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Annual meeting, awards time

The Football Writers Association of The FWAA's annual meeting will be December 2002 America has selected winners of the Jan. 2-4 at the Phoenix Airport Marriott and Outland trophies Hotel in conjunction with the Bowl Cham- and named its 25-man All-America team. pionship Series 1-2 game at the Tostitos Vol. 40, No. 6 . A schedule of events is on The FWAA also is preparing for its Page 8 of this Fifth Down. annual meeting Jan. 2-4 in Phoenix and Inside this issue: selection of the Eddie Robinson Coach The FWAA Board Meeting will be at of the Year award winner. 6:15 p.m. on Jan. 2 at a room to be des- ignated at the hotel. An invitation only The Nagurski Trophy was claimed by President’s column 2 Past Presidents Dinner will be held the Arizona State defensive end Terrell evening of Jan. 2. On Jan. 3, the FWAA's Suggs, who picked up the award on Dec. award breakfast/meeting will be at the 9 at the Charlotte Club Ban- Eddie Robinson Coach Airport Marriott Hotel from 9:30 to 11:30 3 quet. of the Year finalists a.m. Big East commissioner Mike The went to Wash- Tranghese, chairman of the BCS, will be ington State defensive , available for a question-and-answer ses- All-America Offense 4 who was named the winner on Dec. 12 sion at the breakfast. in Orlando. Long also will be honored at The FWAA, in conjunction with ESPN the Omaha Sports Committee Banquet The Magazine, will present the inaugural All-America Defense 5 on Jan. 9 in Omaha. courage award to Toledo The FWAA All-America team, which William Bratton, who overcame a seri- has been selected since 1944, was Outland Trophy win- ous blood disorder to play for the Rock- 6 named in early December and appears ets. He will be accompanied by Toledo ner: Rien Long on Pages 4-5 of the Fifth Down. The coach Tom Amstutz. team is highlighted by three players each The FWAA also will honor a deserv- from Big Ten co-champions Iowa and Nagurski Trophy win- ing son or daughter of an FWAA mem- 7 Ohio State. For the first time, the entire ner: ber with the Volney Meece Scholarship, team will be honored at a banquet so named after the long-time executive hosted by Citrus Sports on Jan. director. Winners of best writing contest 24 in Orlando. will be recognized and received certifi- The four finalists for the Eddie Robin- cates and cash prizes. son Coach of the Year Award (Page 3) The presentation of the FWAA's are: of Notre Dame, Grantland Rice Super 16 Trophy is of Iowa, of Ohio scheduled for 9 a.m. on Jan. 4 at the Air- State and of (Fla.). port Marriott Hotel. The FWAA has suc- FWAA members will be able to vote at cessfully conducted a poll during the fwaa.com for their choice for coach of 2002 football season and its 16 voters Tostitos Fiesta 8 the year Award between Dec. 19 and will determine the trophy winner in ballot- Bowl schedule of Jan. 4. ing after the Fiesta . media events Page 2 THE FIFTH DOWN

President Kelly Whiteside USA Today

First Vice President President’s column Wally Hall Just when you to overexert himself. When he does, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette think life has fi- his body aches because his blood Second Vice President nally cut you a can't get enough oxygen to his cells. Dick Weiss break, comes “The only thing they can try to do New York Daily News this – a fractured is ease the pain, and nothing helps,” Executive Director ankle. he once said. “I'm usually out for a Steve Richardson Dallas Morning News On Oct. 26, week until the pain goes away. The pain is unbearable. When I have to, I 2002 Directors just when Toledo tailback William just try to get a morphine shot, but Shelly Anderson Bratton was on that just helps for 10 to 15 minutes. Post-Gazette his way to a su- All I can do is sit in discomfort. You David Teel don't get much sleep, an hour or two Daily Press, Newport News KELLY perb senior sea- (Va.) son, leading his maybe.” Kurt Caywood WHITESIDE team with 639 Besides his daily struggles with Topeka Capital-Journal yards and 10 the disease, Bratton had waited six Stewart Mandel CNN/SI , he broke his ankle years for the opportunity to start for Eric Crawford against Miami of Ohio and missed the Rockets this season. Louisville Courier-Journal the rest of the season. He arrived from Lima, Ohio, in Wright Thompson Still, for a career of courage and 1997 and sat out the year as a partial City Star Brian Landman perseverance, Bratton received the qualifier. After redshirting in 1998, St. Petersburg Times inaugural Football Writers Associa- he played sparingly the following Ted Miller tion of America Courage Award. year. In 2000, he missed much of Post-Intelligencer Bratton was selected from a list of August practice because of his battle Rob Biertempfel Tribune Review (Pa.) seven finalists by a committee of with sickle thalassemia. Darryl Richards FWAA members. Then last year, he played in just foxsports.com Here's hoping he’ll be healthy one game after he injured his back in Andy Bagnato enough to play in the Motor City Bowl the season opener. Finally, this year, Tribune Ken Davis on Dec. 26, when the Rockets face he entered the season as the No. 1 Hartford Courant . tailback after the NCAA granted him Chris Fowler Diagnosed with a blood disorder a hardship waiver, allowing him to ESPN called sickle cell thalassemia at age return for his sixth season. Herb Gould Chicago Sun-Times 8, Bratton has endured a life of Through it all, Bratton has perse- Brian Higgins chronic and, at times, debilitating vered without complaint. We are hon- Oakland Tribune pain with the knowledge that the av- ored that he is our first Courage Natalie Meisler erage life expectancy of African- Award recipient. Denver Post Dan O'Kane Americans afflicted with this disease Thanks to the FWAA committee Tulsa World is the mid-40s. and most of all to ESPN The Maga- Tim Peeler All football players know what it's zine's Gene Wojciechowski, who Greensboro News & Record like to play with pain; Bratton doesn't spearheaded the award's inception. Greg Pogue Daily News Journal (Tenn.) know what it's like to play without it. Each year the winner will be an- Mike Griffith At times, Bratton has been hospital- nounced in the magazine in Decem- Knoxville News-Sentinel ized for days. Earlier this season he ber. Bratton will receive the award on Ex-Officio missed a week's worth of practice Jan. 3 at the FWAA’s annual meeting because of a minor flare-up, but he and awards breakfast in conjunction Jim Daves still played that Saturday against with the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl. Maxey Parrish Central Florida. See you there. CoSIDA Bratton has had to be careful not

THE FIFTH DOWN Page 3

Finalists for Coach of the Year Miami’s Larry Coker, Iowa's Kirk Ferentz, Ohio Ohio State narrowly won at Purdue and Illinois and had State's Jim Tressel and Notre Dame's Tyrone Willing- a close game against Michigan in the finale. Ohio State ham were named finalists for the 2002 FWAA/Eddie has not won a national title since the 1968 season. Robinson Coach of the Year Award on Dec. 19. Tressel could be the man to do it again and place his The winner will be announced on Jan. 9 in Scotts- name on the FWAA mantel along with , dale, Ariz., on Fox Sports Net. The honoree will be who won this award in 1957, 1968 and 1975. Tressel named at a banquet hosted by the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl graduated from Baldwin-Wallace College in 1975, the and America West Airlines. None of the finalists previ- last year Hayes won this award. ously have won the Eddie Robinson/FWAA Award. Willingham led Notre Dame to a 10-2 regular- For the first time, FWAA members will be voting on- season record in 2002. And the Fighting Irish had visions line for the winner at fwaa.com. of a playing for the national Voting will start in late December championship until late-season and run through the Bowl Cham- losses to Boston College and pionships Series 1-2 game in Southern California. Tempe, Ariz., between Miami and Even so, Willingham's 10 vic- Ohio State That showdown game tories in his first season in South between Division I-A's only two Bend are the most for any rookie unbeaten teams will pit two of the Irish coach. He is the first Irish FWAA-Eddie Robinson Coach of coach since in the Year finalists – Coker and 1964 to start with eight straight Tressel – against each other. victories. Coker has never lost a game The Fighting Irish, showing as a . His Hurricanes greater discipline than in recent went 12-0 in his 2001 rookie sea- years, played a tight defense, son. The season was capped by waited for turnovers and mini- a lop-sided victory over Nebraska Tyrone Jim mized mistakes on offense early in the Rose Bowl. in the season to build momen- He was the first rookie head Willingham Tressel tum. They defeated four ranked coach in 53 years to coach his teams in a row – Maryland, team to the national title and only Michigan, Air Force and Florida the second ever to do so. His Mi- State. ami team is 12-0 this season. “He's a disciplinarian whose The Hurricanes have had to players love him,” Notre Dame rally for several victories this sea- athletics director Kevin White son but have always managed to said of Willingham. overcome some slow starts and Ferentz, in his fourth season have played flawlessly down the as Iowa’s head coach, has slowly stretch in several big games. built up the Hawkeyes’ program. “He is the most even- Iowa played in the tempered person I have ever last season and beat Texas Tech met,” said Miami athletic director to finish with a 7-5 record. That Paul Dee. “He has very little fluc- served as a springboard to the tuation between high and low, if current season, which resulted in any. He is a very focused individ- Kirk Larry Big Ten co-championship and a ual – he knows what the task is.” Ferentz Coker berth in the against Tressel, who was 7-5 last Southern California. season with the Buckeyes, also is in his second season The Hawkeyes went 9-0 in the at Ohio State. He interviewed for the Miami (Fla.) job and enter the Orange Bowl with a nine-game winning about 10 years ago when he was coach at Youngstown streak. Ohio State and Iowa did not play each other this State and on the way to winning four Division I-AA season. The Hawkeyes’ only loss of the regular season championships. came to Iowa State, 36-31. This season, the Buckeyes’ solid defense and a con- “Nobody deserves this more than coach,” said Iowa servative offense were the keys to an unbeaten record. offensive lineman Ben Sobieski. Page 4 THE FIFTH DOWN FWAA ALL-AMERICAN OFFENSE

Position Player School Comment USC Played well vs. toughest schedule

Running back Larry Johnson Penn State Over 2,000 yards rushing

Running back Willis McGahee Miami (Fla.) Best clutch back in I-A

Wide receiver Reggie Williams Washington Huge games down stretch

Palmer Charles Rogers Michigan St. Caught TD pass in every game USC Iowa Led TEs with 645 yards in catches

Offensive lineman Utah Pros drooling for chance

Offensive lineman Arkansas A sophomore with strength

Offensive lineman Miami (Fla.) Heart and soul of 'Canes line

Offensive lineman Bruce Nelson Iowa Top line reason for Iowa's turn- around Offensive lineman Texas Horns ran behind this draft gem

Place kicker Iowa Made 90.9% of field goals Johnson Penn State Kick returner Kentucky Returned 6 kicks/punts for TDs

McGahee Williams Rogers Clark Gross Andrews Miami Washington Michigan St. Iowa Utah Arkansas

Romberg Nelson Dockery Kaeding Abney Miami Iowa Texas Iowa Kentucky THE FIFTH DOWN Page 5 FWAA ALL-AMERICAN DEFENSE

Position Player School Comment Defensive lineman Terrell Suggs Arizona St. All-time sacks leader

Defensive lineman Rien Long Washington St. Stepped up big against USC

Defensive lineman Georgia Only a sophomore

Defensive lineman Michael Haynes Penn St. Strong against run or pass

Linebacker E. J. Henderson Maryland ACC tackles leader Henderson Maryland Ohio St. Returned from ankle surgery

Linebacker Oklahoma Great pursuit speed

Defensive back Kansas St. Doubles as

Defensive back Notre Dame 3 INTs vs. Maryland

Defensive back USC 1 of 2 repeaters on defense

Defensive back Ohio St. Teams pass to other side Polamalu Punter Ohio St. Placement of punts exquisite USC

Suggs Long Pollack Wilhelm Lehman Arizona St. Washington St. Georgia Ohio St. Oklahoma

Newman Walton Doss Haynes Groom Kansas St. Notre Dame Ohio St. Penn St. Ohio State Page 6 THE FIFTH DOWN

Outland Trophy: Rien Long, Washington St.

Washington State Rien Long was Rien Long is named the winner of the Outland Trophy during the the second ESPN Awards Show on Dec. 12. A panel of writers from the Football Writers Associa- defensive tion of America selected the winner after naming three tackle to finalists in early December. The other finalists were Mi- win the Out- ami center Brett Romberg and Utah offensive tackle Jor- land Trophy dan Gross. in the last “The games are a piece of cake compared to this,” Long said after accepting the award. “My heart was rac- three years. ing. Coach Walker (Mike, the line coach) has taught me He is the a plethora of moves and the skills I need to know to do first Wash- my job." ington State Long, who is the second defensive tackle to win the award during the last three years and first player from player to Washington State to win the Outland, also will be hon- win the Out- ored at a banquet hosted by the Omaha Sports Commit- land. tee and First Data Corp. on Jan. 9. “I think we have had to get six jerseys for him this season, because other teams have torn off so many with their double and triple teams he is so strong,” said Washington State coach . “For a tall guy, he gets good leverage. Usually on the defensive line you have shorter guys for leverage. It's very unusual for a defensive tackle to have as many sacks (13). And we Washington State's all-time list. are not a blitzing team.” Long “challenged” Walker, his line coach, to have an The FWAA has presented the Outland Trophy since ear pierced if he registered 10 sacks. After Walker 1946 to the best interior linemen in college football. pierced one of his ears, Long issued another challenge. Long, a 6-6½, 286-pound junior from Anacortes, If he registered 13 sacks, Walker would get a tattoo. Wash., ranked third nationally in sacks and fourth in Long is still waiting for Walker to go to the tattoo parlor. tackles for loss during the 2002 season. His 19.5 tack- “Maybe he can get a tattoo of this guy,” Long les for 103 yards in losses this season ranks second on quipped, looking at the Outland Trophy.

PAST OUTLAND WINNERS

Year Player, school Year Player, school Year Player, school 1946 George Connor, Notre Dame 1965 , Texas 1984 , 1947 , Army 1966 , Arkansas 1985 , Boston College 1948 Bill Fischer, Notre Dame 1967 , USC 1986 , BYU 1949 , Michigan State 1968 , Georgia 1987 , Air Force 1950 , Kentucky 1969 Mike Reid, Penn State 1988 , Auburn 1951 , Oklahoma 1970 , Ohio State 1989 , BYU 1952 , Maryland 1971 , Nebraska 1990 , Miami (Fla.) 1953 J.D. Roberts, Oklahoma 1972 , Nebraska 1991 , Washington 1954 Bill Brooks, Arkansas 1973 John Hicks, Ohio State 1992 , Nebraska 1955 Calvin Jones, Iowa 1974 Randy White, Maryland 1993 , Arizona 1956 Jim Parker, Ohio State 1975 , Oklahoma 1994 , Nebraska 1957 , Iowa 1976 , Notre Dame 1995 , UCLA 1958 , Auburn 1977 , Texas 1996 , Ohio State 1959 Mike McGee, Duke 1978 Greg Roberts, Oklahoma 1997 Aaron Taylor, Nebraska 1960 , Minnesota 1979 , N.C. State 1998 , UCLA 1961 , Utah State 1980 , Pittsburgh 1999Chris Samuels, Alabama 1962 , Minnesota 1981 , Nebraska 2000 John Henderson, Tennessee 1963 , Texas 1982 Dave Rimington, Nebraska 2001 Bryant McKinnie, Miami 1964 Steve Delong, Tennessee 1983 , Nebraska THE FIFTH DOWN Page 7

Nagurski Trophy: Terrell Suggs, Arizona St.

Arizona State's Terrell Suggs won the Bronko Nagur- ski Trophy, which is awarded to college football's best defensive player by the Football Writers Association of America and the Charlotte Touchdown Club. Suggs, a junior end, was named the winner of the FWAA's 10th annual defensive award at a banquet on Dec. 9 at the Adams Mark Hotel in Charlotte, N.C. The other finalists for the award were Maryland line- backer E.J. Henderson, Kansas State defensive back Terence Newman, Notre Dame defensive back Shane Walton and Georgia end David Pollack. “Oh, man,” Suggs said after receiving the award. “I really didn't have a special program (speech). I didn't ex- pect to win. E. J. Henderson had been an All-American last year. And there was the fastest man in college foot- ball here (Newman). This was just kind of unexpected. I have won some team awards, but nothing this big, noth- ing national.” Suggs, 6-3, 252 pounds, had 22 sacks this season, breaking the NCAA record of 17.5. He also led the na- tion in tackles for losses with 29.5. “Suggs is the most dominant player I have seen on film this year,” said Oregon coach . Suggs had only one tackle for loss against the Ducks, but he made the most important defensive play of the game. Suggs hit quarterback Jason Fife on Oregon’s fi- nal offensive play. The hit caused Fife to throw an inter- Terrell Suggs set an NCAA record with 22 ception that secured the Arizona State victory. sacks this season. He also led the nation “Terrell Suggs was unstoppable,” said Washington with 29.5 tackles for losses. coach . Suggs had 4.5 sacks against the Huskies. That was the most by a Sun Devil since , a former Nagurski finalist, had 4.5 sacks A native of Chandler, Ariz., Suggs has a career total against California in 1996. of 63.5 tackles for 317 yards in losses, or more than the length of three football fields. Suggs' 29.5 tackles for loss during the 2002 season surpassed the Pacific-10 Conference record of 28, which was held by Stanford's Ron George (1990). During the 2002 season, Suggs also had one inter- ception and return for 22 yards and forced six . PAST NAGURSKI WINNERS Suggs is the first Pac-10 Player to win the FWAA De- fensive Player of the Year award since Arizona's Rob Year Player School Waldrop won the inaugural award in 1993. 1993 Rob Waldrop Arizona “I am at a West Coast school,” Suggs said. “I didn't 1994 Miami (Fla.) think the people on the East Coast knew who I was.” 1995 Northwestern Suggs has had an illustrious career at Arizona State. He started as a true freshman in 2000 and was one of 1996 Pat Fitzgerald Northwestern the best pass rush specialists in the country. 1997 Michigan Last season, as a sophomore, he was the leader of 1998 Georgia the Sun Devil defense and was first-team All-Pac-10. He 1999 Virginia Tech started all 11 games, had 42 tackles (24 unassisted) and added 18 tackles for loss totaling 79 yards. 2000 Miami 2001 Oklahoma Page 8 THE FIFTH DOWN Tostitos Fiesta Bowl Schedule of Media Events

Thursday, Dec. 26 and entire team in jerseys at . 4 p.m. — Ohio State arrival press conference, coach Jim Noon — Media lunch, Sun Devil Stadium press box. Tressel (Sky Harbor International Airport) 1:30-3:30 p.m. — Miami practice (Scottsdale CC) 2-4 p.m. — Ohio State practice (Pinnacle High) Friday, Dec. 27 11 a.m. — Miami arrival press conference, coach Larry Wednesday, January 1 Coker (Sky Harbor International Airport) 9-10 a.m. — Ohio State press conference with players Mike Noon-2 p.m. — Ohio State practice (Pinnacle High School) Doss, Andy Groom, , , Mike Nu- 3-5 p.m. — Miami practice (Scottsdale Community College), gent, Matt Wilhelm (Phoenix Airport Marriott) 10-11 a.m. — Miami press conference with players Vernon Saturday, December 28 Carey, , Willis McGahee, Brett Romberg, Jonathan 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. — Ohio State practice (Pinnacle High), Vilma and Matt Walter (Phoenix Airport Marriott) 1:30-3:30 p.m. — Miami practice (Scottsdale CC) 1:30-3:30 p.m. — Miami practice (Scottsdale CC). 5:30-7 p.m. — Ohio State practice (Pinnacle High)

Sunday, December 29 8:30-9:30 a.m. — Miami press conference with offensive co- Thursday, January 2 ordinator and players , Ken Dor- 8:30-9 a.m. — Miami press conference with coach Larry sey, Sherko Haji-Rasouli, , Willis McGahee and Coker (Phoenix Airport Marriott) Brett Romberg (Phoenix Airport Marriott) 9-9:30 a.m. — Ohio State press conference with coach Jim 9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. — Ohio State press conference with Tressel (Phoenix Airport Marriott) , players Mike Doss, Chris 1:30-2:30 p.m. — Miami walk-through (Sun Devil Stadium), Gamble, and Matt Wilhelm (Phoenix Airport closed to media Marriott) 4:30-5:30 — Ohio State walk-through (Sun Devil Stadium), Noon-2 p.m. — Ohio State practice (Pinnacle High). closed to media. 3:15-5:15 p.m. — Miami practice (Scottsdale CC) 6:15 p.m. — FWAA board meeting (Phoenix Airport Marriott)

Monday, December 30 Friday, January 3 9-9:45 a.m. — Ohio State press conference with offensive 9:30-11:30 a.m. — FWAA Awards Breakfast/Meeting coordinator , players Maurice Clarrett, Michael (Phoenix Airport Marriott) Jenkins, Craig Krenzel, (Phoenix Airport Mar- 6 p.m. — Tostitos Fiesta Bowl Football Classic riott) 9:45-10:30 a.m. — Miami press conference with defensive Saturday, January 4 coordinator and players Jerome McDougle, 9 a.m. — Presentation of to coach of Maurice Sikes, and (Phoenix Air- championship team (Phoenix Marriott Airport) port Marriott) Noon-2 p.m. — Ohio State practice (Pinnacle High) Note: Ohio State practices are closed to the media with the 2:30-4:30 p.m. — Miami practice (Scottsdale CC) exception of Friday Dec. 27 practice, when the last 30 minutes of which will be open. Coach Jim Tressel and selected players Tuesday, December 31 also will be available for interviews after that practice only. 9:30-10:30 a.m. — Miami media day, coach Larry coke and Miami practices are closed, but Miami coach Larry Coker and entire team in jerseys at Sun Devil Stadium selected players will be available after each practice, with the 11 a.m.-noon — Ohio State media day, coach Jim Tressel exception of the walk-through on Jan. 2, after which there will be no coach or player availability.

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