 29 total tackles this season, fourth on the team, and has three sacks for a team-leading 23 yards in losses.
Each Tuesday during the regular season, the FWAA has selected a Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week since 2001. Lucier-South will be added to the Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List. The FWAA and the Charlotte Touchdown Club will announce five finalists for the 2018 Bronko Nagurski Trophy on Wed., Nov. 14. The winner will be chosen from those five finalists who are part of the 2018 FWAA All-America Team.
The FWAA All-America Committee, after voting input from the association’s entire membership, selects a 26-man All-America Team and eventually the Bronko Nagurski Trophy finalists. The committee members then select the winner as the best defensive player in college football.
The annual Bronko Nagurski Trophy Banquet, presented by ACN, will be held on Mon., Dec. 3 at the Charlotte Convention Center. In addition to the 2018 Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner’s announcement, the banquet will also celebrate the recipient of the Bronko Nagurski Legends Award, sponsored by the Rolle Oral & Facial Surgery.
The FWAA has chosen a National Defensive Player of the Year since 1993. In 1995, the FWAA named the award in honor of the legendary two-way player from the University of Minnesota. Nagurski dominated college football then became a star for professional football’s Chicago Bears in the 1930s. Bronislaw “Bronko” Nagurski is a charter member of both the College Football and Pro Football Halls of Fame.
The Bronko Nagurski Trophy is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA) which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. Visit ncfaa.org to learn more about our story.
About the Football Writers Association of America:
Founded in 1941, the FWAA consists of 1,400 men and women who cover college football. The membership includes journalists, broadcasters and publicists, as well as key executives in all the areas that involve the game. The FWAA works to govern areas that include game-day operations, major awards and its annual All-America team. For more information about the FWAA and its award programs, contact Steve Richardson at tiger@fwaa.com.
ABOUT THE CHARLOTTE TOUCHDOWN CLUB AND ITS SPONSORS
The Charlotte Touchdown Club is a non-profit organization founded in 1991 for the purpose of promoting high school, collegiate, and professional football in the Charlotte, N.C., region. The club’s activities and services focus community attention on the outstanding citizenship, scholarship, sportsmanship, and leadership of area athletes and coaches. Since 1991, the club has raised more than $2,000,000 to benefit area high school and collegiate athletics. For more information, contact John Rocco (704-347-2918 or jrocco@touchdownclub.com). The official website of the Charlotte Touchdown Club is touchdownclub.com.
ACN, Inc.
Founded in 1993, ACN is the world’s largest direct seller of telecommunications, energy and essential services for residential and business customers. ACN provides the services people need and use every day including phone service, high-speed internet, wireless, television, security and automation, computer support, payment processing and natural gas and electricity. ACN operates in 25 countries with offices located throughout North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia and the Pacific. For more information, visit myacn.com. For information on ACN’s home-based business opportunity, visit acninc.com.
About Rolle Oral & Facial Surgery
Dr. Richard R. Rolle Jr. is a leading oral & maxillofacial surgeon, with strong ties to athletics and delivering excellence www.rolleoralfacialsurgery.com. Rolle Oral & Facial Surgery offers expertise in: dental implants, wisdom tooth extraction, youth-capturing, cosmetic injectables, oral surgery and cleft lip reconstruction in his Lake Norman, North Carolina practice. Dr. Rolle holds a B.A. from the University of Notre Dame where he played varsity football under legendary Coach Lou Holtz. He completed his oral surgery internship at Harvard’s Massachusetts General Hospital and holds a Doctor of Dental Surgery from Meharry Medical College. Rolle Oral & Facial Surgery is the official surgeon for the Charlotte Hornets, Charlotte Checkers and Charlotte 49ers.
2018 Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Players of the Week
• Weekend of Sept. 1: Tyler Horton, Boise State
• Weekend of Sept. 8: Nate Landman, Colorado
• Weekend of Sept. 15: Alvin Davis Jr., Akron
• Weekend of Sept. 22: Ben Burr-Kirven, Washington
• Weekend of Sept. 29: Jerry Tillery, Notre Dame
• Weekend of Oct. 6: Montez Sweat, Mississippi State
• Weekend of Oct. 13: Keisean Lucier-South, UCLA
Related link:
• Bronko Nagurski Trophy (All-Time Winners, Finalists and Players of the Week)
In the Trenches: Outland Trophy Matchups Week 7
Key conference matchups in the Big Ten and Pac-12 provide us a look at plenty of the nation’s best interior linemen as In The Trenches previews Wisconsin at Michigan and Washington at Oregon in our weekly spotlight of Outland Trophy candidates. The Badgers and Wolverines will knock helmets in prime time on ABC, while the Ducks and Huskies get going in the afternoon, also televised on ABC.
http://www.sportswriters.net/fwaa/awards/outland/inthetrenches181013.pdf
While you’re at it, we ask that you follow all of the FWAA’s endeavors online:
@TheFWAA
@OutlandTrophy
We have partnered with the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases and their #FightFlu campaign this season, so we ask that you join spokesman Joe Thomas, a 2006 FWAA All-American and the Outland Trophy winner, in supporting the cause.
Steve Richardson
Executive Director
Kent State’s Dixon nominated for Orange Bowl-FWAA Courage Award
DALLAS — Kent State’s Antwan Dixon is this week’s nominee for the 2018 Capital One Orange Bowl-FWAA Courage Award. Dixon, a junior, missed the past two seasons because of aplastic anemia, a blood disorder that required a life-saving bone marrow transplant. He had led the team with 355 receiving yards as a freshman in 2015.
Antwan Dixon
“I wish I could have stayed healthy and played the next year, too,” Dixon told The Athletic. “It would have been a really good year coming off a good freshman year. But everything happens for a reason.”
Dixon caught six passes for 36 yards in the Golden Flashes’ loss Saturday to Ohio. He has 25 catches this season for 234 yards and one touchdown.
Dixon has spent the past five years battling the disease, undergoing blood transfusions and taking medication to get things under control. He missed his junior year of high school and the last game of his freshman year at Kent State, having to return home to Fort Myers, Fla. Dixon underwent a bone marrow transplant in 2017. He returned to Kent State in January but was not cleared to play until the summer.
The Courage Award was first presented by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) in 2002. A select group of writers from the FWAA vote on the winner each year. The requirements for nomination include displaying courage on or off the field, including overcoming an injury or physical handicap, preventing a disaster or living through hardship. The winner of the award will be included in festivities during Capital One Orange Bowl week and receive his trophy at an on-field presentation.
Previous winners of the Capital One Orange Bowl-FWAA Courage Award are Wisconsin safety D’Cota Dixon (2017) Pittsburgh running back James Conner (2016), Miami offensive lineman Hunter Knighton (2015), Duke offensive lineman Laken Tomlinson (2014), San Jose State defensive lineman Anthony Larceval (2013), Clemson wide receiver Daniel Rodriguez (2012), Michigan State offensive lineman Arthur Ray Jr. (2011), Rutgers defensive tackle Eric LeGrand (2010), the University of Connecticut football team (2009), Tulsa’s Wilson Holloway (2008), Navy’s Zerbin Singleton (2007), Clemson’s Ray Ray McElrathbey (2006), the Tulane football team (2005), Memphis’ Haracio Colen (2004), San Jose State’s Neil Parry (2003) and Toledo’s William Bratton (2002).
About the Orange Bowl
The Orange Bowl is a 360-member, primarily-volunteer non-profit sports organization that promotes and serves the South Florida community. With its primary mission since being created in 1935 to bring tourism to South Florida through an annual football game and events, it has also maintained a legacy of charitable contributions and community outreach. Orange Bowl community outreach efforts are comprised of four pillars: youth sports, fundraising and community events, academic programs and scholarships, and legacy gifts. The Orange Bowl features a year-round schedule of events culminating with the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl on December 29, 2018. For more information on the 2018-19 Orange Bowl events, including promotional and volunteer opportunities through the Ambassador Program presented by Panera Bread, log on to orangebowl.org. Follow Orange Bowl: @OrangeBowl, Facebook and Instagram.
Founded in 1941, the Football Writers Association of America consists of 1,400 men and women who cover college football. The membership includes journalists, broadcasters and publicists, as well as key executives in all the areas that involve the game. The FWAA works to govern areas that include game-day operations, major awards and its annual All-America team. For more information about the FWAA and its award programs, contact Steve Richardson at tiger@fwaa.com.
2018 Orange Bowl Courage Award Nominees
• Sept. 12: John Schlarman, Kentucky
• Sept. 19: Nic Weishar, Notre Dame
• Sept. 26: Rex Culpepper, Syracuse
• Oct. 3: Caleb Farley, Virginia Tech
• Oct. 10: Antwan Dixon, Kent State
Mississippi State’s Sweat is Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week
Senior end leads Bulldogs to upset of Auburn
DALLAS – Defensive end Montez Sweat dominated his side of the line for Mississippi State against No. 8 Auburn, racking up a career-high three sacks and forcing a fumble in the Bulldogs’ 23-9 win. Sweat is the first MSU player since 2005 to post three or more sacks in a game and has earned the Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week honor for games of the weekend of Oct. 6, as selected by the Football Writers Association on America.
The 6-6, 245-pound senior from Stone Mountain, Ga., was nearly unstoppable against Auburn. Sweat’s three sacks came with 27 yards in losses for Auburn, and he is only the third MSU player in the last 20 years to have three sacks in a game, and the first to do it in a conference game since 1998. Each of Sweat’s sacks came in the second half as MSU’s defense continued to contain Auburn’s offense, which only had the ball for 18:07 in the game. He also had two quarterback hurries.
Sweat is second nationally and the SEC leader in sacks with 7.5, and his 10.0 tackles for loss are tied for 12th-nationally and second in the SEC. His 18 sacks in 19 career games are already the seventh-highest total in school history. Sweat has at least two tackles for loss in four of six games this season, and he has earned SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week honors five times in his career.
Each Tuesday during the regular season, the FWAA has selected a Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week since 2001. Sweat is a member of the Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List. The FWAA and the Charlotte Touchdown Club will announce five finalists for the 2018 Bronko Nagurski Trophy on Wed., Nov. 14. The winner will be chosen from those five finalists who are part of the 2018 FWAA All-America Team.
The FWAA All-America Committee, after voting input from the association’s entire membership, selects a 26-man All-America Team and eventually the Bronko Nagurski Trophy finalists. The committee members then select the winner as the best defensive player in college football.
The annual Bronko Nagurski Trophy Banquet, presented by ACN, will be held on Mon., Dec. 3 at the Charlotte Convention Center. In addition to the 2018 Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner’s announcement, the banquet will also celebrate the recipient of the Bronko Nagurski Legends Award, sponsored by the Rolle Oral & Facial Surgery.
The FWAA has chosen a National Defensive Player of the Year since 1993. In 1995, the FWAA named the award in honor of the legendary two-way player from the University of Minnesota. Nagurski dominated college football then became a star for professional football’s Chicago Bears in the 1930s. Bronislaw “Bronko” Nagurski is a charter member of both the College Football and Pro Football Halls of Fame.
The Bronko Nagurski Trophy is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA) which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. Visit ncfaa.org to learn more about our story.
About the Football Writers Association of America:
Founded in 1941, the FWAA consists of 1,400 men and women who cover college football. The membership includes journalists, broadcasters and publicists, as well as key executives in all the areas that involve the game. The FWAA works to govern areas that include game-day operations, major awards and its annual All-America team. For more information about the FWAA and its award programs, contact Steve Richardson at tiger@fwaa.com.
ABOUT THE CHARLOTTE TOUCHDOWN CLUB AND ITS SPONSORS
The Charlotte Touchdown Club is a non-profit organization founded in 1991 for the purpose of promoting high school, collegiate, and professional football in the Charlotte, N.C., region. The club’s activities and services focus community attention on the outstanding citizenship, scholarship, sportsmanship, and leadership of area athletes and coaches. Since 1991, the club has raised more than $2,000,000 to benefit area high school and collegiate athletics. For more information, contact John Rocco (704-347-2918 or jrocco@touchdownclub.com). The official website of the Charlotte Touchdown Club is touchdownclub.com.
ACN, Inc.
Founded in 1993, ACN is the world’s largest direct seller of telecommunications, energy and essential services for residential and business customers. ACN provides the services people need and use every day including phone service, high-speed internet, wireless, television, security and automation, computer support, payment processing and natural gas and electricity. ACN operates in 25 countries with offices located throughout North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia and the Pacific. For more information, visit myacn.com. For information on ACN’s home-based business opportunity, visit acninc.com.
About Rolle Oral & Facial Surgery
Dr. Richard R. Rolle Jr. is a leading oral & maxillofacial surgeon, with strong ties to athletics and delivering excellence www.rolleoralfacialsurgery.com. Rolle Oral & Facial Surgery offers expertise in: dental implants, wisdom tooth extraction, youth-capturing, cosmetic injectables, oral surgery and cleft lip reconstruction in his Lake Norman, North Carolina practice. Dr. Rolle holds a B.A. from the University of Notre Dame where he played varsity football under legendary Coach Lou Holtz. He completed his oral surgery internship at Harvard’s Massachusetts General Hospital and holds a Doctor of Dental Surgery from Meharry Medical College. Rolle Oral & Facial Surgery is the official surgeon for the Charlotte Hornets, Charlotte Checkers and Charlotte 49ers.
2018 Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Players of the Week
• Weekend of Sept. 1: Tyler Horton, Boise State
• Weekend of Sept. 8: Nate Landman, Colorado
• Weekend of Sept. 15: Alvin Davis Jr., Akron
• Weekend of Sept. 22: Ben Burr-Kirven, Washington
• Weekend of Sept. 29: Jerry Tillery, Notre Dame
• Weekend of Oct. 6: Montez Sweat, Mississippi State
Related link:
• Bronko Nagurski Trophy (All-Time Winners, Finalists and Players of the Week)
Interview with College Football Playoff CEO Bill Hancock
Bill Hancock
At the halfway point of the 2018 college season, fans, teams, coaches, players and media all wonder the same thing: will my team be good enough to reach the College Football Playoff championship round. Four teams will vie for the game’s biggest prize: the CFP National Championship. Bill Hancock, the first and only CFP leader, recently spoke with FBA Communications about his current job, places he’s been before, and what he likes to do in his limited ‘spare time’.
CLICK HERE to read the interview.
The Fifth Down 
