UNIVERSITY PARK – Penn State senior linebacker Paul Posluszny from Aliquippa, has been named to the 2006 Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List.
The Nagurski Trophy, given to the best defensive player in college football, has been awarded by the Football Writers Association of America since 1993 and is sponsored by the Charlotte Touchdown Club. The winner will be selected from the FWAA\’s 11-man All-America defensive team in late November and presented the trophy on December 4, 2006 in Charlotte.
Penn State defensive end Tamba Hali, a 2005 All-American, was a finalist last season for the trophy presented to Louisville defensive end Elvis Dumervil.
Posluszny, who won the 2005 Bednarik Award as the nation\’s top defensive player and was also named the 2005 Butkus Award winner as the nation\’s top linebacker, is on the Nagurski watch list for the second season. The 2005 All-American posted a team best 116 tackles last season, becoming just the fourth Nittany Lion to post 100 or more tackles in consecutive seasons, and is on pace to set a new career tackles record at Penn State. Also an ESPN the Magazine Academic All-American in 2005, Posluszny brings 256 tackles and 25.5 tackles for loss into his senior campaign. He will serve as a team co-captain for the second season.
Coming off an 11-1 season and Big Ten and Orange Bowl titles in 2005, Penn State opens its 120th season of football Sept. 2, as the Nittany Lions take on Akron in Beaver Stadium.