Three C-USA Defensive Standouts Named To Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List

John Eubanks

The Football Writers Association of America has named three Conference USA athletes to the Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List for the 2005 season. Southern Miss defensive back John Eubanks, UTEP linebacker Thomas Howard and UAB defensive end Larry McSwain are among fifty Division I defensive standouts who have been nominated for consideration in the preseason.

The Nagurski Trophy, awarded to the best defensive player in college football, has been a part of the FWAA’s awards since 1993. It is sponsored by the Charlotte Touchdown Club with the winner to be selected from the association’s 11-man All-America defensive team in late November.

Eubanks has garnered All-America attention throughout his career as a return specialist, but as a junior in 2004, he showed those same elite skills in the defensive backfield for the Golden Eagles. Eubanks earned first team All-Conference USA honors as a defensive back and was named as an honorable mention All-America selection by collegefootballnews.com and SI.com.

The Mound Bayou, Miss., native finished second on the team with three interceptions in 2004, and led the Golden Eagle defense with nine pass breakups, finishing with 47 total tackles (31 solo, 16 assists), while also recovering a fumble. With Eubanks selection to the Watch List, this marks the fourth-consecutive preseason that a Southern Miss player has been nominated for the award.

McSwain made an immediate impact on the UAB defense in 2004 after transferring from Division I-AA Jackson State prior to the season. The Saraland, Ala., native earned first-team All-C-USA honors after leading the league in sacks with 11.5 and ranking third in tackles for loss with 16.5. The rising junior was fourth on the Blazers with 56 tackles, including 30 solo stops from his defensive end position.

Howard earned second team All-WAC honors in 2004 after totaling 62 tackles, 14 tackles for losses, eight sacks and two interceptions. The Lubbock, Texas native has posted 211 tackles, 27 tackles for losses, 10 sacks and three interceptions in 36 games for the Miners. He was named the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year in the state of Texas by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football Magazine, a first for a Miner on either side of the ball.

2005 BRONKO NAGURSKI TROPHY PRESEASON WATCH LIST
Muhammad Abdullah, DB, Kentucky
Rufus Alexander, LB, Oklahoma
Jason Allen, DB, Tennessee
Jon Alston, LB, Stanford
Dan Bazuin, DE, Central Michigan
Darnell Bing, DB, USC
Larry Birdine, DE, Oklahoma
H. B. Blades, LB, Pittsburgh
Trent Bray, LB, Oregon State
Ahmad Brooks, LB, Virginia
Jeremy Chase, DE, Navy
Bernard Davis, LB, Troy
Will Derting, LB, Washington State
Ray Edwards, DE, Purdue
John Eubanks, DB, Southern Miss
Steve Fifita, DL, Utah
Gabriel Fulbright, DB, New Mexico
Charles Gordon, DB, Kansas
Chad Greenway, LB, Iowa
Korey Hall, LB, Boise State
Roman Harper, DB, Alabama
Spencer Havner, LB, UCLA
A. J. Hawk, LB, Ohio State
Abdul Hodge, LB, Iowa
Thomas Howard, LB, UTEP
Michael Huff, DB, Texas
D’Qwell Jackson, LB, Maryland
Cameron Jensen, LB, BYU
Mathias Kiwanuka, DE, Boston College
LaRon Landry, DB, LSU
Jesse Mahelona, DT, Tennessee
Derrick Martin, DB, Wyoming
Larry McSwain, DE, UAB
Quentin Moses, DE, Georgia
Terna Nande, LB, Miami (Ohio)
Haloti Ngata, DT, Oregon
Paul Posluszny, LB, Penn State
Josh Powell, DB, San Jose State
DeMeco Ryans, LB, Alabama
Ko Simpson, DB, South Carolina
Ernie Sims, LB, Florida State
Darryl Tapp, DE, Virginia Tech
Dhyan Tarver, DB, Army
Gabe Watson, DT, Michigan
Jimmy Williams, DB, Virginia Tech
Travis Williams, LB, Auburn
Kyle Williams, DT, LSU
Mario Williams, DE, N.C. State
Rodrique Wright, DT, Texas
Alan Zemaitis, DB, Penn State