Football
Tulane's Trent Mackey Named to Prestigious Bronko Nagurski Watch List
Mackey finished fourth nationally last season with 145 tackles; is one 84 defensive players recognized
 
Trent Mackey is one of the top 84 defenders in the nation named to the 2012 Bronko Nagurski Watch List.
 
Trent Mackey is one of the top 84 defenders in the nation named to the 2012 Bronko Nagurski Watch List.
  
 

July 12, 2012

New Orleans - Tulane senior middle linebacker Trent Mackey has been recognized as one of the top defensive players in the nation for the upcoming 2012 campaign with his selection to the prestigious Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List, which annually features the best and brightest of the upcoming season's defensive players, as it was announced today by the Football Writers Association of America.

A two-year letterwinner and starter who hails from Port Sulphur, La., Mackey is one 84 players, including three from Conference USA and five players from Louisiana schools, and he is one of 30 standout linebackers on the list.

A first team All-Conference USA and All-Louisiana selection and a candidate for the Rotary Lombardi Award a year ago, Mackey was one of the nation's top defenders in 2011, logging 145 (96 solo/49 assists) tackles in 12 games. He finished second among C-USA players and ranked fourth nationally with 12.1 stops per game. Mackey posted double figure tackles in eight of his 12 games, including 18 stops against Syracuse, which was the 18th-best single game effort in college football last season.

He was twice named the C-USA Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts in the season opener against Southeastern Louisiana (12 tackles) and at UAB (nine tackles and interception return for a touchdown).

His tackle total as a junior ranks 10th among the school's single season leaders but was the most by a Tulane player in a single season since 1983.

Mackey's also accounted for 14 tackles for lost yardage, which ranked fifth among conference players, 4.5 sacks, one fumble return and one interception return for a touchdown. Offensively, he lined up in the backfield in the season opener against Southeastern Louisiana and caught a three-yard touchdown pass.

A sociology major, Mackey has career numbers of 279 tackles (162 solo, 117 assists), 21.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and two interceptions. He has played in 35 career games and has started the last 24 consecutive contests.

 

 

The Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner is chosen from five finalists who are part of the FWAA All-America Team. The FWAA All-America Committee, after voting input from the entire membership, selects the 25-man team and eventually the Bronko Nagurski finalists. Committee members, then by individual ballot, select the winner, the best defensive player in America.

The annual Bronko Nagurski Trophy Banquet presented by ACN will be Dec. 3 at the Westin Hotel in Charlotte, N.C.

The Bronko Nagurski Trophy is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA). The NCFAA was founded in 1997 as a coalition of the major collegiate football awards to protect, preserve and enhance the integrity, influence and prestige of the game's predominant awards. The NCFAA encourages professionalism and the highest standards for the administration of its member awards and the selection of their candidates and recipients. For more information, visit the association's official website, ncfaa.org.

2012 BRONKO NAGURSKI TROPHY PRESEASON WATCH LIST (84)
CB Johnny Adams, Michigan State
CB Ricardo Allen, Purdue
CB David Amerson, N.C. State
LB Dion Bailey, USC
CB Johnthan Banks, Mississippi State
LB Chris Borland, Wisconsin
S John Boyett, Oregon
LB Travis Brown, Fresno State
LB Jonathan Brown, Illinois
LB Arthur Brown, Kansas State
CB Brodrick Brown, Oklahoma State
DE Michael Buchanan, Illinois
LB Max Bullough, Michigan State
CB Carrington Byndom, Texas
DE Jadeveon Clowney, South Carolina
LB Jamie Collins, Southern Miss
S Matt Elam, Florida
DT Sharrif Floyd, Florida
CB Kyle Fuller, Virginia Tech
DE William Gholston, Michigan State
LB Khaseem Greene, Rutgers
LB Steve Greer, Virginia
DT Johnathan Hankins, Ohio State
LB Gerald Hodges, Penn State
S Jarred Holley, Pittsburgh
CB Demontre Hurst, Oklahoma
CB Micah Hyde, Iowa
LB Andrew Jackson, Western Kentucky
DE Jackson Jeffcoat, Texas
S Tony Jefferson, Oklahoma
DE Brandon Jenkins, Florida State
DL John Jenkins, Georgia
LB Nico Johnson, Alabama
DE Travis Johnson, San Jose State
LB Jarvis Jones, Georgia
DE Dion Jordan, Oregon
S Lamarcus Joyner, Florida State
LB A.J. Klein, Iowa State
LB Jake Knott, Iowa State
S Jordan Kovacs, Michigan
DE Corey Lemonier, Auburn
S Robert Lester, Alabama
DE Kapron Lewis-Moore, Notre Dame
DT Rob Lohr, Vanderbilt
LB Travis Long, Washington State
DT Star Lotulelei, Utah
LB Khalil Mack, Buffalo
LB Trent Mackey, Tulane
CB Nigel Malone, Kansas State
DE Stansly Maponga, TCU
CB Tyrann Mathieu, LSU
S Dexter McCoil, Tulsa
S T.J. McDonald, USC
CB Leon McFadden, San Diego State
CB Dee Milliner, Alabama
DE Barkevious Mingo, LSU
DE Sam Montgomery, LSU
LB C.J. Mosley, Alabama
DT Roosevelt Nix, Kent State
DE Alex Okafor, Texas
LB Kevin Pierre-Louis, Boston College
LB Sean Porter, Texas A&M
CB Jordan Poyer, Oregon State
LB Kevin Reddick, North Carolina
S Eric Reid, LSU
CB Xavier Rhodes, Florida State
CB Nickell Robey, USC
DT Kawann Short, Purdue
DE John Simon, Ohio State
LB Shayne Skov, Stanford
S Hakeem Smith, Louisville
DE Devin Taylor, South Carolina
LB Bruce Taylor, Virginia Tech
LB Mike Taylor, Wisconsin
LB Manti Te'o, Notre Dame
LB Chase Thomas, Stanford
S Kenny Vaccaro, Texas
LB Kyle Van Noy, BYU
DT Joe Vellano, Maryland
DE Bjoern Werner, Florida State
DL Jesse Williams, Alabama
DE Trevardo Williams, Connecticut
LB Dwayne Woods, Bowling Green
LB Tom Wort, Oklahoma

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