Church Named to Nagurski Watch List

University of Toledo junior safety Barry Church has been named to the 2008 Bronko Nagurski Watch List. The Nagurski Award is given to the nation's top defensive player.

University of Toledo junior safety Barry Church has been named to the 2008 Bronko Nagurski Watch List, a collegiate award given out to the nation's top defensive player.

The FWAA All-America Committee selects the Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner from the association's 11-man All-America defensive team in November. The watch list was developed by the FWAA All-America committee with the help of the schools and conferences.

The FWAA will also pick a Bronko Nagurski Defensive Player of the Week beginning with games on August 20th and running through the middle of November.

The Nagurski Trophy is sponsored by the Charlotte Touchdown Club, which will hold the 2008 banquet on Sunday, December 7th at the Westin Hotel in Charlotte, NC.

Barry Church is one of 88 players on the 2008 preseason watch list for the award, which was won by LSU defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey last season.

Church was 3rd on the team with 69.5 total tackles in 2007. He also had five tackles for loss, totaling a team high of 18 yards lost. He tied with Myshan Pettis for the team high in interceptions with three, giving him seven in his two year collegiate career.

Church is the only Rocket on the 2008 Bronko Nagurski Preseason Watch List, and one of just seven MAC players to make the list.

Barry Church and the Toledo Rockets will kick off the 2008 football season on Saturday, September 6th at the Arizona Wildcats of the PAC 10.