Senior safety Michael Huff has been named to the 2005 Thorpe Award watch list, the Jim Thorpe Association announced Wednesday.

The Thorpe Award is presented annually to the nation's best defensive back and is named for Jim Thorpe, an all-around athlete who excelled as a running back, passer and kicker on offense, but also was a top defensive back. Recognized in the Pro Football Hall of Fame simply as "The Legend," Thorpe also played professional baseball and won Olympic gold medals in the decathlon and pentathlon.

A preseason second-team All-American, Huff was recently named to the Nagurski Trophy watch list (nation's defensive player of the year). He has played in 38 career games and started 37, including 12 starts in 2004 when he was named first-team All-Big 12.

Huff is a fourth-year starter who has recorded 209 tackles, 16 TFLs, 30 PBUs and six interceptions in his career. Four of his six interceptions have been returned for touchdowns, giving him the UT record for interception returns for a TD. He needs one more to match an NCAA record.

The watch list will be narrowed to 10 semi-finalists the first Monday in November and then to three finalists the Monday before Thanksgiving. The winner will be announced on ESPN's Home Depot College Football Awards Show, telecast from Disney World on December 8. The official presentation of the award will be in Oklahoma City on February 7.