Temple University Athletics
DAN KLECKO NAMED TO 2002 BRONKO NAGURSKI TROPHY WATCH LIST
4.11.02 | Football
The Nagurski watch list is the second watch list Klecko has been named to this spring. His name has also been placed on the watch list for the Rotary Lombardi Award, presented annually to the nation's top lineman, offensive or defensive, or defensive player lining up within five yards of the football.
Klecko (6-1, 276) was a unanimous All-Big East First Team selection last year after making 62 tackles (40 solo), 19.5 tackles-for-loss, 6.5 sacks and 27 quarterback hurries. The All-America candidate is the conference's only unanimous all-league choice returning on defense and one of three unanimous returnees overall (Miami quarterback Ken Dorsey and place kicker Todd Sievers). In strength and conditioning testing, Klecko has recorded a 520-pound bench press, a 645-pound squat, a 315-pound power clean and a 34.5-inch vertical jump.
Klecko is one of seven Big East student-athletes on the Nagurski watch list. He is joined by Pittsburgh linebacker Gerald Hayes, Miami defensive tackle William Joseph, Hurricane defensive end Jerome McDougle, Syracuse linebacker Clifton Smith, Miami linebacker Jonathan Vilma and Virginia Tech cornerback Ronyell Whitaker.
In November, five finalists for the award will be selected and the trophy will be presented to the winner at a banquet on December 9 in Charlotte, N.C. The award is sponsored by the Charlotte (N.C.) Touchdown Club and the Football Writers Association of America, and is named after Hall of Famer, University of Minnesota and Chicago Bears star Bronko Nagurski. Past winners of the award include Warren Sapp (1994), Charles Woodson (1997), Champ Bailey (1998) and Dan Morgan (2000). University of Oklahoma defensive back Roy Williams captured the honor last season.
Temple, under the direction of fifth-year head coach Bobby Wallace, is in the midst of its spring practice period which concludes Saturday, April 27 with the annual Cherry & White football game, scheduled for 1:00 p.m. at the former Temple Stadium site in Northwest Philadelphia. The Owls won their final two games of the 2001 campaign en route to a 4-7 (2-5 Big East) record.
