MSU's Cal Haladay Named To Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List
Michigan State linebacker Cal Haladay is one of 94 players across 64 college programs to be selected to the Bronko Nagurski Trophy preseason watchlist.
The award is given annually to the Defensive Player of the Year in college football, as determined by the Football Writers Association of America. The Spartans have never had a Nagurski trophy winner in their history.
Michigan State's full press release concerning Haladay's selection to the watchlist can be read below.
EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State redshirt junior linebacker Cal Haladay has been named to the Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List, the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) announced on Tuesday.
Haladay led the Big Ten in tackles per game (10.0) last season and ranked second in the conference overall with a career-high 120 stops (42 solo, 78 assists), the most by a Spartan since All-American Greg Jones in 2009. He also led the Spartans and ranked tied for sixth in the Big Ten with a career-high 11 tackles for loss (37 yards), including 1.5 sacks (12 yards). A second-team All-Big Ten selection by the coaches and media, Haladay was also named to the Academic All-Big Ten team for the second year in a row.
Haladay became just the second Spartan in school history to earn Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors in back-to-back weeks last season after he collected a career-high 3.5 tackles for loss in the win at No. 14 Illinois on Nov. 5 and then followed up that effort with a career-high 19 stops vs. Rutgers on Nov. 12. He had double-figure tackles in seven games overall.
During his first season as a starter on Michigan State’s 11-2 team in 2021, Haladay earned Freshman All-America accolades after tying for the team lead with 96 tackles. He was the first Spartan linebacker to return two interceptions for touchdowns in a single season, and his 78-yard TD return for a score vs. No. 12 Pittsburgh in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl sealed the win for the Spartans. He also recorded 11 tackles against the Panthers to earn Peach Bowl Defensive MVP honors.
The Elysburg, Pennsylvania, native has started in 23 of his 29 career games for the Spartans at linebacker. He has collected 216 tackles, including 16 TFLs (51 yards) and two sacks (16 yards), to go along with two interceptions, two pass break-ups, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
Haladay and the Spartans open preseason camp on Thursday, Aug. 3 and begin the 2023 season against Central Michigan on Friday, Sept. 1 in Spartan Stadium.
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.
The Bronko Nagurski Trophy is a member of the National College Football Awards Association. Founded in 1997, the NCFAA includes college football’s most prestigious awards and its 24 awards have honored more than 900 recipients dating back to 1935.
The FWAA and the Charlotte Touchdown Club will announce finalists for the 2023 trophy on Nov. 15 and the winner will be unveiled Dec. 4 at the Bronko Nagurski Awards Banquet in Charlotte, North Carolina.
