Six Big East players were named to the preseason watch list for the Nagurski Award, an honor annually given to the best defensive player in the country. The players on the watch list are: DE Bruce Irvin (West Virginia), DE Brandon Lindsey (Pittsburgh), DT Kendall Reyes (Connecticut), LB J.K. Schaffer (Cincinnati), CB Keith Tandy (West Virginia) and DT Derek Wolfe (Cincinnati).