DALLAS (FWAA) – Ohio State linebacker James Laurinaitis has been named the FWAA/Bronko Nagurski Defensive Player of the Week for games the week of Sept. 9.

Laurinaitis, a sophomore, had a career-best 13 tackles (one for loss), forced two fumbles and made an interception in top-ranked Ohio State's 24-7 victory over Texas in Austin.

He recorded 10 unassisted tackles and a pair of game-changing plays. He forced a first-quarter fumble, which was recovered by the Buckeyes, after Texas drove to the Buckeyes' 7-yard line. He also intercepted a pass that set up an Ohio State field goal in the third quarter.

The Bronko Nagurski Trophy will be presented to the best defensive player in college football on Dec. 4 by the FWAA and the Charlotte Touchdown Club at the Westin Hotel in Charlotte, N.C.

Last season Louisville end Elvis Dumervil won the coveted Bronko Nagurski Trophy during the 11th season the FWAA has named a Defensive Player of the Year.

The Football Writers Association of America, a non-profit organization founded in 1941, consists of more than 900 men and women across North America who cover college football for a living. The membership includes journalists, broadcasters and publicists, as well as key executives in all the areas that involve the game. The FWAA works to govern areas that include game day operations, major awards, a national poll and its annual All-America team.

The Charlotte Touchdown Club is a non-profit organization founded in 1990 for the purpose of promoting high school, collegiate, and professional football in the Charlotte, N.C. region. The club's activities and services focus community attention on the outstanding citizenship, scholarship, sportsmanship, and leadership of area athletes and coaches. For more information, contact John Rocco (704-347-2918 or jrocco@touchdownclub.com). The official website of the Charlotte Touchdown Club is www.touchdownclub.com.

For more information on the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, contact FWAA executive director Steve Richardson (972-713-6198 or tiger@fwaa.com).

2006 Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Players of the Week
• Sept. 2: Buster Davis, Florida State
• Sept. 9: James Laurinaitis, Ohio State
• Sept. 16: Prescott Burgess, Michigan
• Sept. 23: Terrail Lambert, Notre Dame
• Sept. 30: Philip Wheeler, Georgia Tech
• Oct. 7: Aaron Ross, Texas
• Oct. 14: Quentin Groves, Auburn
• Oct. 21: Ameer Ismail, Western Michigan
• Oct. 28: Damon Nickson, Middle Tennessee
• Nov. 4: Quinton Culberson, Mississippi State