PHILADELPHIA – Two Southern Conference student-athletes were named to the Buck Buchanan Award Watch List Thursday. Chattanooga defensive end Davis Tull and Samford defensive back Jaquiski Tartt were both named to the preseason list. The Buck Buchanan Award goes to the top defensive player in all of Division I FCS football. The winner of the award will be announced on Dec. 15, in Philadelphia.
Tull is the first Moc to win two league player of the year honors and the first defensive player to repeat in the SoCon since Appalachian State’s Dexter Coakley took the award three times from 1994-96. This is the second year in a row Tull has made the Buchanan Award Watch list. He finished 13th in the national voting last season.
The senior is already the Mocs all-time leader with 26.5 career sacks. He is also the active leader in the FCS for career sacks and career forced fumbles (8) and is second among active players in career TFLs (42.5).
As a junior in 2013, Tartt was tied for third on the team in tackles with 98, including 69 solo stops. Tartt ranked second on the squad in pass break-ups with nine, and he had one interception he returned for a 33-yard touchdown in the team’s season-opening win at Georgia State.
Tartt tied for third in the Southern Conference in passes defended with 10, and he ranked 10th in the league in tackles in 2013.
In three seasons in a Samford uniform, Tartt has 215 total tackles, including 146 solo tackles. He has five career interceptions and 19 pass break-ups.
The Buchanan will celebrate its 20th anniversary this season and be presented by The Sports Network at the FCS national awards banquet on Dec. 15. Past recipients include two-time winner Dexter Coakley, Jared Allen (the first Big Sky winner in 2003), Rashean Mathis, Kroy Biermann and Montana State's back- to-back winners Caleb Schreibeis in 2012 and Brad Daly last season.
The Buck Buchanan Award Watch List can undergo revision during the 2014 season. Ballots will be sent to a national panel of over 150 sports information and media relations directors, broadcasters, writers and other dignitaries following the regular season.
The Sports Network also presents the Walter Payton, Jerry Rice and Eddie Robinson awards. The Payton Award honors the outstanding player in the FCS, the Rice Award goes to the FCS freshman of the year and the Robinson Award is bestowed upon the FCS coach of the year.
BUCK BUCHANAN AWARD PRESEASON WATCH LIST
Quinn Backus, Coastal Carolina
Tony Bell, UT Martin
James Cowser, Southern Utah
Daniel Fitzpatrick, Tennessee State
Jacob Hagen, Liberty
Ronnie Hamlin, Eastern Washington
Colten Heagle, North Dakota State
Stephen Hodge, Fordham
Zach Hodges, Harvard
O.J. Mau, Gardner-Webb
Harlan Miller, Southeastern Louisiana
Troy Moore, Sacred Heart
Mike Reilly, William & Mary
Caleb Schaffitzel, Missouri State
Tye Smith, Towson
Jaquiski Tartt, Samford
Lynden Trail, Norfolk State
Davis Tull, Chattanooga
Zack Wagenmann, Montana
Jonathan Woodard, Central Arkansas