Printer-Friendly Format     E-mail this article     Senior safety David Bruton was one of 88 players selected to the watch list of the Nagurski Trophy.

Leaders on Irish defense among 88 players to receive preseason consideration for college football's best defensive player award

May 12, 2008

DALLAS - University of Notre Dame safety David Bruton and linebacker Maurice Crum Jr. have both been named to the watch list for the 2008 Bronko Nagurski Trophy, the Football Writers Association of America announced Monday. They are two of 88 players selected to the watch list of the Nagurski Trophy that is awarded annually to the best defensive player in college football.

Bruton is coming off a breakthrough season in 2007 in which he ranked third on the team with 85 tackles and is the team's leading returning tackler in 2008. Voted a 2008 team captain by his teammates at the conclusion of spring practices, Bruton started 11 of 12 games appeared last season and led the team with three interceptions while adding one sack, 5.5 tackles for loss, three passes broken up, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.

Crum was named to the Nagurski Trophy Watch List for the second straight year and was named a team captain for another season. Crum becomes the 17th two-time captain in the football program's storied history. He is coming off a season that saw him record 84 tackles adding 4.5 tackles for loss, one sack, two interceptions, four passes broken up, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. Crum has 241 career tackles and needs 54 stops to enter Notre Dame's top-10 list for career tackles. He has started all 37 games over the last three seasons and holds the team's longest active streak for consecutive games played and started.

The FWAA All-America Committee selects the Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner from the association's 11-man All-America defensive team in November. The watch list was developed by the FWAA All-America committee with the help of the schools and conferences. The Charlotte Touchdown Club will hold the 2008 banquet on Sunday, Dec. 7, at the Westin Hotel in Charlotte. For the eighth straight season, the FWAA will also pick a Bronko Nagurski Defensive Player of the Week beginning with games on Aug. 30 and running through the middle of November. And a Bronko Nagurski Legends Award winner will also be selected from the FWAA's 1967 All-America team. The Bronko Nagurski Trophy has been presented since 1993 and is awarded in memory of the legendary Nagurski, a former All-America lineman at Minnesota in 1927-29 and a star for professional football's Chicago Bears in the 1930s.