Arizona linebacker Taye Brown named to Lott IMPACT Trophy watch list

Arizona junior linebacker Taye Brown was named to the Lott IMPACT Trophy preseason watch list.

The Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation announced the 42-player watch list on Wednesday. The Lott IMPACT Trophy is awarded to a college football defensive player who excels on and off the field.

Brown is entering his second season as Arizona’s starting linebacker, after starting 11 games last season. As a sophomore, Brown had 68 tackles, four stops for loss, 2.5 sacks, two pass deflections, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

First-year Arizona linebackers coach Josh Bringuel said Brown is “a phenomenal example of putting time in the classroom and that allows you to play fast on the field.”

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“You’ll see him breaking on passes before the ball is even thrown,” Arizona’s linebackers coach said in April. “He has an elite sense, because he puts the work in.”

The next step for the 6-2, 231-pound Brown as the leader of Arizona’s defense is “playing with consistent dominant contact, because he’s a big, strong and physical guy,” Bringuel said.

“Now it’s just letting him come out of himself and play with dominant contact and be that dude out on the grass, because he’s a great leader and everyone respects him for how hard he works and the work he puts in day in and day out,” Bringuel said.

Arizona kicks off the season against the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors on Saturday, Aug. 30, at 7:30 p.m. on TNT and HBO Max.