Talavou, Weddle Named to Bronco Nagurski Watch List - The Official Athletic Site of the University of Utah

Talavou, Weddle Named to Bronco Nagurski Watch List
Pair of Utes are candidates for National Defensive Player of the Year

Eric Weddle (pictured) and Kelly Talavou are on the Bronco Nagurski Watch List.

June 9, 2006

DALLAS - The Football Writers Association of America has announced the Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List for the 2006 season. Fifty-six standout players from around the country have been nominated for consideration in the preseason.

Kelly Talavou

Two University of Utah defenders are on the list. Senior defensive back Eric Weddle and senior defensive lineman Kelly Talavou are both mentioned, making Utah one of just eight schools with two candidates on the watch list. There are seven Mountain West Conference players on the list. MWC members Utah and TCU have two each.

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, where five finalists will vie for the prize. Louisville defensive end Elvis Dumervil won the 2005 Bronko Nagurski Trophy.

Eric Weddle

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 straight 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 be added to the trophy's watch list throughout the season.

-UU-