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Aug. 3, 2006
EVANSTON, Ill. - Northwestern senior cornerback Marquice Cole (Hazel Crest, Ill./Hillcrest) was named one of 33 preseason candidates for the 2006 Jim Thorpe Award today. The 2006 watch list was derived through a point system based on 10 preseason All-American teams.
The Thorpe Award, presented annually to the nation's best college defensive back, is one of college football's most sought after and prestigious awards. It is named after history's greatest all-around athlete, a man who excelled as a running back, passer and kicker on offense, but also was an awesome defensive back. Recognized in the Pro Football Hall of Fame simply as "The Legend," Thorpe also played professional baseball and won Olympic gold medals in the decathlon and pentathlon.
Cole was a second-team (media) and honorable mention (coaches) All-Big Ten selection last year and was NU's leading tackler (46) in the secondary. Cole ranked second in the Big Ten and 16th nationally with five interceptions. The five interceptions tied for fifth-most in a single season at NU. Cole averaged 27.0 yards per punt return, which would have been tops in the Big Ten and third nationally, but he did not have enough attempts to qualify for the national or conference statistics.
The watch list will be narrowed to 10 semifinalists the first Monday in November and then to three finalists the Monday before Thanksgiving. The winner will be announced on ESPN's College Football Awards Show on December 7. The official award presentation will be in Oklahoma City on February 7.
2006 JIM THORPE AWARD "WATCH LIST"
Name, School--Class,Pos
Fred Bennett, South Carolina--Sr,CB
Joe Burnett, UCF--So,CB
Bobby Blackshire, Tulsa--Sr.,FS
Antoine Cason, Arizona--Jr.,CB
Zach Cantanese, Arizona State--Sr.,S
Marquice Cole, Northwestern--Sr.,CB
Joe Garcia, Nevada--Sr.,CB
Josh Gattis, Wake Forest--Sr.,FS
Nick Graham, Tulsa--Sr.,CB
Michael Griffin, Texas--Sr.,SS
Leon Hall, Michigan--Sr.,CB
Marcus Hamilton, Virginia--Sr.,CB
Daymeion Hughes, California--Sr.,CB
David Irons, Auburn--Sr.,CB
LaRon Landry, LSU--Sr.,FS
Marcus McCanley, Fresno State--Sr.,CB
Brandon Meriweather, Miami (Fla.)--Sr.,SS
J.D. Nelson, Oregon--Sr.,FS
David Overstreet, Missouri--Sr.,FS
Sabby Piscitelli, Oregon State--Sr.,SS
Kenny Phillips, Miami (Fla.)--So.,SS
Darrelle Revis, Pittsburgh--Jr.,CB
Anthony Reddick Miami (Fla.)--Jr.,FS
Roderick Rogers, Wisconsin--Sr.,FS
Reggie Smith, Oklahoma--So.,CB
Wesley Smith, Memphis--Sr.,FS
John Talley, Duke--Sr.,CB
Eric Weddle, Utah--Sr.,SS
John Wending, Wyoming--Sr.,FS
Eric Wicks, West Virginia--Sr.,SS
C.J. Wilson, Baylor--Sr.,CB
Tom Zbikowski, Notre Dame--Jr.,SS