Oklahoma State University Athletics
Sterns, Taylor Named to National Watch Lists
July 08, 2016 | Cowboy Football
STILLWATER – A pair of Cowboy football players added their names to national award watch lists Friday, as safety Jordan Sterns was named to the 2016 Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List and defensive tackle Vincent Taylor was named to the 2016 Outland Trophy Watch List. The Football Writers Association of America made both announcements.
The Nagurski Trophy is given annually to the most outstanding defensive player in college football, while the Outland Trophy is awarded annually to the most outstanding offensive or defensive interior lineman.
Sterns, who was also named to the Chuck Bednarik Award watch list earlier this week, has long been the leader of the Cowboy defense. With 103 tackles in 2014 and 108 in 2015, he is the first Cowboy since Keith Burns in 1992 and 1993 to post consecutive seasons with 100 tackles or more. He has started every game at safety each of the past two years and led the team in tackles both seasons. He has also been an important special teams player and is one of the vocal leaders on the squad. Sterns was directly responsible for four turnovers last year, including a game-clinching interception on Iowa State's last drive of the game to preserve a four-point win for the Cowboys in Ames.
Taylor has become one of the strongest players on the OSU roster. The junior became a key performer on the defense last season, as his 48 tackles and 5.0 sacks were the highest totals for any interior defensive lineman during the Mike Gundy era. He started all 13 games at defensive tackle and tallied 8.5 tackles for loss. Some highlights from last season included a late fumble recovery at Texas Tech to help seal the Cowboys' win, a career-high nine tackles in OSU's overtime win at West Virginia, a PAT block in OSU's 49-29 win over No. 5 TCU and a sack of Ole Miss quarterback Chad Kelly in the Sugar Bowl, played in his original hometown of New Orleans.
Each of the award committees will narrow their lists on Thursday. Nov. 17, when the FWAA and the Charlotte Touchdown Club will announce five finalists for the Nagurski Trophy and the FWWA will determine six or seven semifinalists for the Outland Trophy.
The Nagurski Trophy winner will be chosen from those five finalists who are part of the 2016 FWAA All-America Team, and the annual Bronko Nagurski Trophy Banquet, presented by ACN, will be held on Mon., Dec. 5 at the Westin Hotel in Charlotte.
The Outland Trophy winner is chosen from three finalists, selected five days after the semifinalists, who are a part of the annual FWAA All-America Team. The winner of the Outland Trophy will be announced live on ESPN on The Home Depot College Football Awards on Thurs., Dec. 8. The show will air from the National Football Foundation's College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta. The trophy presentation banquet, sponsored by the Greater Omaha Sports Committee, will be held on Jan. 11, 2017, in Omaha, Neb.
The Nagurski Trophy is given annually to the most outstanding defensive player in college football, while the Outland Trophy is awarded annually to the most outstanding offensive or defensive interior lineman.
Sterns, who was also named to the Chuck Bednarik Award watch list earlier this week, has long been the leader of the Cowboy defense. With 103 tackles in 2014 and 108 in 2015, he is the first Cowboy since Keith Burns in 1992 and 1993 to post consecutive seasons with 100 tackles or more. He has started every game at safety each of the past two years and led the team in tackles both seasons. He has also been an important special teams player and is one of the vocal leaders on the squad. Sterns was directly responsible for four turnovers last year, including a game-clinching interception on Iowa State's last drive of the game to preserve a four-point win for the Cowboys in Ames.
Taylor has become one of the strongest players on the OSU roster. The junior became a key performer on the defense last season, as his 48 tackles and 5.0 sacks were the highest totals for any interior defensive lineman during the Mike Gundy era. He started all 13 games at defensive tackle and tallied 8.5 tackles for loss. Some highlights from last season included a late fumble recovery at Texas Tech to help seal the Cowboys' win, a career-high nine tackles in OSU's overtime win at West Virginia, a PAT block in OSU's 49-29 win over No. 5 TCU and a sack of Ole Miss quarterback Chad Kelly in the Sugar Bowl, played in his original hometown of New Orleans.
Each of the award committees will narrow their lists on Thursday. Nov. 17, when the FWAA and the Charlotte Touchdown Club will announce five finalists for the Nagurski Trophy and the FWWA will determine six or seven semifinalists for the Outland Trophy.
The Nagurski Trophy winner will be chosen from those five finalists who are part of the 2016 FWAA All-America Team, and the annual Bronko Nagurski Trophy Banquet, presented by ACN, will be held on Mon., Dec. 5 at the Westin Hotel in Charlotte.
The Outland Trophy winner is chosen from three finalists, selected five days after the semifinalists, who are a part of the annual FWAA All-America Team. The winner of the Outland Trophy will be announced live on ESPN on The Home Depot College Football Awards on Thurs., Dec. 8. The show will air from the National Football Foundation's College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta. The trophy presentation banquet, sponsored by the Greater Omaha Sports Committee, will be held on Jan. 11, 2017, in Omaha, Neb.
Players Mentioned
S
/ Cowboy Football
DT
/ Cowboy FootballMonday, July 27
Tuesday, July 07
Tuesday, July 07
Friday, June 05
