Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - Mark LeGree, the record-setting free safety from Appalachian State, heads up the latest group of players added to the watch list for the 2009 Buck Buchanan Award, presented to the top defensive player in FCS.
LeGree, who set a school record and tied a SoCon record with an NCAA-leading 10 interceptions last season as a sophomore, finished third in the 2008 Buchanan Award balloting behind two defensive ends, winner Greg Peach of Eastern Washington and runner-up Jovan Belcher of Maine.
LeGree joins Central Arkansas defensive end Larry Hart as one of just two underclassmen among the 2008 finalists for the Buchanan Award, presented to the top defensive player in FCS.
Other players added to the list were Massachusetts strong safety Jeromy Miles, Weber State cornerback Josh Morris and Villanova linebacker Osayi Osunde.
The four new candidates were added to a list that already includes Hart, defensive end Christian Anthony of Grambling, defensive end Danny Batten of South Dakota State, strong safety Tommy Connors of Southeastern Louisiana, defensive end Dane Fletcher of Montana State, Delaware free safety Charles
Graves, Southern Illinois linebacker Brandin Jordan and Murray State defensive end Austen Lane.
A total of 20 candidates will be announced in alphabetical order prior to the start of the season, with four candidates being released each week. The watch list will be revised in October and again in November, before the final ballot is announced.
Voting from a panel of FCS sports information directors, writers, broadcasters and other football experts will be conducted after the regular season ends. Three finalists will be announced on Nov. 30 and will be invited to the 23rd annual Sports Network Awards banquet on Dec. 17 in Chattanooga, TN., the night before the NCAA Division I championship game. The Walter Payton Award and the Eddie Robinson Award will also be presented that night.
Here are biographies of the four newly-named players to the Buchanan watch
list:
Jeromy Miles, Massachusetts, Senior, 6-2, 207, Strong Safety
Miles established himself as one of the premier safeties in FCS during 2008, posting 104 tackles, three interceptions, two pass breakups, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery during the campaign. Miles was rewarded by being named to the Sports Network All-America second team and was a first-team All-
CAA selection. Top performances for the Sicklerville, NJ native included the one posted in a 17-7 win over Delaware, when he returned an interception for a touchdown. As a junior, Miles racked up 68 tackles with three interceptions, eight pass breakups and four forced fumbles to garner a spot on the All-CAA third-team. Miles started his college career at Navy in 2006 and tallied 61 tackles with two interceptions en route to earning first-team All-East honors as well as being named the ECAC freshman of the year.
Josh Morris, Weber State, Senior, 6-0, 180, Strong Safety
Morris came alive in his second season at Weber State in 2008, earning plaudits as one of the top cover men in FCS. He recorded 73 tackles with five interceptions and nine pass breakups to earn honorable mention on the Sports Network All-America team. Morris, an All-Big Sky first-team selection, drew particular praise for his work against All-American receivers Ramses Barden of Cal Poly and Marc Mariani of Montana. Among his top outings, the Ada, OK native grabbed three interceptions in a a 59-27 win over Idaho State, and tallied a career-high seven tackles in a 45-28 win over Montana. In 2007, Morris was a pleasant surprise for the Wildcats with 25 tackles, including three tackles for loss.
Mark LeGree, Appalachian State, Junior, 6-0, 200, Free Safety
LeGree had big shoes to fill in 2008, replacing Buchanan Award runner-up and three-time All-American Corey Lynch. LeGree responded with six interceptions in his final eight games to lead FCS with 10 overall, also tallying 58 total tackles and a sack to join Illinois State's Boomer Grigsby as the only players
in history to finish in the top three of Buchanan voting as sophomores. The Columbus, GA product also earned first-team honors on the Sports Network All- America team, and was an All-Southern Conference performer. Legree was at his best in a nationally televised game on Halloween night when he intercepted a school-record-tying three passes and piled up eight tackles in a 70-24 win over Wofford. As a freshman in 2007, he recorded 20 tackles in a reserve role as the Mountaineers won a third consecutive national championship.
Osayi Osunde, Villanova, Senior, 6-1, 235, Linebacker
Osunde emerged as one of the leaders of a talented Wildcat defense in 2008, racking up 77 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions, two forced fumbles and one sack in helping Villanova reach the NCAA quarterfinals. Osunde earned honorable mention on the Sports Network All-America team, as well as All-CAA first-team recognition. The Nigerian-born athlete turned one of his interceptions into a 56-yard interception return in a 33-14 win over Lehigh, as well as tallying a season-high 11 tackles, including two for loss, in a 21-7 win over Delaware. As a sophomore, Osunde registered 82 tackles and two sacks as he was named to the All-CAA third team. He tallied 10 plus tackles on four different occasions including a career-high 12 tackles against Richmond in 2007. In his first three seasons at Villanova, Osunde has 162
tackles, four sacks, two interceptions and one TD.