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Dowling Named to the Nagurski Trophy Watch List
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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia senior cornerback Ras-I Dowling has been named to the 2010 Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List, announced Monday by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA). One of the more than 70 players on the list most likely will receive the trophy, which is awarded annually to the nation’s best defensive player by the Football Writers Association of America and the Charlotte Touchdown Club. The trophy has been presented since 1993 and is awarded in memory of the legendary Nagurski, an All-America lineman at Minnesota in 1927-29 and a star for professional football’s Chicago Bears in the 1930s.
Dowling is on the watch list for the second-straight season after earning his second-straight second team All-ACC nod, anchoring the ACC’s No. 4 and the nation’s No. 21 pass defense in 2009. The Chesapeake, Va., native finished the season ranked No. 6 in the ACC in passes defended (11) and No. 11 in interceptions (three). After recording a career-high nine tackles, including his first career sack, against Indiana, Dowling earned the ACC Defensive Back of the Week nod by the league. He also averaged 3.4 tackles per game and had two tackles for loss.
Dowling enters his final season at UVa with eight career interceptions and 145 total tackles. He has 36 career pass defenses.
Players may be added or deleted to the Bronko Nagurski Watch List during the season. Each week during the 2010 season, the FWAA will choose a Defensive Player of the Week. If that player is not on the Watch List, he automatically will be added. The FWAA and the Charlotte Touchdown Club will announce five finalists for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy on Nov. 18.
The annual Bronko Nagurski Trophy Banquet will be on Dec. 6 at the Westin Hotel in Charlotte, N.C. Besides the 2010 winner being announced, the banquet will also celebrate the winner of the Bronko Nagurski Legends Award, presented by CSX Intermodal. Defensive tackle Mike McCoy, a standout for Notre Dame, is being honored from the FWAA’s 1969 All-America team.