May 12, 2008
DALLAS -
University of Maryland senior linebacker Dave Philistin was named to the watch list for the 2008 Bronko Nagurski Trophy in an announcement Monday by the Football Writers Association of America.
The Nagurski Trophy is awarded to the best defensive player in college football and is sponsored by the Charlotte Touchdown Club.
Philistin is one of 88 student-athletes on the watch list (www.sportswriters.net/fwaa), including 10 from the Atlantic Coast Conference. Everette Brown and Myron Rolle of Florida State, Aaron Curry and Alphonso Smith of Wake Forest, Michael Hamlin of Clemson, Victor Harris of Virginia Tech, Vince Oghobaase of Duke, Clint Sintim of Virginia and Brian Toal of Boston College join Philistin on the list, which may be adjusted throughout the season.
Philistin was the fourth-leading tackler in the ACC last season, averaging 9.5 stops per game. That mark also ranked tied for 38th in the country. His 124 tackles were second on the team to Erin Henderson, who was a 2007 Butkus Award semifinalist and member of last year's Nagurski watch list.
In eight league games last season, Philistin averaged an ACC-best 11.8 tackles per contest. The native of Manchester, N.H., tallied a career-best 23 stops in a 28-26 win over Georgia Tech (Oct. 6).
The FWAA All-America Committee selects the Bronko Nagurski winner in November from the association's 11-man All-America defensive team.
The Charlotte Touchdown Club will hold its banquet on Sunday, Dec. 7, at the Westin Hotel in Charlotte. LSU defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey won the 2007 Nagurski Trophy.
The award is bestowed in memory of the legendary former All-America lineman at Minnesota (1927-29) and a star for professional football's Chicago Bears in the 1930s.
Philistin and the Terps open preseason camp on Monday, Aug. 4 and kick off the regular season on Saturday, Aug. 30 when they play host to Delaware in Chevy Chase Bank Field at Byrd Stadium. Game times will be announced at a later date.
Season tickets for this fall's seven-game home slate start as low as $189 and are on sale through the Maryland Athletics Ticket Office. Call 1-800-IM-A-TERP or click here for information.
Terp Notes: Lance Ball has signed a free-agent contract with the St. Louis Rams, according to the former Maryland running back. He took part in the Green Bay Packers' Rookie Orientation Camp two weeks ago, but was not offered a contract with the team. Ball is the eighth former Terp to sign a free-agent contract following last month's NFL Draft. OL Andrew Crummey (San Diego), DL Carlos Feliciano (New England), DB Isaiah Gardner (Jacksonville), TE Joey Haynos (Green Bay), LB Erin Henderson (Minnesota) and RB Keon Lattimore (Dallas) all agreed to deals after the draft. TE Jason Goode was signed by the Washington Redskins last week. Crummey was released by San Diego and also signed with the Redskins last week. Feliciano was released by New England last week, but attended the New York Giants minicamp last weekend.
