The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Four Longhorns named to preseason watch lists
07.23.2019 | Football
Texas OL Zach Shackelford and Parker Braun were named to the Outland Trophy watch list, while DBs Brandon Jones and Caden Sterns were announced as candidates for the Nagurski Trophy on Tuesday.
AUSTIN, Texas – Four members of The University of Texas Football program garnered preseason recognition on Tuesday, as offensive linemen Zach Shackelford and Parker Braun were named to the Outland Trophy watch list, while defensive backs Brandon Jones and Caden Sterns were named to the Bronko Nagurski Trophy watch list. The Outland Trophy is annually awarded to the nation's best interior lineman, while the Nagurski is awarded to the best defensive player in college football.
A trio of Longhorns have previously won the Outland Trophy (Scott Appleton, 1963; Tommy Nobis, 1965; Brad Shearer, 1977) and four others have been finalists (Dan Neil, 1996; Leonard Davis, 2000; Justin Blalock, 2006; Malcom Brown, 2014). Derrick Johnson and Brian Orakpo are the only two Longhorns to win the Nagurski Trophy, doing so in 2004 and 2008, respectively. Malcom Brown was also a finalist for the Nagurski Trophy in 2014.
Shackelford, a native of Belton, Texas, was also named to the Rimington Trophy watch list last week. In 2018, he was named first-team All-Big 12 by the Associated Press and second team by the league's coaches. Shackelford started 10 games last year, including a trio of top-20 wins over No. 7 Oklahoma, No. 18 Iowa State and No. 5 Georgia in the Allstate Sugar Bowl. This year, he enters his fourth season on the Forty Acres having played in 40 games, including 27 career starts.
Braun, a graduate transfer offensive lineman, came to Texas after starting the last 32 of his 36 games over three seasons at Georgia Tech. He was a two-time first-team All-ACC selection and freshman All-American for the Yellow Jackets. Braun led an offensive line that ranked in the top 10 nationally in rushing all three years, including leading the nation in 2018 (325.0 ypg). He helped Georgia Tech set back-to-back school records for 400-yard rushing games in a single season with four in 2017 and five in 2018. After transferring to UT, Braun was a first team preseason All-Big 12 selection by Phil Steele.
Sterns, a native of Cibolo, Texas, is entering his second season with the Longhorns after an impressive freshman campaign in 2018. Last year, Sterns was a Thorpe Award semifinalist, a USA Today and FWAA Freshman All-America honoree, the Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year and a first team All-Big 12 selection. He started the first 13 games of the season to become the first Longhorn true freshman defensive back to start the first 13 games of his career since Blake Gideon in 2008.
Sterns racked up 62 total tackles (46 solo) with three tackles for loss, one sack and four pass breakups during his inaugural season on the Forty Acres. He also led the Longhorns with four interceptions in 2018 and blocked a field goal during Texas' 37-14 win over USC in September. One week later, he intercepted two passes against No. 17 TCU to become just the third Longhorn true freshman ever with two interceptions in a game.
Along with his Nagurski Trophy recognition, Sterns has been named to the All-Big 12 Preseason Team, was a first team preseason All-Big 12 selection by Phil Steele, a fourth team preseason All-America honoree by Athlon Sports and was listed on the preseason watch list for the Bednarik and Thorpe awards.
Jones, a native of Nacogdoches, Texas, is a fourth-year defensive back who has played in 34 career games with 23 starts. So far in 2019, he has been named to the Lott IMPACT Trophy watch list and was a fourth team preseason All-Big 12 selection by Phil Steele. In 2018, Jones was fourth on the team with 70 tackles (48 solo), made 5.5 tackles for loss, intercepted two passes, recovered two fumbles, logged one quarterback hurry and broke up one pass. He was named honorable mention All-Big 12 for his efforts as a junior.
The recipient of the 74th Outland Trophy will be announced during ESPN's The Home Depot College Football Awards on Dec. 12, live from the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta. The official presentation to the winner will be made at the NFID Outland Trophy Awards Dinner sponsored by Werner Enterprises and produced by the Greater Omaha Sports Committee on Jan. 15, 2020. Up to eight semifinalists will be named on Nov. 20 in Omaha and three finalists for the award will be announced on Nov. 25.
Meanwhile, the FWAA and the Charlotte Touchdown Club will announce five finalists for the 2019 Bronko Nagurski Trophy on Nov. 20. The Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner will be chosen from those five finalists. The FWAA All-America Committee, after voting input from the association's full membership, selects a 26-man All-America Team and eventually the Nagurski Trophy finalists. Committee members, by individual ballot, select the winner they regard as the best defensive player in college football.
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