OU Football Tradition | Award Winners

Nagurski Trophy | Official Site
The Bronko Nagurski Trophy has been awarded annually since 1993 to the collegiate player adjudged by the membership of the Football Writers Association of America to be the best defensively in the United States; the award is presented by the Charlotte Touchdown Club and the FWAA. The award is named for Bronko Nagurski, who played football for the University of Minnesota and the Chicago Bears.
 
  2003 | Derrick Strait
Derrick Strait
Oklahoma defensive back Derrick Strait was named the 2003 recipient of the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, presented annually to the nation's best all-around defensive college football player.
 
Strait became the second Oklahoma defensive back in the last three seasons to win the award. In 2001, safety Roy Williams won the honor, which is presented annually by the Football Writers Association of American and the Charlotte Touchdown Club.
 
The 5-11, 195-pound Strait recorded 80 tackles - the third-most for the 12-2 Sooners in 2003 - and intercepted three passes for 127 return yards. The senior set Oklahoma career records for passes broken up, career starts and interception return yards.
 
In the Sooners' 65-13 thrashing of rival Texas on October 11, Strait had 11 tackles, broke up three passes, recovered two fumbles and had an early interception. He also had an interception and 97-yard return against Texas Tech on November 22.
 

 Career Statistics
 Season
UT
AT
TT
TFL
INT
FF-FR
PBU
 2000
41
24
65
5-27
2-32
2-0
15
 2001
36
21
57
3-4
3-63
0-0
12
 2002
50
18
68
1-2
6-175
3-1
13
 2003
58
22
80
7-19
3-127
2-5
12
 Totals
185
85
270
16-52
14-397
7-6
52

Roy Williams
  2001 | Roy Williams

By the time his career was over, Roy Williams was more feared by offensive opponents and more respected by his defensive peers than any player in the country.
 
In his final season at OU, he won the Nagurski Award as the nation's top defender and the Thorpe Award as the nation's top defensive back. He was No. 7 in the Heisman Trophy voting, the highest finish of the year by a non-quarterback.
 
Williams bypassed his senior season of eligibility to enter the NFL draft, but still left his mark on the OU record book.
 
He was drafted in the first round (No. 8 pick overall) in the 2002 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys.
 

 Career Statistics
 Season
UT
AT
TT
TFL
INT
FF-FR
PBU
 1999
57
18
81
7-25
2
1-0
11
 2000
58
35
99
13-47
2
0-2
9
 2001
73
28
107
14-57
5
0-3
22
 Totals
188
81
287
34-129
9
1-5
42