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(12/03/2007) BY LSUsports.net: BCS National Championship


CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- LSU senior defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey was named the recipient of the Bronko Nagurski Trophy on Monday evening by the Charlotte Touchdown Club. The award, voted on by the Football Writers Association of America, is presented annually to the nation’s best defensive player in college football.

“I am truly humbled to accept this award tonight,” said Dorsey. “To be considered by someone else to be the best defensive player in the country means a lot. There are a lot of great athletes out there that work hard and I am grateful for the opportunity to represent them.”

Dorsey was presented the award on Monday night at the Westin in Charlotte with head coach Les Miles watching from the audience. Dorsey is the first LSU player to win a national award since Rudy Niswanger won both the Draddy Trophy and the Wuerffel Award following the 2005 season.

Dorsey was selected from a group of finalists that included Chris Long of Virginia, George Selvie of South Florida, Aqib Talib of Kansas and last year’s Nagurski winner, James Laurinaitus of Ohio State.

This is the first national award for Dorsey who has also been named a finalist for the Outland, Bednarik, Lombardi and Lott Awards this season.

Dorsey returned for his senior season after turning down what would have been a chance to be a high first round draft pick in last year’s NFL Draft, saying he still had business to take care at LSU, such as winning a Southeastern Conference Championship and a national title.

Dorsey has helped the Tigers accomplish one of those goals as LSU beat Tennessee on Saturday to claim the SEC title. The Tigers will go after the other goal on Jan. 7 when they face top-ranked Ohio State in the BCS National Championship Game in New Orleans.

“Glenn represents all that is good about college football,” said Miles. “He’s a team player with great leadership ability. He has all of the qualities and characteristics of a champion both on the field and off the field. He’s a tremendous ambassador, not only for our football team, but for Louisiana State University. He’s very deserving of this award and I’m so proud and fortunate that Glenn Dorsey is an LSU Tiger.”

Dorsey, a native of Gonzales, La., is the undisputed leader of an LSU defense that ranks third in the country in total defense and is listed among the top two in five different statistical categories in the SEC this year.

He paces an LSU squad that is holding opponents to just 283.8 yards of offense and 19.6 points per game.

Individually, Dorsey has garnered accolades from nearly every entity. Last week he was named a first-team All-American by the American Football Coaches Association and Rivals.com for the second straight season. He is just the ninth player in LSU history to earn first-team All-America honors in back-to-back seasons.

Through 13 games this year, Dorsey ranks as the Tigers’ third-leading tackler with 64 stops to his credit. He is also responsible for six sacks, 11.5 tackles for loss, four quarterback hurries and three passes defended.

Past winners of the Nagurski Award include greats Warren Sapp, Charles Woodson, Champ Bailey and Roy Williams.

The 15-year old awards banquet not only recognizes the best college defensive player, but also helps raise money to recognize the recipients of regional high school and college scholarships through the Charlotte Touchdown Club Scholarship Foundation.

Bronko Nagurski Trophy

Year Winner School
1993 Rob Waldrop Arizona
1994 Warren Sapp Miami (Fla.)
1995 Pat Fitzgerald Northwestern
1996 Pat Fitzgerald Northwestern
1997 Charles Woodson Michigan
1998 Champ Bailey Georgia
1999 Corey Moore Virginia Tech
2000 Dan Morgan Miami (Fla.)
2001 Roy Williams Oklahoma
2002 Terrell Suggs Arizona State
2003 Derrick Strait Oklahoma
2004 Derrick Johnson Texas
2005 Elvis Dumervil Louisville
2006 James Laurinaitis Ohio State
2007 Glenn Dorsey LSU

Lombardi Award winners

Year Player School
1970 Jim Stillwagon Ohio State
1971 Walt Patulski Notre Dame
1972 Rich Glover Nebraska
1973 John Hicks Ohio State
1974 Randy White Maryland
1975 Lee Roy Selmon Oklahoma
1976 Wilson Whitley Houston
1977 Ross Browner Notre Dame
1978 Bruce Clark Penn State
1979 Brad Budde USC
1980 Hugh Green Pittsburgh
1981 Kenneth Sims Texas
1982 Dave Rimington Nebraska
1983 Dean Steinkuhler Nebraska
1984 Tony Degrate Texas
1985 Tony Casillas Oklahoma
1986 Cornelius Bennett Alabama
1987 Chris Spielman Ohio State
1988 Tracy Rocker Auburn
1989 Percy Snow Michigan State
1990 Chris Zorich Notre Dame
1991 Steve Emtman Washington
1992 Marvin Jones Florida State
1993 Aaron Taylor Notre Dame
1994 Warren Sapp Miami
1995 Orlando Pace Ohio State
1996 Orlando Pace Ohio State
1997 Grant Wistrom Nebraska
1998 Dat Nguyen Texas A&M
1999 Corey Moore Virginia Tech
2000 Jamal Reynolds Florida State
2001 Julius Peppers North Carolina
2002 Terrell Suggs Arizona State
2003 Tommie Harris Oklahoma
2004 David Pollack Georgia
2005 A. J. Hawk Ohio State
2006 LaMarr Woodley Michigan

Dorsey Wins 2007 Bronko Nagurski Award - LSUsports.net—The Official Web Site of LSU Tigers Athletics

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