Dec. 16, 2005
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. -
For the fourth time in the last four years, a member of the Illinois State defense finished in the top three of the Buck Buchanan Award voting, but the Redbirds are still winless as senior Brent Hawkins finished runner-up behind Cal Poly's Chris Gocong Thursday night for the annual award presented to the top defensive player in I-AA football.
With the second-place finish, Hawkins joins former Redbird and current Kansas City Chief Boomer Grigsby, who finished runner-up twice and third once, as finalists for the prestigious award. In addition, junior linebacker Cameron Siskowic finished 13th in the voting, as the Redbirds were the only school with two candidates.
Hawkins scored 19 first-place votes and totaled 266 points, 93 behind Gocong, while Siskowic compiled 52 points.
Hawkins, the 2005 Gateway Football Conference Defensive Player of the Year, finished the regular season leading all of I-AA in tackles for loss (26.5) and forced fumbles (7), while ranking second in sacks (17). His sack total set the Illinois State and Gateway single season records, while he also claimed the school mark for tackles for loss and forced fumbles.
Siskowic was the conference tackle leader with 132 stops, 37 more than the league's runner-up. He ranked third in the conference in tackles for loss on the season with 14.5 and led the Redbirds in tackles in 10 of the team's 11 games. The junior ranks fourth nationally in tackles with 12 stops per game and also No. 15 nationally in tackles for loss. He also posted 55 solo stops, four sacks, three pass break ups, two fumble recoveries and a forced fumble.
The Buck Buchanan Award was established in 1995 by The Sports Network. The Award is named for All-Pro defensive end Junious "Buck" Buchanan, who played for the Kansas City Chiefs after beginning his career at Grambling State.
