Promising Liberty Defenders Named to Nagurski Watch List

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As the calendar turns to August, two things come into focus: college football season is almost upon us and Liberty defenders are ascendant. In the dog days of summer, conference media days have passed, fall camp has begun and award watch lists have been released. College Football Dawgs has partnered with both the Maxwell Football Club and the Football Writers Association of America to highlight players named to the official watch lists and provide readers lists of favorites to win these prestigious awards.

On Tuesday, July 30, the FWAA and the Charlotte Touchdown Club announced the watch list for the Nagurski Trophy. The Nagurski is given annually to the best defensive player in college football. Three players from Conference USA made the Nagurski watch list. Among these names were two Liberty Flames defenders: Brylan Green and CJ Bazile, Jr.

Brylan Green

Green is a junior safety from Opelousas, La., who was named a second-team FWAA All-American in 2023 after recording 38 tackles, 8 pass breakups and 5 interceptions. Green played an integral role in the Flames passing defense, which ranked number one in the country with 21 INTs. After leading the conference in INTs and ranking third in PBUs, Green was named first-team All-CUSA and HERO Sports Group of 5 first-team All-American.

He played in all 13 games in 2022 as a freshman, recording 32 tackles and adding 1 PBU. Green was a three-star recruit out of Lafayette Christian Academy in Louisiana and had offers from multiple Southeastern Conference schools. He was also an All-District outfielder at Lafayette and played for the Flames baseball team in 2022.

CJ Bazile Jr.

A 6-foot-1, 250-pound junior defensive end from Miami, Fla., Bazile finished 2023 with 49 tackles, including 10.5 tackles for loss and 3 sacks. Bazile was picked as CUSA Preseason Defensive Player of the Year for 2024. He was an honorable mention for All-CUSA in 2023 after leading all Flames defenders in sacks, TFLs and quarterback hurries.

Bazile, Jr. saw limited action as a freshman in 2022, totaling 7 tackles and 1.5 TFLs. He was named first-team All-County and first-team All-State during his senior season after he set a school record with 21 sacks. Bazile, Jr. was a three-star recruit who received offers from 10 schools, including each of the service academies.

Stout Liberty Defenders

The Flames enter Year 2 under head coach Jamey Chadwell with high aspirations and a very friendly schedule. In addition to Green and Bazile, Liberty's defense will feature cornerback Amarian Williams and East Carolina transfer linebacker Teylor Jackson. The Flames offense returns quarterback Kaidon Salter and running back Quinton Cooley, who paced Liberty to 293 rushing yards per game in 2023, the best in the nation. Liberty will begin the 2024 campaign against Campbell on Aug. 31 at home in Lynchburg, Va.

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