TEMPE, Ariz. – Redshirt senior linebacker Salamo Fiso was named to the Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Year Award preseason watch list, the Football Writers Association of America announced on Friday.
Fiso, who was also named to the watch list for the Bednarik Award, returns for his final season as the most experienced starter for the Sun Devil defense. He has started 36 games in his career, leading the Sun Devil seniors, and needs 12 starts to match Evan Finkenberg's career record of 48. With 11 starts this season, he would tie Dexter Davis for most starts by a defensive player at ASU. Fiso has made 32 consecutive starts for the Sun Devils, six more than tight end Kody Kohl for the team lead.
In 2016, he ranked 12th in the country in solo tackles (78) and 8th in tackles for loss (20). With 36.5 tackles for loss in his career, Fiso is just 6.5 shy of cracking ASU's all-time top-10 list in the category while his 178 solo tackles put him in a prime spot to challenge Brett Wallerstedt's long-standing career record of 238 from 1989-92.
Fiso is one of 13 Pac-12 players named to the list, and makes it the second-straight season a Sun Devil has been selected along with Lloyd Carrington and Jordan Simone in 2015.
The FWAA has chosen a National Defensive Player of the Year since 1993, and renamed 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.
Once again, the FWAA will announce a National Defensive Player of the Week from early September through mid November. If not already on the watch list, the honored player will be added at that time. The FWAA and the Charlotte Touchdown Club will announce five finalists for the 2016 Bronko Nagurski Trophy on Thurs., Nov. 17.
The annual Bronko Nagurski Trophy Banquet, presented by ACN, will be held on Mon., Dec. 5 at the Westin Hotel in Charlotte. In addition to the 2016 Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner's announcement, the banquet will also celebrate the recipient of the Bronko Nagurski Legends Award, sponsored by the CTC and Florida East Coast Railway.
2016 Sun Devil Award Watch Lists
Maxwell Award (America's College Player of the Year) – Demario Richard
Chuck Bednarik Award (College Defensive Player of the Year) – Salamo Fiso
John Mackey Award (Most Outstanding Tight End) – Kody Kohl
Ray Guy Award (Nation's Best Collegiate Punter) – Matt Haack
Lou Groza Award (Nation's Top Placekicker) – Zane Gonzalez
Bronko Nagurski Award (Nation's Defensive Player of the Year) – Salamo Fiso
Fiso, who was also named to the watch list for the Bednarik Award, returns for his final season as the most experienced starter for the Sun Devil defense. He has started 36 games in his career, leading the Sun Devil seniors, and needs 12 starts to match Evan Finkenberg's career record of 48. With 11 starts this season, he would tie Dexter Davis for most starts by a defensive player at ASU. Fiso has made 32 consecutive starts for the Sun Devils, six more than tight end Kody Kohl for the team lead.
In 2016, he ranked 12th in the country in solo tackles (78) and 8th in tackles for loss (20). With 36.5 tackles for loss in his career, Fiso is just 6.5 shy of cracking ASU's all-time top-10 list in the category while his 178 solo tackles put him in a prime spot to challenge Brett Wallerstedt's long-standing career record of 238 from 1989-92.
Fiso is one of 13 Pac-12 players named to the list, and makes it the second-straight season a Sun Devil has been selected along with Lloyd Carrington and Jordan Simone in 2015.
The FWAA has chosen a National Defensive Player of the Year since 1993, and renamed 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.
Once again, the FWAA will announce a National Defensive Player of the Week from early September through mid November. If not already on the watch list, the honored player will be added at that time. The FWAA and the Charlotte Touchdown Club will announce five finalists for the 2016 Bronko Nagurski Trophy on Thurs., Nov. 17.
The annual Bronko Nagurski Trophy Banquet, presented by ACN, will be held on Mon., Dec. 5 at the Westin Hotel in Charlotte. In addition to the 2016 Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner's announcement, the banquet will also celebrate the recipient of the Bronko Nagurski Legends Award, sponsored by the CTC and Florida East Coast Railway.
2016 Sun Devil Award Watch Lists
Maxwell Award (America's College Player of the Year) – Demario Richard
Chuck Bednarik Award (College Defensive Player of the Year) – Salamo Fiso
John Mackey Award (Most Outstanding Tight End) – Kody Kohl
Ray Guy Award (Nation's Best Collegiate Punter) – Matt Haack
Lou Groza Award (Nation's Top Placekicker) – Zane Gonzalez
Bronko Nagurski Award (Nation's Defensive Player of the Year) – Salamo Fiso
