Senior defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh was named one of five finalists for the Heisman Memorial Trophy Award, given annually to the most outstanding college football player in the country. The announcement of his selection as a finalist came on Monday afternoon in a live segment of ESPN SportsCenter.

Suh will join Colt McCoy (Texas, quarterback), Mark Ingram (Alabama, running back), Toby Gerhart (Stanford, running back) and Tim Tebow (Florida, quarterback) at the 75^th Heisman Trophy awards announcement, which will take place on Saturday, Dec. 12, at the Nokia Theatre in Times Square. The event will be televised live from New York City at 7 p.m. CT on ESPN.

Suh is the first Heisman finalist for Nebraska since quarterback Eric Crouch won the school’s third Heisman Trophy in 2001. Crouch joined past Husker winners Johnny Rodgers (1972) and Mike Rozier (1983) as Nebraska ranks third in Heisman Trophy winners since 1970.

Overall, Suh is likely to be the 17^th Husker to finish in the top 10 of voting for the award and third NU defensive player. Middle guard Rich Glover was third in the voting in 1972 behind teammate and winner Rodgers, while Wayne Meylan, also a middle guard, was ninth in Heisman voting in 1966.

Only once has a defensive player won the Heisman Trophy, as Michigan’s Charles Woodson took the top honor in 1997. Primarily a cornerback, Woodson also played on offense and special teams while winning the award in his junior season. Suh has only played on offense once this year, lining up in the backfield for a few snaps in Nebraska’s 13-12 loss to Texas in the Big 12 Championship Game.

During that contest, Suh demonstrated why he should be included among the most outstanding players in the country. The Portland, Ore., native dominated the line of scrimmage against the Longhorns, racking up a career-best-tying 12 tackles while adding 4.5 sacks and seven tackles for loss. He pressured fellow Heisman finalist Colt McCoy throughout the night, individually recording more sacks against McCoy than any team as a whole has ever sacked him during his four-year career.

On the season, Suh leads the Cornhuskers with 82 tackles, including 50 solo stops. He is bidding to become the first defensive lineman ever to lead the Blackshirts in tackles in consecutive years, as he also paced the team with 76 tackles last season.

Suh is third nationally in sacks with 12.0 this season, moving him to third on the Cornhuskers’ single-season list while bringing his career total to 24.0 to place fourth all-time in Nebraska history. He also moved to second on the Huskers’ career TFL chart with 56, just three away from the record currently held by two-time All-American Grant Wistrom (58.5).

Suh also has 26 quarterback hurries this year while adding 10 pass breakups. The 6-4, 300-pounder ranks in the top 80 nationally (all positions) for passes defended as he added his fourth career interception earlier this fall. Suh has added a forced fumble and has blocked three kicks this year while leading the Huskers to a 9-4 record, and a berth in the Pacific Life Holiday Bowl against Arizona on Dec. 30.

On Monday, Suh started a national awards tour that will eventually end in New York City, as he was on his way to Charlotte, N.C., for the banquet to announce the Chuck Bednarik Award winner, given to the best defensive player in the country. Suh will then travel to Houston on Wednesday for the Lombardi Award presentation and will be on hand for the Home Depot ESPN College Awards Show on Thursday, Dec. 10. Suh is a finalist for the Outland Trophy at the event, and the Walter Camp All-America Team will be announced as well during the live telecast on ESPN starting at 6 p.m.