Nagurski Finalist
November 18, 2003 02:26 PM | General
November 18, 2003
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – West Virginia University linebacker Grant Wiley is one of five finalists announced today for the Bronko Nagurski Award given to college football’s top defensive player by the Football Writers Association of America and the Charlotte Touchdown Club.
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| Linebacker grant Wiley is one of five finalists for the Bronko Nagurski Award presented to the nation's most outstanding defensive player. (All-Pro Photography/Dale Sparks) |
“It’s a great honor for him,” said West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez. “For me it’s pleasing not only for what he’s done this year but throughout his career. I know those are based on yearly things but really for what Grant has meant to this program throughout his career has been tremendous.”
“I was kind of surprised because we haven’t seen a whole lot of that around here in a while,” admitted Wiley.
Making his inclusion even more surprising is the fact that Wiley wasn’t even picked as a finalist for the Butkus Award presented to the nation’s most outstanding linebacker.
“I don’t know where it stands with the Butkus or whatever but I guess it’s pretty high up there,” Wiley said with regard to the Nagurski Award.
In addition to Wiley, the four other finalists are UCLA end Dave Ball, LSU tackle Chad Lavalais, Oklahoma tackle Tommie Harris and Oklahoma cornerback Derrick Strait.
Wiley, a 6-foot-1, 235-pound senior linebacker, leads the country in forced fumbles with seven and is second in the nation in tackles with an average of 13.1 per game. He had 11 tackles in West Virginia’s 28-7 victory over Virginia Tech and had 15 tackles, two tackles for losses, a sack and a pass breakup in WVU’s 52-31 win over Pitt.
“Without my teammates all of the individual success wouldn’t have been possible, so I have to thank all of my teammates that I have played with throughout the years,” Wiley said.
Grant is the second WVU player to be a finalist for the Nagurski Award; consensus All-American linebacker Canute Curtis was a finalist for the award in 1996.
“Grant is kind of the rock of our defense,” said Rodriguez. “What I like is his intensity level when we play is unmatched and it’s a good example for our younger players. Grant is a talented guy – he can run, he’s strong and he’s got great instincts – but more than anything he plays the game the way you want your guys to play it. That’s why he is worthy of the award.”
The Bronko Nagurski Award will be presented to the winner on Dec. 8 in Charlotte, N.C.
Wiley says it will be just the third time he’s ever put on a tuxedo, “I wore one at prom my senior year,” he said. “It was a different looking tux – I tried to look different than everyone else."
Wiley’s other time wearing a tux was a couple of weeks ago for Halloween.
“I was Lloyd and (teammate) Adam Lehnortt was Harry from Dumb and Dumber. I had the orange tux and he had the light blue tux,” Wiley joked. “I will be wearing the tux they give me this time, though.”
West Virginia continues preparation for Syracuse this week. The Mountaineers play the Orangemen in the Carrier Dome Saturday at noon. The game will be televised on ESPN2.
Mountaineer fans have one final opportunity to see Wiley and his WVU teammates at home on Saturday, Nov. 29 when WVU takes on Temple for the final home game of the year. United Bank is offering a two-for-the-price of one promotion and fans can pick up coupons at United Bank locations throughout the state.
Coupons are also available on-line at MSNsportsNET.com. Contact the Mountaineer Ticket Office toll-free at 1-800-WVU GAME for more information.
