Penn State's Evans on Nagurski Watch List

-Courtesy of Penn State University

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; May 13, 2008 -- Penn State defensive end Maurice Evans (Brooklyn, N.Y.) has been named to the Watch List for the 2008 Bronko Nagurski Trophy, presented to the nation’s top defensive player.

The Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) has presented the Nagurski Trophy annually since 1993 in honor of the former University of Minnesota standout. The Charlotte (N.C.) Touchdown Club hosts the awards dinner, which will take place on Sunday, Dec. 7 in Charlotte.

A rising junior, Evans won a starting assignment at defensive end prior to the 2007 season and recorded a sack in each of the first three games en route to first-team All-Big Ten honors from the media and coaches. He was second in the conference in tackles for losses (No. 6 in nation) with 21.5 for minus-117 yards). He was third in the Big Ten in sacks (No. 8 in nation) with 12.5 for minus-94 yards. His 12.5 sacks ranked No. 4 on the Penn State season list and his 21.5 TFL were No. 5 in school annals. A finalist for the 2007 Ted Hendricks Defensive End Award, the quick and athletic Evans also was second in the Big Ten with five forced fumbles. A U.S. Army All-American at Christ The King High School, he was fifth on the squad with 54 tackles (31 solo) and also had three pass breakups.

Also a candidate for the 2008 Rotary Lombardi and Hendricks awards, Evans is an immensely talented and athletic player that loves to compete. He delivered one of Penn State’s most impressive individual defensive efforts in the Big Ten era in the critical win at Indiana to earn Big Ten Defensive Player-of-the-Week accolades. He made six stops (five solo) and recorded a career-high 3.5 sacks for a loss of 36 yards. Evans made a total of 4.5 TFL (minus-38 yards) and forced two fumbles, one on a sack, which he picked up and returned 55 yards to the Indiana 13 to set up a field goal, losing a shoe as he chugged downfield. His other fumble hit also set up a fourth-quarter field goal and he broke up one pass.

Former Nittany Lion All-America defensive end Tamba Hali was a finalist for the 2005 Nagurski Trophy and former All-Americans LaVar Arrington and Courtney Brown were among the finalists for the 1999 honor.