Michigan State University Athletics
Calhoun Featured On Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List
7/10/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
EAST LANSING, Mich. â€" Michigan State fifth-year senior defensive end Shilique Calhoun has been named to the 2015 Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List, according to an announcement made Friday, July 10 by the Football Writers Association of America. The FWAA has presented a National Defensive Player of the Year Award since 1993 and in the name of Bronko Nagurski since 1995.
The 88-player watch list features 15 players from the Big Ten. Calhoun is one of 20 defensive ends on the watch list, including just two others from the Big Ten: Ohio State's Joey Bosa and Iowa's Drew Ott.
Earlier this week, Calhoun's name appeared on the preseason watch list for the 2015 Bednarik Award, presented by the Maxwell Football Club to college football's defensive player of the year.
A two-time first-team All-Big Ten selection and two-time second-team All-American, the 6-foot-5, 256-pound Calhoun led the 11-2 Spartans in tackles for loss (12.5 for 109 yards) and sacks (8 for 91) in 2014. He earned All-America honors from the FWAA (second team), Walter Camp Football Foundation (second team), Phil Steele (second team), Athlon Sports (fourth team) and SI.com (honorable mention).
With his second-straight selection to the All-Big Ten First Team, Calhoun entered elite company in Michigan State history, joining College Football Hall of Famer Charles "Bubba" Smith (1965-66) and Sam Williams (1957-58) as the only other Spartan defensive ends to earn back-to-back first-team All-Big Ten honors. He also received MSU's Up Front Award as the team's outstanding defensive lineman.
A year after being named the Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year, Calhoun continued to produce big plays for the Spartans in 2014. He helped anchor a Spartan defensive unit that led the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision in rushing defense (88.5 yards per game) and finished second in turnover margin (+1.46 per game). Michigan State also ranked among the NCAA FBS leaders in takeaways (tied for third with 34), total defense (eighth at 315.8 ypg.), sacks (eighth at 3.23 per game) and scoring defense (22nd at 21.5 points per game).
Calhoun ranked second in the Big Ten and sixth in the NCAA FBS in both tackles for loss yardage (109 yards) and sack yardage (91). The tri-captain also ranked among the Big Ten leaders in sacks (tied for fifth with 0.62 per game) and tackles for loss (tied for 11th with 0.96 per game) and led the Spartan defensive linemen with 39 tackles overall. He produced a tackle for loss in 10 of MSU's 13 games. In addition, Calhoun blocked a field goal in the Wyoming game and recovered a fumble and returned it 38 yards against No. 19 Nebraska.
A product of Middletown, New Jersey, Calhoun was named one of 20 semifinalists for the Bednarik Award, which is awarded to the Outstanding Defensive Player of the Year. He was also one of 12 semifinalists for the Lombardi Award (college lineman of the year) and one of 20 quarterfinalists for the Lott IMPACT Trophy.
"There's no question that Shilique Calhoun would have been a high pick if he had elected to enter this year's NFL Draft, but with another season under his belt, he can further enhance his status as a first-round selection and firmly establish himself as a Top 20 draft choice," MSU head coach Mark Dantonio said. "Not only is Shilique an outstanding player, but he's a tremendous team leader. He's become invaluable in his capacity as a captain.
"Shilique is an exciting, explosive playmaker, who plays with great technique. He has an opportunity to become a three-time first-team All-Big Ten player and a consensus first-team All-American. Shilique looks forward to the opportunity to continue to grow as a football player, and we will continue to explore new and innovative ways in our defensive package to help further increase his productivity."
Calhoun recorded two tackles, including 1.5 sacks for 12 yards, and a forced fumble in MSU's 42-41 come-from-behind win over No. 4 Baylor in the 79th Cotton Bowl Classic.
He recorded a tackle for loss in his eighth straight game with a 2-yard loss at Maryland, as the Spartans held the Terrapins to just 6 yards rushing.
Calhoun led the Spartan defense with 19 production points against No. 14 Ohio State, recording five tackles, including 1.5 for losses (9 yards) and a half sack (4 yards). He also led the Spartan defensive linemen with 15 production points in the win over Michigan Oct. 25, including three solo tackles with a 5-yard sack.
Calhoun paced the Spartans with 17 production points at Indiana after collecting four tackles, including 2.5 for losses (20 yards) and one sack (11 yards).
In MSU's Big Ten opener, a 27-22 win over No. 19 Nebraska, Calhoun had four tackles, including a 7-yard sack, and scooped up an Ameer Abdullah fumble at the MSU 7-yard line and returned it 38 yards.
Calhoun ranks among MSU's all-time leaders in tackles for loss yardage (sixth with 186), sack yardage (seventh with 137), sacks (tied for eighth with 16.5), fumble recoveries (tied for 10th with five) and tackles for loss (14th with 29). In 40 career games, including 27 consecutive starts, he has 82 tackles with 29 resulting in losses (35 percent).
The FWAA's National Defensive Player of the Year Award is named after Bronko Nagurski, who dominated college football at Minnesota as a bruising fullback and defensive tackle from 1927-29. He could have been an All-American at any position and was the best player wherever the coaches placed him. In the 1930s, Nagurski became a five-time All-NFL selection with the Chicago Bears.
The FWAA and Charlotte Touchdown Club will announce five finalists for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy on Nov. 19. The formal presentation of the award will be made at the annual Bronko Nagurski Trophy Banquet on Dec. 7 in Charlotte, North Carolina.
In 2013, consensus All-America cornerback Darqueze Dennard became the first Spartan player in school history to be selected as a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy.
