Colorado's Landman Named Nagurski Defensive Player of the Week

December 1, 2020 by FWAA

NOTE: CollegeFotballPoll.com's Dave Congrove is a nominating member of the Bronko Nagurski Trophy.

DALLAS (FWAA) – Linebacker Nate Landman had 10 solos among his 11 total tackles and had four tackles for losses as Colorado handled San Diego State 20-10 in a hastily-scheduled non-conference game. Landman helped contain the Aztecs to 100 yards below their average total offense output to earn the Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week honor for games in the weekend of Nov. 28, as selected by the Football Writers Association of America.

This is the second time for Landman to earn this weekly honor in his career and Colorado's first since he won it following a 13-tackle game at Nebraska in 2018 in which he also had an interception. This is the third time overall for a Colorado player to earn the honor since it began in 2001; Terrence Wheatley, a cornerback, won it in 2007.

Landman, a 6-3, 235-pound senior from Danville, Calif., who is Colorado's leading tackler the past two seasons and its current leader with 37, keyed the Buffs' defense with six overall tackles at or behind the line of scrimmage along with one pass break-up. San Diego State gained only 155 total yards, didn't enter Colorado's red zone and scored only a field goal. Landman was credited with a touchdown save and his three sacks and the pass break-up all came on third down that stopped Aztec drives. The Aztecs ran 18 plays in CU territory and gained just 22 yards.

Landman is the third Colorado player in the last 10 years to have three sacks in a game, joining teammate Mustafa Johnson (last year against Nebraska) and DT Leo Jackson (vs. Texas State in 2017). One game prior against Stanford, Landman became the 17th player to record 300 career tackles at Colorado. His total is now 314 and in 14th place all-time at the school; he needs 24 more tackles to enter the program's top 10. Also, he moved into the top 20 for tackles for loss, becoming the 19th Colorado player to record 30 career tackles for loss, and his 41 career third-down stops puts him tied for sixth place in CU history.

Colorado travels to Arizona for a 5 p.m. MT game Saturday in an FS1 broadcast.

This is the final week the FWAA will select a Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week this season, an honor it began in 2001. The FWAA and the Charlotte Touchdown Club will announce three finalists for the 2020 Bronko Nagurski Trophy on Dec. 9. The national defensive player of the year will be chosen from those finalists who are part of the 2020 FWAA All-America Team and will be announced virtually Dec. 22.

The FWAA has chosen a National Defensive Player of the Year since 1993. In 1995, the FWAA named 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.

Founded in 1941, the Football Writers Association of America consists of 1,400 men and women who cover college football. The membership includes journalists, broadcasters and publicists, as well as key executives in all the areas that involve the game. The FWAA works to govern areas that include game-day operations, major awards and its annual All-America team.

About the Charlotte Touchdown Club
The Charlotte Touchdown Club is a non-profit organization founded in 1990 for the purpose of promoting high school, collegiate, and professional football in the Charlotte, N.C., region. The club's activities and services focus community attention on the outstanding citizenship, scholarship, sportsmanship, and leadership of area athletes and coaches. Since 1990, the club has raised more than $2 million to benefit area high school and collegiate athletics. The official website of the Charlotte Touchdown Club is touchdownclub.com.

2020 Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Players of the Week
• Weekend of Sept. 5: Isaiah Kaufusi, LB, BYU
• Weekend of Sept. 12: Curtis Ryans, DE, Georgia Tech
• Weekend of Sept. 19: Tavante Beckett, LB, Marshall
• Weekend of Sept. 26: Jahron McPherson, S, Kansas State
• Weekend of Oct. 3: Bumper Pool, LB, Arkansas
• Weekend of Oct. 10: Nick Bolton, LB, Missouri
• Weekend of Oct. 17: Grant Morgan, LB, Arkansas
• Weekend of Oct. 24: Nick Andersen, S, Wake Forest
• Weekend of Oct. 31: Joseph Ossai, LB/DE, Texas
• Weekend of Nov. 7: Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, LB, Notre Dame
• Weekend of Nov. 14: Zaven Collins, LB, Tulsa
• Weekend of Nov. 21: Blake Gallagher, LB, Northwestern
• Weekend of Nov. 28: Nate Landman, LB, Colorado

Note: The annual Bronko Nagurski Awards Banquet has been cancelled. Finalists for the award will be announced on Dec. 9 with the recipient unveiled on Dec. 22.