BYU's Kaufusi Is Nagurski Player of the Week

September 8, 2020 by Courtesy FWAA

NOTE: CollegeFootballPoll.com's Dave Congrove is a nominating member of the Bronko Nagurski Trophy.

DALLAS (FWAA) – BYU linebacker Isaiah Kaufusi registered two sacks and five tackles as the Cougars went into Annapolis and dominated Navy in a 55-3 season-opening win. For his career-high sack total, Kaufusi earned the Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week honor for games in the weekend of Sept. 5, as selected by the Football Writers Association of America.

Kaufusi, a 6-2, 220-pound senior from Cottonwood Heights, Utah, is only the second BYU player to earn the Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week honor and the first since 2015 (Kai Nacua, Week 2). Kaufusi also forced a fumble in helping the Cougars hold Navy to 149 yards of total offense. BYU’s 31-0 halftime lead was the largest in a season opener since 1977 (led Kansas State 32-0); the Cougars only had one halftime shutout (UMass) last season. Navy never reached the red zone, as BYU held it to 2-of-11 on third-down conversions.

Kaufusi will be added to the Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List, where he joins BYU defensive tackle Khyiris Tonga, already a member of the preseason list. No BYU player has ever been a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy.

Each Tuesday during the regular season, the FWAA has selected a Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week since 2001. The FWAA and the Charlotte Touchdown Club will announce five finalists for the 2020 Bronko Nagurski Trophy later this season. The national defensive player of the year will be chosen from those five finalists who are part of the 2020 FWAA All-America Team.

The FWAA has chosen a National Defensive Player of the Year since 1993. In 1995, the FWAA named the award in honor of the legendary two-way player from the University of Minnesota. Nagurski dominated college football then became a star for professional football's Chicago Bears in the 1930s. Bronislaw "Bronko" Nagurski is a charter member of both the College Football and Pro Football Halls of Fame.