May 12, 2008

HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Southern Miss linebacker Gerald McRath was named to the Bronko Nagurski Trophy Preseason watch list, announced Monday by the Football Writers Association of America.

The Nagurski Trophy, sponsored by the Charlotte Touchdown Club, is awarded to the best defensive player in college football.

Two finalists from last year's voting, including the 2006 winner, are among 88 players on that list.

Last season, McRath, the reigning Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year, led the Golden Eagles with 139 tackles, as well as 12 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, three passes broken up and one forced fumble. For his career, he has tallied 249 career stops, including 23 TFLs and 6.5 sacks.

The Powder Springs, Ga., native tallied seven games last year in which he recorded 10 or more tackles including a career-best 21 at home against UCF. The Golden Eagles finished 7-6 for the team's 14th-straight winning season and sixth-straight bowl appearance.

Ohio State linebacker James Laurinaitis, the 2006 Nagurski Trophy winner, and defensive end George Selvie of South Florida, and the two returning finalists from last year. The other finalists were Virginia defensive end Chris Long, Kansas defensive back Aqib Talib, and 2007 winner, LSU defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey.

Southern Cal has the most players on the list with five. Georgia, Ohio State, South Carolina and Oklahoma all have three.

Conference-wise, the SEC had the most players with 20, followed by the Pac-10 with 12. The Big Ten and ACC both had 10. The Big XII had eight, while the Mid-American had seven and Big East six. Rounding out the list is Conference USA with five, Western Athletic Conference with four, Mountain West with two and Sun Belt with one.

The FWAA All-America Committee selects the Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner from the association's 11-man All-America defensive team in November. The list can be updated before and during the season.

The Football Writers Association of America consists of more than 900 men and women across North America who covers college football for a living. The membership includes journalists, broadcasters and publicists, as well as key executives in all areas that involve the game.

The Nagurski Trophy will be presented at the Charlotte Touchdown Club on Sunday, December 7.

The complete Bronko Nagurski Trophy watch list follows:

Geno Atkins, DT, Georgia Antonio Baker, DB, Louisiana Tech Darry Beckwith, MLB, LSU Ted Bentler, DL, Army Eric Berry, DB, Tennessee Dirayl Briggs, DE, Bowling Green Everette Brown, DL, Florida State David Bruton, FS, Notre Dame Joe Burnett, DB, UCF Terrill Byrd, DT, Cincinnati Ian Campbell, DE, Kansas State Reggie Carter, LB, UCLA Jamar Chaney, LB, Mississippi State Patrick Chung, DB, Oregon Barry Church, S, Toledo Antonio Coleman, DE, Auburn Emanuel Cook, SS, South Carolina Maurice Crum, LB, Notre Dame Jermaine Cunningham, DL, Florida Aaron Curry, LB, Wake Forest Brian Cushing, LB, USC Dexter Davis, DE, Arizona State Vontae Davis, DB, Illinois Wil Dunbar, FS, UAB Solomin Elimimian, LB, Hawaii Dannell Ellerbe, LB, Georgia Kevin Ellison, DB, USC Auston English, DE, Oklahoma Larry English, DE, Northern Illinois Maurice Evans, DE, Penn State Zack, Follett, LB, California Marcus Freeman, LB, Ohio State Londen Fryar, DB, Western Michigan John Gill, DT, Northwestern DeMarcus Granger, DT, Oklahoma Courtney Greene, S, Rutgers Michael Hamlin, DB, Clemson Greg Hardy, DE, Ole Miss Nic Harris, DB, Oklahoma Victor Harris, DB, Virginia Tech Daniel Holtzclaw, LB, Eastern Michigan Phillip Hunt, DE, Houston George Hypolite, DT, Colorado Tyson Jackson, DE, LSU Malcom Jenkins, DB, Ohio State Peria Jerry, DT, Ole Miss Rashad Johnson, DB, Alabama Arthur Jones, DT, Syracuse Jan Jorgensen, DL, BYU Frantz Joseph, LB, Florida Atlantic Mitch King, DT, Iowa James Laurinaitis, LB, Ohio State Trevard Lindley, CB, Kentucky Sen'Derrick Marks, DT, Auburn Rey Maualuga, LB, USC Taylor Mays, S, USC Albert McClellan, DE, Marshall Scott McKillop, LB, Pittsburgh Gerald McRath, LB, Southern Miss Mike Mickens, CB, Cincinnati Greg Middleton, DE, Indiana Fili Moala, DT, USC William Moore, S, Missouri DJ Moore, CB, Vanderbilt Joe Mortensen, LB, Kansas Clayton Mullins, LB, Miami (Ohio) Captain Munnerlyn, DB, South Carolina Andre Neblett, DT, Temple Troy Nolan, DB, Arizona State Eric Norwood, DE, South Carolina Vince Oghobaase, DT, Duke Jeff Owens, DT, Georgia Derek Pegues, DT, Mississippi State Dave Philistin, LB, Maryland Nick Reed, DE, Oregon Myron Rolle, DB, Florida State George Selvie, DE, South Florida Matt Shaughnessy, DE, Wisconsin Clint Sintim, LB, Virginia Alphonso Smith, DB, Wake Forest D'Anthony Smith, DT, Louisiana Tech Clinton Snyder, LB, Stanford Brandon Spikes, LB, Florida Terrance Taylor, DT, Michigan Brian Toal, LB, Boston College Sean Weatherspoon, LB, Missouri Kyle Wilson, CB, Boise State DeAndre Wright, DB, New Mexico