Football Writers Association of America Sept. 9, 2008
For Immediate Release
Contact: Steve Richardson
972-713-6198
Junior linebacker registers 15 tackles in upset of South Carolina
VANDERBILT'S BENOIST IS NAGURSKI
NATIONAL DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

DALLAS (FWAA) – Vanderbilt linebacker Patrick Benoist has been named the FWAA/Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week for games of the weekend of Sept. 6.

The Bronko Nagurski TrophyBenoist, a 6-0, 222-pound junior from Southlake, Texas, keyed the Commodores' 24-17 upset of South Carolina last Thursday night. He had 15 tackles, including a six-yard sack, a two-yard tackle-for-loss and a pass deflection. His performance helped limit South Carolina to just one second-half score as Vandy knocked off a ranked opponent at home for the first time since 1992.

Benoist

Benoist will be added to the 2008 Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List. The Bronko Nagurski Trophy will be presented to the best defensive player in college football on Dec. 7 by the FWAA and the Charlotte Touchdown Club at the Westin Hotel in Charlotte, N.C. Five finalists for the Nagurski Trophy will be announced on Nov. 17.

Each week during the 2008 season the FWAA All-America Committee will select a national defensive player of the week from nominations made by the 11 Division I Bowl Subdivision Conferences and major independents.

Last season, LSU tackle Glenn Dorsey won the coveted Bronko Nagurski Trophy during the 13th season the FWAA has named a national defensive player of the year.

The Football Writers Association of America, a non-profit organization founded in 1941, consists of more than 1,000 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).

2008 Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Players of the Week
Aug. 30: Ben Owens, Arkansas State
Sept. 6: Patrick Benoist, Vanderbilt
Sept. 13: DeAndre Levy, Wisconsin
Sept. 20: Ryan Hamilton, Vanderbilt
Sept. 27: Trimane Goddard, North Carolina
Oct. 4: Scott McKillop, Pittsburgh
Oct. 11: Tyrrell Herbert, Toledo
Oct. 18: Jerry Hughes, TCU
Oct. 25: Darryl Gamble, Georgia
Nov. 1: Daniel Charbonnet, Texas Tech
Nov. 8: Rashad Johnson, Alabama