Wyoming’s Ghaifan, Granderson & Wingard Are On Award Watch Lists
It’s been a big two days for three Wyoming Cowboys who were named to three different preseason award watch lists, one included all three of them.
Monday, senior Andrew Wingard was selected for the 2018 Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Watch List for a third consecutive year. This award annually recognizes the best defensive back in college football.
Tuesday, Wingard, plus teammates Carl Granderson (Sr.) and Youhanna Ghaifan (Jr.) were chosen for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List. It’s the second straight year Wingard is among those on the watch list, while Granderson and Ghaifan were tabbed for the first time in their career. It’s the first time in school history that three Pokes were part of this watch list. The Bronko Nagurski Award is given annually to the best defensive player in college football by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA).
Finally, Ghaifan has been selected for the 2018 Outland Trophy Watch List Tuesday. This award honors the top interior lineman each year in college football.
Wingard tied for first in the Mountain West and ranked No. 15 nationally in interceptions with five last season. He was also No. 7 in the conference and 37th in the country in total tackles, averaging 8.8 tackles per game and led all MW defensive backs in that category during 2017.
Granderson enjoyed an outstanding 2018 season at defensive end, ranking No. 2 in the league and 16th in the nation in sacks at 0.73 per game and 9.5 total sacks in 2017. He was second in the conference in tackles for loss at 1.23 per game and 16.0 total. Granderson led all MW defensive linemen in average tackles per game last year at 5.9.
Ghaifan led the Mountain West and was 23rd in the country in tackles for loss at 1.29 per game. He finished with 15.5 total last year as a sophomore. Ghaifan was No. 4 in the league in sacks at 0.73 per game with seven total, which was good for No. 43 in the nation. He was second among all MW defensive linemen in tackles per game at 5.75 in 2017, trailing only Granderson.