OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. - Senior cornerback Londen Fryar was one of only two football
student-athletes from the Mid-American Conference to be named to the
2008 Jim Thorpe Trophy Watch List. It is the second preseason watch list Fryar finds his name on as he was named to the Bronco Nagurski List earlier this spring.
Fryar is one of two Broncos to have back-to-back All-MAC selections over the past two seasons and received his second First Team nod in as many campaigns as a defensive back at the end of the 2007 campaign. The converted wide receiver, who made the change prior to the 2006 season, led the Broncos with 16 pass deflections last year. That total ranks second in a single-season at WMU and ranked second in the conference this year.
Fryar recorded his sixth career interception against Toledo and at one point during the Akron game broke up three-straight pass attempts deep in the red zone to force the Zips to turn the ball over on downs. He was also named NationalChamps.net (College Football Online) Preseason All-America in April. He was also named preseason All-MAC by Phil Steele's and MACReportOnline.com.
The Thorpe Award 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.
The Jim Thorpe Award “watch list” is determined by analysis of the pre-season All-American teams listed in at least six pre-season college football annual magazines. Four points are awarded for First Team, three points for second team, two points for third and one point for fourth teams and honorable mentions. This procedure determines approximately 40 players on the pre-season watch list. This list is not final and players who have outstanding seasons are added as the season progresses.
Western Michigan football opens preseason camp on Aug. 3 and opens the 2008 season at Nebraska on Aug. 30. WMU's first home game is scheduled for Sept. 6, CommUniverCity Night against MAC West rival Northern Illinois.
