By ,
Published January 08, 2015
Philadelphia, PA (SportsNetwork.com) - The 20th anniversary of the Buck Buchanan Award has drawn a list of 25 finalists from across the FCS.
Voting for the outstanding defensive player in the FCS began on Monday and reflects only the regular season.
Included on the list were five returning finalists from a year ago: linebackers Quinn Backus of Coastal Carolina and Lynden Trail of Norfolk State, defensive ends Davis Tull of Chattanooga and Zack Hodges of Harvard, and safety Caleb Schaffitzel of Missouri State.
A national panel of sports information and media relations directors, broadcasters, writers and other dignitaries select the Buchanan Award. The winner will be announced Dec. 15 at The Sports Network FCS Awards Banquet and Presentation.
Past recipients include two-time winner Dexter Coakley, Jared Allen, Rashean Mathis, Kroy Biermann and Montana State's back-to-back winners Caleb Schreibeis in 2012 and Brad Daly last season.
The Sports Network FCS Awards package is located at http://tinyurl.com/n5ysh8x.
The 2014 Buck Buchanan Award finalists:
Quinn Backus, LB, Coastal Carolina, Sr., 5-10, 215
11 games: 109 TT, 62 Solo, 8.5 TFL, 4.5 SK, 2 INT, 5 PBU, 4 QBH, 5 FF
Tony Bell, LB, UT Martin, Sr., 6-1, 200
12 games: 76 TT, 34 Solo, 21 TFL, 8 SK, 1 INT, 5 PBU, 11 QBH, 3 FR, 2 FF
Don Cherry, LB, Villanova, Jr., 6-1, 221
12 games: 112 TT, 68 Solo, 17.5 TFL, 9 SK, 1 INT, 4 PBU, 1 QBH, 1 FR, 5 FF
Isiah Corbett, LB, Southeastern Louisiana, Sr., 6-3, 250
12 games: 65 TT, 33 Solo, 12 TFL, 4.5 SK, 4 INT, 1 PBU, 5 QBH
Jeff Covitz, DE, Bryant, Sr., 6-2, 255
11 games: 59 TT, 34 Solo, 23 TFL, 8 SK, 9 QBH, 1 FF, 1 BK
James Cowser, DE, Southern Utah, Jr., 6-4, 244
12 games: 85 TT, 50 Solo, 27.5 TFL, 10.5 SK, 1 PBU, 4 QBH, 1 FR, 3 FF
Ryan Delaire, DE, Towson, Sr., 6-4, 250
12 games: 64 TT, 27 Solo, 14.5 TFL, 11 SK, 1 PBU, 3 QBH, 3 FF
Nick Dzubnar, LB, Cal Poly, Sr., 6-2, 250
12 games: 167 TT, 73 Solo, 9.5 TFL, 3 SK, 2 INT, 4 PBU, 1 QBH, 1 FF
Kyle Emanuel, DE, North Dakota State, Sr., 6-3, 251
12 games: 70 TT, 40 Solo, 27 TFL, 16.5 SK, 1 INT, 2 PBU, 8 QBH, 3 FF
Jacob Hagen, FS, Liberty, Sr., 6-3, 205
12 games: 92 TT, 59 Solo, 3.5 TFL, 8 INT, 5 PBU, 1 FR, 3 FF
Javon Hargrave, DT, South Carolina State, Jr., 6-2, 295
12 games: 55 TT, 47 Solo, 24 TFL, 16 SK, 2 PBU, 12 QBH, 1 FR, 3 FF
Colten Heagle, SS, North Dakota State, Sr., 5-11, 202
12 games: 72 TT, 46 Solo, 3 TFL, 2 INT, 3 PBU, 1 QBH, 1 FF
Zack Hodges, DE, Harvard, Sr., 6-3, 235
10 games: 26 TT, 12 Solo, 9.5 TFL, 8.5 SK, 2 PBU, 6 QBH, 1 FF
O.J. Mau, DT, Gardner-Webb, Jr., 6-2, 302
12 games: 60 TT, 27 Solo, 10 TFL, 3 SK, 6 QBH, 1 FR, 2 FF, 1 BK
Alec May, DE, Georgetown, Sr., 6-4, 255
11 games: 89 TT, 47 Solo, 20 TFL, 16.5 SK, 4 PBU, 4 QBH, 3 FF
Donald Payne, SS, Stetson, So., 6-0, 215
12 games: 185 TT, 94 Solo, 19 TFL, 5.5 SK, 4 INT, 8 PBU, 6 QBH, 2 FR, 2 FF
Christian Ricard, S/LB, Stony Brook, Sr., 6-1, 205
12 games: 92 TT, 55 Solo, 21 TFL, 9 SK, 4 PBU, 2 QBH, 1 FR, 1 FF, 1 BK
Caleb Schaffitzel, SS, Missouri State, Sr., 6-0, 215
12 games: 96 TT, 42 Solo, 3 TFL, 1 SK, 1 INT, 11 PBU, 1 FR, 1 FF
Jaquiski Tartt, FS, Samford, Sr., 6-1, 218
11 games: 62 TT, 53 Solo, 3 TFL, 1 INT, 1 PBU
Lynden Trail, LB, Norfolk State, Sr., 6-7, 260
12 games: 91 TT, 32 Solo, 11.5 TFL, 5 SK, 4 PBU, 9 QBH, 1 FR, 2 FF, 2 BK
Davis Tull, DE, Chattanooga, Sr., 6-3, 240
12 games: 55 TT, 35 Solo, 17 TFL, 10.5 SK, 9 QBH, 1 FR, 2 FF, 1 BK
Connor Underwood, DE, Indiana State, Jr., 6-3, 240
12 games: 84 TT, 41 Solo, 21.5 TFL, 12 SK, 4 PBU, 8 QBH, 1 FR, 3 FF
Zack Wagenmann, DE, Montana, Sr., 6-3, 250
12 games: 66 TT, 29 Solo, 18.5 TFL, 13.5 SK, 4 PBU, 4 QBH, 2 FR, 5 FF, 1 Safety
Xavier Williams, DT, Northern Iowa, Sr., 6-2, 309
12 games: 83 TT, 33 Solo, 12 TFL, 8 SK, 3 PBU, 2 QBH, 1 BK
Jonathan Woodard, DE, Central Arkansas, Jr., 6-6, 271
12 games: 56 TT, 30 Solo, 18.5 TFL, 10 SK, 1 INT, 1 PBU, 1 BK
https://www.foxnews.com/sports/buck-buchanan-award-finalists-announced