University of Cincinnati cornerbacks Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner and Coby Bryant have both been named to the watch list for the Jim Thorpe Award, presented annually to the top defensive back in college football.
Gardner and Bryant are among 40 players named to the preseason watch list for the award, the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame and Jim Thorpe Association announced Monday.
Bryant, a 6-foot-1-inch, 198-pound graduate student who is using the extra year of eligibility granted by the NCAA due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, is also on the watch list for the Lott IMPACT Trophy, awarded annually to the college football defensive IMPACT player of the year. IMPACT is an acronym for integrity, maturity, performance, academics, community and tenacity.
