TUCSON , Ariz. ?C For a second straight season Arizona senior cornerback Antoine Cason has been named a national semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award, which is presented annually to the top defensive back in the nation. Cason is one of 12 players from around the nation to make the list and is one of two semifinalists from the Pacific-10 Conference.
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??????????? One of the top defensive playmakers in the nation, Cason has been a stalwart for the Wildcats from the moment he stepped on campus. Having started and played nearly every snap in 44 career games, he has put together an impressive senior season. Currently third on the team with 62 total tackles, Cason has also picked off a team-high four passes, including a 60-yarder for a touchdown at Oregon State, tallied his first career sack, forced two fumbles and broken up an Arizona-best six passes this season.
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??????????? Career-wise, Casonˇ?s 14 interceptions ties him for fourth all-time at Arizona and his 307 interception return yards are the most for any player in school history.
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??????????? The list of 12 semifinalists will be narrowed to three finalists on November 19 and the winner will be announced at the college football awards show on Dec. 6.
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2007 Jim Thorpe Award Semifinalists
Trey Brown??????????????????? UCLA
Antoine Cason???????????? Arizona
Vontae Davis???????????????? Illinois
Malcolm Jenkins??????????? Ohio State
Mike Jenkins???????????????? South Florida
Kenny Phillips?????????????? Miami
Mike Silva???????????????????? Boston College
Reggie Smith???????????????? Oklahoma
Craig Steltz?????????????????? LSU
Julius Stinson??????????????? Wyoming
Aqib Talib????????????????????? Kansas
Tom Zbikowski?????????????? Notre Dame
