BC's Kuechly wins Nagurski
It's official: BC linebacker Luke Kuechly is the best defensive player in college football this year -- at least according to the Football Writers Association of America, which voted him the winner of this year's Bronko Nagurski Trophy.
Kuechly received the award on Monday night at a gala banquet sponsored by the Charlotte Touchdown Club at the Westin Hotel. The four other finalists were Alabama safety Mark Barron, LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne, Illinois end Whitney Mercilus and Penn State tackle Devon Still.
Leave it to Clemson coach Dabo Swinney -- one coach who's never short on words -- to so eloquently describe Kuechly.
"He doesn't look like your typical middle linebacker, but you turn the film on and he's unbelievable," Swinney said, according to the FWAA release. "He's in the picture on every play. I met him at the Nagurski awards dinner last year. He looks like a biochemist with those glasses [off the field]. You would never know he tears people's heads off on the football field. He is relentless."
Swinney was at the Nagurski awards dinner last year because former defensive end Da'Quan Bowers won it. That's great representation for the ACC to claim the award two years in a row.
Kuechly led the FBS in total tackles for a second straight season with 191 (102 unassisted), a whopping 15.9 per game. Although Boston College finished 4-8, Kuechly was all over the field making plays. He had three interceptions for 71 yards in returns, including a 45-yarder for a touchdown in the final game of the season, a 24-17 victory at Miami.
He also made 12 tackles for 28 yards in losses this season, broke up three passes and had three quarterback hurries. His career-high 23 tackles against Duke tied for the second-highest single-game total in the FBS, and his 20 tackles against Florida State tied for the eighth highest.
"He is a great player with an indomitable spirit," said Miami coach Al Golden, according to the release. "He has a physical, mental and competitive toughness that is off the charts. His durability, lateral quickness and mobility are off the charts. He is just a really good player. ... He is the type of player that you want to coach or develop. He is a fierce competitor." |
