11/20/09- Jerry Hughes, Sr, TCU, 6-2, 257 2009 BRONKO NAGURSKI AWARD FINALIST: The Football Writers Association of America and Charlotte Touchdown Club have announced TCU defensive end Jerry Hughes as one of five finalists for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, honoring the nation's top defensive player. It's the second straight season Hughes has been a Nagurski Trophy finalist. This year's other finalists are Iowa linebacker Pat Angerer, Tennessee strong safety Eric Berry, Alabama defensive tackle Terrence Cody and Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh. Hughes is also one of four finalists for the Rotary Lombardi Award and one of 10 finalists for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award. He is a semifinalist for the Lott Trophy and Chuck Bednarik Award. Hughes is also one of just three defensive players to be included among 15 "Players to Watch" for the Walter Camp Football Foundation's 2009 Player of the Year award. A senior from Sugar Land, Texas, Hughes was named to all five Midseason All-America teams (SI.com, CBSSports.com, Sporting News, CollegeFootballNews.com and Phil Steele's). With 13 tackles for loss, including 10 1/2 sacks, Hughes has been instrumental in No. 4 TCU's 10-0 season. He totaled eight tackles, including 2 1/2 for loss with 1 1/2 sacks and three quarterback hurries in last week's 55-28 win over Utah. His 49 tackles place third on TCU. Hughes was a consensus All-American last season when he led the nation with 15 sacks. - TCU football
11/20/09- Brian Wagner, rFr, Akron, 6-2, 220 SCOUTING THE DEFENSE: The Akron secondary better be ready for BGSU receiver Freddie Barnes. Akron's defense has put up good numbers stopping the pass, allowing 186.3 yards per game. But keeping Barnes at check is a tall task. The BGSU star leads the country with 117 receptions and ranks second with 1,285 yards receiving. PLAYERS TO WATCH: LB Brian Wagner has two games left in his stellar freshman season. Wagner is putting up monster numbers, leading the team with 106 tackles and six and a half tackles for a loss. Wagner has forced two fumbles and owns two interceptions.
11/20/09- Brad Howard, rSo, Grand Valley State, 6-2, 235 2009 ALL-GLIAC HONORABLE MENTION: Brad Howard (So.,/LB), has been selected All-Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Honorable Mention for the 2009 college football season in balloting conducted by the league’s head coaches. - Grand Valley State football
11/20/09- Justin Victor, rJr, Grand Valley State, 6-1, 225 2009 ALL-GLIAC FIRST TEAM: LB Justin Victor, Grand Valley State, Jr., has been selected All-Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference First Team for the 2009 college football season in balloting conducted by the league’s head coaches. - Grand Valley State football
11/20/09- Navorro Bowman, rJr, Penn State, 6-1, 232 Navorro Bowman seethed on the sideline. Having just re-aggravated a groin injury in the season opener, the linebacker did nothing but hop on top of an equipment trunk behind his teammates. And after trainers had finished looking at him, no one was particularly eager to bother him. This was not how he envisioned starting a season that could lead him to the NFL. And the NFL has been on his mind for awhile now. While he has had great success on the field these last two seasons, his life outside of football has been in turmoil. His father and high school coach both died unexpectedly within the span of six months. He pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct following an on-campus fight in 2007 and was suspended from the team at the end of that season and through the following spring. This spring, he tested positive for marijuana, violating his probation and putting his football future in jeopardy. So by the time Bowman returned from that pulled groin that sidelined him for most of the first three games of the 2009 season, he was eager to prove himself to everyone. And he sounds ready to move on to the next level. “I’ve had my time here,” Bowman said. “It’s been good, it’s been bad, it’s been all right. If it’s my time (to leave), I’ll sit down and just think about the ins-and-outs. I’m just blessed to be in this position to make this choice. But I don’t know – it’s a lot of things that play into this.” - Derek Levarse, Wilkes Barre Times-Leader
11/20/09- Andrew Eggleton, Sr, West Virginia State, 5-11, 215 WVIAC DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: West Virginia natives sweep the top WVIAC football honors for the first time since 1986, as league coaches have named West Liberty's Zach Amedro and West Virginia State's Andrew Eggleton as the conference's 2009 Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year. Eggleton, a senior from St. Albans, WV, leads the WVIAC with 109 tackles. The 6-0, 215-pound linebacker enjoyed six contests in 2009 with 10 or more tackles, including a 22-tackle effort in a loss to West Virginia Wesleyan. He also notched 16 stops versus Glenville State. A two-time first team All-WVIAC pick, Eggleton also tops the conference with three forced fumbles and as many fumble recoveries. He also contributed eight tackles for loss, three pass breakups, and an interception for the Jackets. - WVIAC football
11/20/09- Jashawn Williams, Sr, American International, 6-2, 230 NORTHEAST-10 DEFENSIVE LINEMAN OF THE YEAR: American International’s junior Jashawn Williams (Roosevelt, N.Y.) was selected the 2009 Northeast-10 Defensive Lineman of the Year. Williams finished the year leading the conference with 12 total sacks including 10 solo sacks and four assisted. He also was third in the NE-10 with 14.5 tackles for a loss. An All-Northeast-10 Second Team selection a year ago, Williams was also named to the First Team this year. - Northeast-10 football
11/20/09- Dustin Zitzmann, Sr, Assumption, 5-11, 215 NORTHEAST-10 CO-DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: A pair of senior linebackers earned the 2009 Co-Defensive Players of the Year honors; Assumption’s Dustin Zitzmann (Pinellas Park, Fla.) and Bentley’s Matt Zahoruiko (No. Andover, Mass.). Zitzmann, a four-time All-Northeast-10 selection, finished the year fourth in the conference with 113 tackles as he led Assumption to one of its best seasons in recent years. Zitzmann finished his career with the most tackles in school history with 414. He was named to the All-Northeast-10 First Team for the second straight year. - Northeast-10 football
11/20/09- Ethan Sylvain, Fr, Saint Anselm, 6-1, 204 NORTHEAST-10 CO-FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: A duo of defensive backs earned Freshman of the Year honors this year that include Saint Anselm College’s Ethan Sylvain (East Montpelier, Vt.) and Stonehill College’s Jareed Gaines (Lumberton, N.J.). This is the second straight season that a Saint Anselm player earned Freshman of the Year accolades (Marc Wilson, 2008). In his first year of collegiate action, Sylvain finished the year ranked tenth in the conference with 81 tackles and third best on his team. He also led the Hawks with four interceptions. In addition, Sylvain was named to the All-Northeast-10 Second Team and All-Rookie Team. - Northeast-10 football
11/19/09- Cory Whitfield, Sr, Texas AM-Commerce, 6-2, 195 LONE STAR CONFERENCE NORTH DIVISION LINEBACKER OF THE YEAR: Cory Whitfield, Texas A&M-Commerce, has been selected Linebacker of the Year for the 2009 college football season in voting by the North Division coaches. Whitfield has 111 total tackles, 56 solo, 13.5 tackles for loss with 3 sacks, 1 interception, 3 PBU's and 1 blocked kick. - Texas A&M-Commerce football
11/18/09- Mark Herzlich, rSr, Boston College, 6-4, 238 Boston College linebacker Mark Herzlich was picked for the Disney Spirit Award given each year to college football’s most inspirational figure. Herzlich recently overcame a rare form of bone cancer. Last year’s Atlantic Coast Conference defensive player of the year also helped bring about over $120,000 in donations for cancer-related causes. Herzlich, who sat out this season but expects to play next year, will receive the award Dec. 10 in Orlando, Fla. “The Disney Spirit Award is an award that means more to me than any award based on statistics and on-the-field achievements,” Herzlich said. “I have had to battle a deadly rare disease this past year and, along with beating the disease, I was fortunate to be able to help others along the way.” This summer, Herzlich was diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma, a malignant tumor that most frequently appears in soft tissue or bone. Herzlich’s final treatment came earlier this month. He’s announced that he’s cancer free. Herzlich will have a rod put his leg to support and strengthen the bone with an eye toward a 2010 return. - AP Sports
11/18/09- Colin McCarthy, rJr, Miami, 6-3, 242 Colin McCarthy already has a few highlight-reel moments from his time at Miami. He blocked a punt in 2006, had a fumble recovery for a touchdown that clinched a win at Florida State in 2007, had the bone-jarring block that freed up Thearon Collier for a 60-yard punt return score this season in a victory over Virginia, and is Miami’s leading tackler in 2009. But there’s no rings on his fingers. And that’s part of the reason why he’s coming back in 2010. The linebacker from Clearwater, Fla.—who wears No. 44, a time-honored jersey for Miami linebackers considering Dan Morgan wore it when he was the nation’s best at the position a decade ago—is already giving next year’s team a boost by saying he won’t even consider testing the NFL waters this offseason. Instead, he’s only thinking about how No. 21 Miami (7-3, 4-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) can finish this season up strongly. "If we win these last two games, then play in a good bowl game and go into next season on a high note, there’s still a lot of positive things to get out of this season,” McCarthy said. “We’ve still got a lot of young guys. We’ve got some guys hurt that are coming back. We’re still positive as players and we want to get these wins.” With a healthy McCarthy, who signed with Miami hoping to one day play for a national title, the Hurricanes certainly rate a chance of making that happen. He has six double-digit tackle efforts in his career with the Hurricanes— with three of those coming in the last four games, including a career-best-tying 13 stops in last week’s loss at North Carolina. Finally feeling strong again after two years of fighting off shoulder injuries, McCarthy is starting to live up to his billing. - AP Sports
11/18/09- Buddy Wood, Sr, Central Washington, 6-3, 215 2009 GREAT NORTHWEST ATHLETIC CONFERENCE DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Central Washington linebacker Buddy Wood has 361 career tackles, more than anyone else in GNAC history and is also the conference's all-time leader in career fumble recoveries with 11. This season he is the conference leader in tackles for loss with 15 ½ and ranks fourth overall in tackles with 87. - GNAC football
11/18/09- Steven Means, rFr, Buffalo, 6-3, 234 SCOUTING THE DEFENSE: The Bulls' defense has definitely picked it up over the last three games. In the first four games, opponents averaged 339.2 yards a game and 32.7 points. But in their last three games against Western Michigan, Bowling Green and Ohio, the Bulls have allowed 313.5 yards and just 13.0 points a game. PLAYERS TO WATCH: DE Steven Means had his sixth sack of the season against Ohio. All six have come in the last five games since the redshirt-freshman was inserted in the starting lineup. His six sacks are two more than the team leader from a season ago.
11/18/09- Aaron Bryant, rSr, Bryant, 6-3, 223 2009 EAST COAST ALL-STAR BOWL INVITE: Bryant University football seniors Don Smith (Attleboro, Mass.) and Aaron Bryant (New London, Conn.) have been invited to participate in the ninth annual East Coast Bowl on Saturday, November 28 at historic Cameron Field in Petersburgh, Va. Bryant, a transfer from the University of Connecticut, has been a standout linebacker all season for the Bulldogs. The senior is currently second on the team with 55 tackles this season including 13 tackles in back-to-back games against Albany and Central Connecticut. In addition to his six sacks on the year, Bryant currently leads the team with four blocked kicks this season. This is the second year competing in Division I for the Bulldogs who enter Saturday's game 4-6 overall and 3-4 in the Northeast Conference standings. The East Coast Bowl is a game designed for Division I-FCS (formerly Division I-AA), Division II, III, and NAIA draft eligible seniors who have excelled on the field. Smith and Bryant have enjoyed excellent senior seasons for the Bulldogs in 2009. - Bryant football
11/18/09- Eric Sternberg, Sr, Truman State, 6-1, 232 2009 ALL-MIAA FIRST TEAM: LB: Eric Sternberg, Sr., Truman, has been selected All Mid-America Conference First Team for the 2009 college football season. Sternberg (Lockport, Ill./Lockport) finished the 2009 season as the league’s top pass rusher with 10.5 sacks, 1.5 off the school single-season record. Sternberg finished with 59 total tackles with 14 for loss and had three forced fumbles. He was an honorable mention all-league selection as a junior. - Truman football
11/18/09- Dusty Bratzler, Jr, Missouri Southern, 6-3, 236 2009 ALL-MIAA HONORABLE MENTION: Dusty Bratzler, Jr., LB, has been selected All Mid-America Conference Honorable Mention for the 2009 college football season. Bratzler led Southern with 93 tackles this season and ranked second in the league in tackles per game. - Missouri Southern football
11/18/09- Michael Krajicek, Sr, Washburn, 6-0, 227 2009 ALL-MIAA SECOND TEAM: LB: Michael Krajicek, Sr., Washburn, has been selected All Mid-America Conference Second Team for the 2009 college football season. Krajicek, who was just named the MIAA's special teams player of the week after blocking two punts returning one for a touchdown against Emporia State, was third on the team with 80 total tackles including 50 solo stops and 10.5 tackles for loss with two sacks. - Washburn football
11/17/09- Jason Stripling, rSr, Washington State, 5-11, 225 Washington State linebacker Jason Stripling has been arrested on suspicion of assault and obstructing a public servant. A Pullman Police Department report said Stripling was arrested early Sunday morning on Greek Row. Coach Paul Wulff said Tuesday that Stripling, who has started every game this season, would be suspended for the first quarter of Saturday’s game against No. 20 Oregon State on Saturday. Fourth-degree assault and obstructing a public servant are both misdemeanors. - AP Sports
11/17/09- Rennie Curran, Jr, Georgia, 5-11, 225 Saturday’s game against Kentucky will be the last in Sanford Stadium for 23 seniors on Georgia’s football team. Might it also be the last game between the hedges for junior linebacker Rennie Curran? “It’s bound to run through my head once or twice,” Curran said this afternoon. Curran is eligible to enter the 2010 NFL draft, and while he said he hasn’t made a decision on whether to leave school early, he left no doubt that he plans to seriously consider the possibility. “It’s definitely a tough call,” he said. “I have to sit down with my family. It’s something I have to pray about...I’m just going to try to make the most informed decision and the smart decision.” He added: “Honestly, I’m not leaning any way at all, because I don’t know what’s going to happen.” A significant factor in Curran’s decision, he said, is that he has a 14-month-old daughter, Eleana. “I definitely want to be able to provide for her,” he said. “She’s my heart. That’s definitely something I’ll think about in terms of that decision.” Then, with a big and proud smile, Curran pulled out his cellular phone and showed off a video he took yesterday of his daughter. In the end, Curran’s decision might come down to whether he senses that his draft status – and earnings potential – could benefit significantly from a senior season in college. “That’s another thing that makes the decision even harder, when you think about..what your weaknesses are and whether those weaknesses can be improved by another year,” Curran said. “Things like my height, I know, are not going to change.” - Tim Tucker, Atlanta Journal Constitution
11/17/09- Bobby Stroup, rJr, Nebraska-Omaha, 6-1, 232 2009 ALL-MIAA SECOND TEAM: LB: Bobby Stroup, Jr., Nebraska-Omaha, has been selected All Mid-America Conference Second Team for the 2009 college football season. - Nebraska-Omaha football
11/17/09- Stevenson Sylvester, Sr, Utah, 6-2, 230 11/17/09 NFL DRAFT SCOUT FALLER: Stevenson Sylvester, OLB, Utah: The Utes' beat-down of Alabama in last year's Sugar Bowl figured to give Sylvester a boost in his draft stock this season. But like the rest of his teammates Saturday night against TCU, the senior just wasn't able to halt the Horned Frogs in the 55-28 dismantling. His small 6-2, 230-pound frame was covered up often by TCU offensive linemen, as he managed only one solo tackle. At other times, Sylvester was late to the play or lost his gap discipline to allow large running lanes. He has only managed 2.5 tackles for loss this season, and his inability to beat blocks when blitzing was evident against TCU. - Chad Reuter, The SportsXchange, NFLDraftScout.com
11/16/09- Chad Kilgore, So, Northwest Missouri State, 6-1, 225 2009 ALL-MIAA FIRST TEAM: LB: Chad Kilgore, So., Northwest Missouri, has been selected All Mid-America Conference First Team for the 2009 college football season. Kilgore leads Northwest with 73 tackles. He also has a sack and an interception. - Northwest Missouri football
11/16/09- Sean Paddock, Sr, Northwest Missouri State, 6-2, 255 2009 ALL-MIAA SECOND TEAM: DL: Sean Paddock, Sr., Northwest Missouri, has been selected All Mid-America Conference Second Team for the 2009 college football season. Paddock, a returning All-American and unanimous first-team choice last year, missed five of 11 games due to injury. His 5.5 sacks continue to lead the team. He also became Northwest’s all-time sack leader this year and has 25 during his four-year career. - Northwest Missouri football
11/16/09- Alexander Henderson, Sr, Jacksonville State, 6-1, 216 OVC NOV 16 CO-DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Alexander Henderson, LB, had 12 tackles (including 9 solo stops), a tackle-for-loss and a quarterback hurry in Jacksonville State’s 55-28 victory over Tennessee Tech. It marked the sixth-straight game that Henderson has recorded double-digit tackles. His 10.1 tackles/game ranks first in the OVC and 21st nationally. It is his second OVC Defensive Player of the Week award of the season. Others Nominated: Chris Newell, Austin Peay. - Ohio Valley football
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