University of Tennessee at Chattanooga senior defensive lineman Isaiah Mack has been named a finalist for the 2018 Buck Buchanan Award. A mid-season addition to the Watch List, Mack is one of 25 finalist that was pared down as voting began today.
A part of the 2018 STATS FCS legacy awards, the Buchanan Award, presented to the national defensive player of the year in college football's Division I subdivision, has sent past winners such as Dexter Coakley, Rashean Mathis, Jared Allen, Arthur Moats and Kyle Emanuel on to NFL careers.
A national panel of over 150 sports information and media relations directors, broadcasters, writers and other dignitaries will select the winners.
Voting is based on the regular season.
Mack, a native of Tunnel Hill, Ga., native has 8.5 sacks, 11.5 TFLs and two forced fumbles on the year. He was named the Southern Conference Defensive Player of the Week by SouthernPigskin.com after leading the Mocs with nine tackles in a 34-27 win over VMI on Oct. 27. He posted three of the UTC's seven sacks on the day and finished with a career-best 4.0 tackles-for-loss. The three sacks were also a career mark and just a ½ shy of the school record.
That was the most sacks in a game by a Moc since current New England Patriot Keionta Davis had three against the Keydets on Oct. 22, 2016. It was also the most TFLs in a game since Vantrel McMillan had 4.0 against Presbyterian on Sept. 10, 2016. Mack had two sacks at Western Carolina on Oct. 13 and another last week at Furman.
His 8.5 sacks on the year are second in the Southern Conference and No. 19 in the FCS. He has 21.0 career sacks, which is fourth-place all-time at UTC behind Davis Tull (37.0 - 2011-14), Keionta Davis (31.0 - 2013-16) and Joshua Williams (23.5 - 2009-12). His 41.0 career TFLs are third all-time at UTC, trailing Tull (60.0) and Davis (43.0).
Mack is the fifth Moc to be up for the Buchanan Award. Davis has the highest ever finish in the voting at ninth in 2016. He was also 17th in 2015. Tull was 12th in 2014 and 13th in 2015. Wes Dothard (19th in 2012 and 25th in 2011) and Josh Beard (22nd in 2009) also made the list.
BUCK BUCHANAN AWARD
FCS Defensive Player of the Year - 25 Finalists
Nasir Adderley, S, Sr. – Delaware
B.J. Blunt, LB, Sr. – McNeese
De’Arius Christmas, LB, Sr. – Grambling State
Thomas Costigan, LB, Sr. – Bryant
Jabril Cox, LB, So. – North Dakota State
Cam Gill, LB, Jr. – Wagner
Ahmad Gooden, DE, Sr. – Samford
Anthony Gore Jr., LB, Sr. – Kennesaw State
Darin Greenfield, DE, Jr. – South Dakota
Robbie Grimsley, S, Sr. – North Dakota State
Zach Hall, LB, Jr. – Southeast Missouri
Darryl Johnson Jr., DE, Jr. – North Carolina A&T
Isaiah Mack, DT, Sr. – Chattanooga, DT
Nick Miller, LB, Sr. – Penn
Mason Moe, LB, Sr. – UC Davis
Jimmy Moreland, CB, Sr. – James Madison
Dante Olson, LB, Jr. – Montana
Nasir Player, DL, Jr. – ETSU
Troy Reeder, LB, Sr. – Delaware
Derick Roberson, LB, Sr. – Sam Houston State
Khalen Saunders, DT, Sr. – Western Illinois
Sterling Sheffield, LB, Sr. – Maine
Isiah Swann, CB, Jr. – Dartmouth
Will Warner, S, Jr. – Drake
Nick Wheeler, LB, Jr. – Colgate