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The University of Utah Athletics
Tafuna, Bishop Earn Spots On Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List
8/1/2023 10:00 AM | Football
DALLAS – The University of Utah Football team landed two student-athletes on the 2023 Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List with safety Cole Bishop and defensive tackle Junior Tafuna both earning spots among 96 defensive standouts.
Utah is one of 14 schools that had two players on the list with the Bronko Nagurski Trophy going to the best defensive player in college football each year.
Both Bishop and Tafuna have received preseason recognition already with Bishop both earning preseason All-America from Phil Steele and Athlon Sports with Bishop also being named to the preseason Walter Camp All-America team. They also both landed on the preseason All-Pac-12 first-team squad, which are voted on by the media.
Bishop has played in 24 career games with 19 starts, including in 13 last season. He is a two-time All-Pac-12 selection and enters the season ranked second among active Pac-12 secondary players with 5.7 tackles per game in his career.
The Peachtree City, Ga., native led the team in tackles in 2022, racking up 83 while adding 6.0 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and four passes defended (1 INT, 3 PBU). He averaged 5.6 stops in the last five games of the season, including nine in Utah's Pac-12 title win over USC.
Tafuna earned All-Pac-12 second-team in 2022 after contributing 27 tackles (3.5 TFL, 1.0 sack), an interception, two quarterback hurries and a pass breakup. He has played in 27 games at Utah with 25 consecutive starts.
Out of Taylorsville, Utah, Tafuna was named the Pac-12 Freshman Defensive Player of the Year in 2021 after redshirting in 2020. He recorded a career-high nine tackles in Utah's win over Arizona in 2021, which included 1.5 tackles for loss and a sack.
FOLLOW US!
To get an inside look at the Utah Football program during its journey through the 2023 season, follow the Utes on social media along with visiting www.UtahUtes.com.
Twitter: @Utah_Football
Instagram: @UtahFootball
Threads: @UtahFootball
Facebook: Utah Football
Tik Tok: @Utah_Football
COMING SOON
The Utes will open 2023 at home, hosting the Florida Gators on Thursday, Aug. 31 in Rice-Eccles Stadium at 6 p.m. MT on ESPN. The game against the Gators will be a Red Out with fans encouraged to wear red.
Utah is one of 14 schools that had two players on the list with the Bronko Nagurski Trophy going to the best defensive player in college football each year.
Both Bishop and Tafuna have received preseason recognition already with Bishop both earning preseason All-America from Phil Steele and Athlon Sports with Bishop also being named to the preseason Walter Camp All-America team. They also both landed on the preseason All-Pac-12 first-team squad, which are voted on by the media.
Bishop has played in 24 career games with 19 starts, including in 13 last season. He is a two-time All-Pac-12 selection and enters the season ranked second among active Pac-12 secondary players with 5.7 tackles per game in his career.
The Peachtree City, Ga., native led the team in tackles in 2022, racking up 83 while adding 6.0 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and four passes defended (1 INT, 3 PBU). He averaged 5.6 stops in the last five games of the season, including nine in Utah's Pac-12 title win over USC.
Tafuna earned All-Pac-12 second-team in 2022 after contributing 27 tackles (3.5 TFL, 1.0 sack), an interception, two quarterback hurries and a pass breakup. He has played in 27 games at Utah with 25 consecutive starts.
Out of Taylorsville, Utah, Tafuna was named the Pac-12 Freshman Defensive Player of the Year in 2021 after redshirting in 2020. He recorded a career-high nine tackles in Utah's win over Arizona in 2021, which included 1.5 tackles for loss and a sack.
FOLLOW US!
To get an inside look at the Utah Football program during its journey through the 2023 season, follow the Utes on social media along with visiting www.UtahUtes.com.
Twitter: @Utah_Football
Instagram: @UtahFootball
Threads: @UtahFootball
Facebook: Utah Football
Tik Tok: @Utah_Football
COMING SOON
The Utes will open 2023 at home, hosting the Florida Gators on Thursday, Aug. 31 in Rice-Eccles Stadium at 6 p.m. MT on ESPN. The game against the Gators will be a Red Out with fans encouraged to wear red.
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