ORLANDO (UCFKnights.com) – The Football Writers Association of America released its 2018 Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List Tuesday, with UCF’s Kyle Gibson and Trysten Hill being named among the top defensive players in the nation.
This marks the second straight day that Gibson has been named to a national award watch list, having been named to the Jim Thorpe Award Watch List on Monday. The 2017 First Team All-Conference honoree led UCF with four interceptions as a junior last season.
Hill, meanwhile, has now been named to the three preseason watch lists. The UCF defensive lineman was also honored on the Bednarik Award and Outland Trophy watch lists this summer. Hill was named Second Team All-Conference in The American as a sophomore in 2017.
The Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner will be chosen from those five finalists. The FWAA All-America Committee, after voting input from the association's full membership, selects a 26-man All-America Team and eventually the Nagurski Trophy finalists. Committee members, by individual ballot, select the winner they regard as the best defensive player in college football.
The annual Bronko Nagurski Trophy Banquet, presented by ACN, will be held on Dec. 3 at the Charlotte Convention Center. In addition to the 2018 Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner's announcement, the banquet will also celebrate the recipient of the Bronko Nagurski Legends Award. Ohio State linebacker Tom Cousineau, a member of the FWAA's 1977 All-America team and a College Football Hall of Famer, will be honored. Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh will be the keynote speaker at the banquet.
The FWAA has chosen a National Defensive Player of the Year since 1993. In 1995, the FWAA named the award in honor of the legendary two-way player from the University of Minnesota. Nagurski dominated college football, then became a star for professional football's Chicago Bears in the 1930s. Bronislaw “Bronko” Nagurski is a charter member of both the College Football and Pro Football Halls of Fame.
2018 Watch Lists
July 16 – McKenzie Milton, Maxwell Award
July 16 – Trysten Hill, Bednarik Award
July 17 – McKenzie Milton, O’Brien Award
July 20 – Jordan Johnson, Rimington Trophy
July 23 – Kyle Gibson, Thorpe Award
July 24 – Trysten Hill, Outland Trophy
July 24 – Jordan Johnson, Outland Trophy
July 24 – Kyle Gibson, Nagurski Trophy
July 24 – Trysten Hill, Nagurski Trophy
PURCHASE 2018 TICKETS
Season tickets are going fast for the highly anticipated 2018 campaign. Fans can purchase theirs today and learn about all their options by calling (407) 823-1000 or visiting us online at UCFKnights.com/createthefuture.