Bowers Wins Bronko Nagurski Award

Dec. 6, 2010

CLEMSON, SC – Clemson defensive end Da’Quan Bowers has been named the recipient of the Bronko Nagurski Award. The honor is presented each year by the Football Writers Association of America and the Touchdown Club of Charlotte to the top defensive player in the nation.

Bowers is the first Clemson player to win a national award of this magnitude since 1982 when Terry Kinard was named the CBS National Defensive Player of the Year.

The other finalists for the Nagurski Award were Nick Fairley of Auburn, Justin Houston of Georgia, Luke Kuechly of Boston College and Patrick Peterson of LSU.

“This is a great honor for Da’Quan,” said Clemson Head Coach Dabo Swinney, who was the keynote speaker for the banquet. “He has had a terrific year, a dominant year. He has come to play every single game this year and is very deserving of this award.”

Bowers leads the nation in sacks with 15.5 and is second in tackles for loss with 25. His sack total is second in Clemson history for one season, best among defensive linemen and is the most by an ACC player since 1999 when Keith Adams had a Clemson record 16 sacks.

Bowers’s tackle for loss total is the most by a Clemson defensive lineman since 1991 when Rob Bodine had 27. Bowers had a streak of nine straight games with a sack during this season, the longest streak in Clemson history.

Last week, Bowers was named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year. The junior from Bamberg, SC is also finalist for the Bednarik Award, Lombardi Award and Hendricks Award. Those announcements will come later this week.