Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

On Tuesday, Troy University defensive coordinator Shiel Wood was nominated for the Broyles Award, while linebacker Carlton Martial was named a finalist for the Burlsworth Trophy.

Martial is coming off a 22-tackle performance against Army on Saturday, in which he broke the NCAA FBS career tackle record. He earned his fourth Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Week honors for his performance, which is also his second straight time winning the award.

The Burlsworth Trophy is presented annually to the nation’s top player who began their career as a walk-on. This is Martial’s second time being named a finalist for the award. He was also named semifinalist a third year. He was a finalist for the award last season, as well.

Joining Martial as a finalist for the award is Purdue quarterback Aidan O’Connell and Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett.

Martial and the other finalists will be honored at a ceremony – where the winner will be announced – on Dec. 5 at 7 p.m. at the Crystal Bridges Museum in Bentonville, Ark.

Wood’s Troy defense is allowing just 16.7 points per game and the 167 total points allowed is the second-fewest in school history through 10 games. Troy ranks ninth in the country in scoring defense, 25th in total defense, 34th in passing defense and 40th in rush defense.

The Troy defense is ranked second overall in the Sun Belt, while the Trojans are third in the conference in sacks and fourth in tackles-for-loss. Martial ranks second in the conference in tackles and second in the country in tackles per game, while defensive end TJ Jackson is first in tackles-for-loss and fourth in sacks. Buddha Jones is also tied for the league lead in fumbles recovered and Jackson is tied for second in fumbles forced. Martial has been voted Sun Belt Player of the Week four times this season, as well.

Wood is in his first season as the defensive coordinator at Troy but he’s been a football coach for a number of years. Wood served as defensive coordinator and safeties coach at Army in 2021 and was Army’s linebackers coach in 2020. Before coming to Army, Wood served as safeties coach at Georgia Tech, inside linebackers coach and special teams coordinator at Georgia State and defensive coordinator at Wofford. The Spartanburg, SC native played wide receiver at Wofford.

The Broyles Award goes to the nation’s top assistant coach every year and semifinalists will be announced on Nov. 22. Finalists will be announced Nov. 29 and the winner will be selected on Dec. 6 in Little Rock, Ark.