Emanuel, Underwood join Buchanan Award Watch List

Sep 30, 2014 - 1:38 PM Philadelphia, PA (SportsNetwork.com) - A pair of defensive standouts from the Missouri Valley Football Conference have played their way onto the 2014 Buck Buchanan Award Watch List.

Defensive end Kyle Emanuel of top-ranked North Dakota State and linebacker Connor Underwood of Indiana State have been creating havoc in opposing backfields all season.

The Buck Buchanan Award, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this season, honors the outstanding defensive player in the FCS.

The two additions Tuesday:

Kyle Emanuel, DE, North Dakota State, Sr., 6-3, 251, Schuyler, Nebraska

Emanuel is a three-year starter for a Bison program that is seeking an unprecedented fourth straight FCS national title. He was named The Sports Network FCS National Defensive Player of the Week after a season-opening win at Iowa State and hasn't looked back. In four games, Emanuel has 21 total tackles, including 11 solos with 8.5 for loss and five sacks. He also has three quarterback hurries, two pass breakups and two forced fumbles.

Connor Underwood, DE, Indiana State, Jr., 6-3, 240, Washington, Illinois

The name Underwood is familiar to the Buchanan list as Connor's older brother Colton was a finalist at Illinois State in 2012 and last year. Connor has carved out his own niche in the MVFC, earning all-conference first-team honors a year ago. This year, he's been outstanding for the 25th-ranked Sycamores with a team-high 32 total tackles, including 16 solos, 9.5 tackles for loss and five sacks through four games. He also has five QB hurries, two pass breakups, one fumble recovery and one forced fumble.

Other players on the Buck Buchanan Award Watch List are nose guard O.J. Mau of Gardner-Webb; defensive tackle Troy Moore of Sacred Heart; defensive ends James Cowser of Southern Utah, Zach Hodges of Harvard, Mike Reilly of William & Mary, Davis Tull of Chattanooga, Zack Wagenmann of Montana and Jonathan Woodard of Central Arkansas; linebackers Quinn Backus of Coastal Carolina, Tony Bell of UT Martin, Ronnie Hamlin of Eastern Washington and Lynden Trail of Norfolk State; cornerback Tye Smith of Towson; and safeties Daniel Fitzpatrick of Tennessee State, Jacob Hagen of Liberty, Colten Heagle of North Dakota State, Caleb Schaffitzel of Missouri State and Jaquiski Tartt of Samford.

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.

The 2014 FCS Awards package can be found at http://tinyurl.com/n5ysh8x.