Texas DE Orakpo wins Nagurski Trophy

Dec 8, 2008 - 3:20 AM CHARLOTTE, North Carolina (Ticker) -- Texas defensive end Brian Orakpo on Sunday won the Bronco Nagurski Trophy, which is awarded annually to the best defensive player in college football.

Orakpo is the second Longhorn to win the award, joining current Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Derrick Johnson (2004).

During a four-game, mid-season stretch against ranked Big 12 teams - Oklahoma, Missouri, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech - Orakpo was simply sensational. The senior registered 16 tackles - seven for a loss, three sacks, nine pressures, a forced fumble and helped force an interception.

"He has such an unbelievable combination of strength and speed that he's really unblockable," Texas coach Mack Brown said. "As an offense, you have to account for him on every play or he'll just take over the game.

"Even when teams have tried to double-team him or get him out of his game, he's such a smart, determined and gifted player that he's found a way to still have a big impact."

During the Longhorns' lone loss of the season, a 39-33 defeat to Texas Tech, Orakpo missed most of the second half with a knee injury.

"It really hurt us when he went down for the second half of the game against Texas Tech," Brown said. "I have never been around a player who works any harder than (Orakpo).

"He never takes a play off in a practice or a game, is always in the weight room working to get bigger, stronger and faster, studies his film and prepares as well as anyone."

The four other finalists were TCU defensive end Jerry Hughes, Southern California linebacker Rey Maualuga, Wake Forest cornerback Alphonso Smith and Florida linebacker Brandon Spikes.