1.  As a defensive player, that's what you live for."

2.  Defensive players can try to strip the ball from Williams at any time in practice.

3.  Defensive players have been told not to start publicly ripping into their offensive teammates.

4.  Defensive players positioned within a yard of the line of scrimmage will no longer be able to flinch to draw an offensive player into an illegal procedure penalty.

5.  Deservedly, he became the first primarily defensive player to win the Heisman Trophy.

6.  DAMIAN OWENS of West Virginia was named defensive player of the year and ETAN THOMAS of Syracuse was named most improved player.

7.  Dangerous defenders: Washington has two defensive players of all-conference caliber, linebacker Ink Aleaga and end Jason Chorak.

8.  Daryl Porter has had to be the most versatile of defensive players this season for Boston College.

9.  Dikembe Mutombo of Denver has waged a personal campaign for the league's defensive player of the year award.

10.  Dikembe Mutombo, a former defensive player of the year, could not handle Baker on Monday in Philadelphia.