Air Force Senior Trey Taylor Recipient of the “Defender of the Nation” Award
10/26/2023 12:01:00 PM | Football
United States Air Force Academy’s Trey Taylor to be honored December 4th at Bronko Nagurski Awards Banquet presented by Coca-Cola Consolidated
Charlotte, N.C. (October 26, 2023) - The Charlotte Touchdown Club announced today U.S. Air Force Academy Safety, Trey Taylor, as recipient of its 2023 Defender of the Nation Award sponsored by Capital Group of Companies.
"The Defender of the Nation Award celebrates our nation's military academies and their many outstanding-student athletes, according to John Rocco, Executive Director of the Charlotte Touchdown Club. Congratulations to Air Force Academy's Trey Taylor on being named this year's Defender of the Nation recipient. We look forward to honoring Trey's achievements on December 4th at the Bronko Nagurski Awards Banquet presented by Coca-Cola Consolidated."
The recipient of The Defender of the Nation Award is selected from one of the nation's nine service academies and senior military institutions as well from top collegiate ROTC programs including Air Force Academy, Auburn University, The Citadel, Coast Guard Academy, Michigan State, University of Mississippi, Naval Academy, Norwich University, University of South Carolina, Texas A&M University, Villanova University, Virginia Tech, VMI, and West Point and is based on exceptional leadership qualities on the field, in the classroom and in the community. The recipient must also exhibit a high standard of integrity by leading through example.
Rick Hughes, President of Capital Group of Companies commented, "There are certain people we meet that are exceptional in and about some things, then there are those that achieve in multiple tasks. We at Capital believe to win the Defender of the Nation Award you must be exceptional in three areas. Not only must you be an exceptional football player, but an outstanding student and more importantly, exceptional in the endeavor of military commitment. The man who is this year's Defender of the Nation Award is Trey Taylor from the United States Air Force Academy. Congratulations Trey! Capital supports you and is proud of our relationship."
In conjunction with the Football Writers Association of America, the 2023 Bronko Nagurski Awards Banquet presented by Coca-Cola Consolidated will be held on Monday, December 4th at the Charlotte Convention Center. In addition to honoring the Defender of the Nation Award winner, Clemson University's Jeff Davis from the Class of 1981 will be honored as the 2023 Legends Award recipient and TCU Head Coach Sonny Dykes is slated as the keynote speaker. CBS Sports Studio Host, Adam Zucker, is confirmed as Master of Ceremonies!
"We are fortunate on our football team to have so many well qualified players for this award, and yet, Trey is an incredible choice," said Air Force head coach Troy Calhoun. "He's a tremendous teammate, a tough and highly productive football player, fine student, and most of all, a young man with enormous leadership attributes."
Athletic Achievements: First-team preseason all-Mountain West by the league's media. Voted one of the top three safeties in the Mountain West by the league's media. Bronko Nagurski Trophy watch list, given annually to the nation's top defensive player. Jim Thorpe Award watch list, given annually to the top defensive back in the nation.
The most celebrated Air Force player since 2016 in terms of preseason honors and awards. Air Force's top returning tackler from last season with 69. Leads all active Falcons with 131 career tackles.
2022 - Started all 13 games. Second-team all-MW and first-team all-Colorado. Led the team in tackles with 69 and solo stops with 41. Three tackles vs. Baylor in the bowl game. Five tackles, TFL, INT and PBU vs. SDSU, INT came in the endzone in the fourth quarter. Eight or more tackles in a game three times. Four tackles vs. Colorado State. Five tackles and a sack for 15 yards vs. Army, also had a PBU. Eight tackles vs. Boise State. Five tackles at UNLV. Went over the 100-tackle mark for his career. Season-high nine tackles and a TFL at Utah State. Six tackles and a TFL vs. Navy. Three tackles vs. Nevada. Six tackles, a tackle for loss and second INT of his career at Wyoming. Four tackles vs. Colorado. Team-best eight tackles vs. UNI, including six unassisted. Also had a pass breakup. Leads all active Falcons in career tackles with 131.
2021- Played in 10 games, all starts. Second on the team in tackles with 62. Led team with three 10-plus tackle games. Team and game-high 10 tackles and PBU vs. Louisville in bowl game. Three tackles and a TFL vs. UNLV. One tackle and a PBU at Nevada. Eight tackles and first-career INT at Colorado State. Back-to-back games with 10-plus tackles earlier this season, averaging 10.5 per game. Team-best 10 tackles vs. Army. Career-high 11 tackles vs. SDSU, ties as the most by a Falcon this year. Six tackles at Boise State. Team-high seven tackles vs. Wyoming - first time to lead the team in tackles. Recorded four tackles, all solo, a sack for 11 yards, a forced fumble and three pass breakups vs. FAU in first-career game.
High School - Lettered four years in track and field and two in football. Earned all-state honors in football twice. Was named defensive player of the week twice as a senior. Set school record for interceptions in a season with seven. High school football coach was Jeff Rayburn. Member of the National Honor Society. Graduated Cum Laude. Earned second-team academic all-state honors.
Scholarship: Majoring in management. Major's Grade Point Average of 2.7. PEA of 3.5. Superintendent's list for excellence in military performance, academics, and athletics. The Commandant's List for military excellence. Athletic Director's List for athletic excellence. Aspires to become a personal trainer or physical therapist.
Personal: Parents are Tyree Taylor and Courtney Caldwell. Has three siblings, Trenton, Timothy, and Joseph. Member of Cadet Squadron 13. NFL Hall-of Famer Ed Reed is his cousin. Would like to attend pilot training after graduation. Enjoys fishing, working out, playing pool, table tennis, basketball, and cooking.
About Capital Group of Companies
Rick Hughes has a successful 42-year track record in the automotive and finance and insurance industry. Rick worked with Sonic Automotive on setting up their F&I Program, with NCADA to form and market their NC Life program and industry-leading programs to increase dealer revenue. Prior to starting Capital Automotive, Rick was the Director of Business Development for one of the world's largest automotive finance product and service companies. Rick coordinated various international field forces, presented at BSF and CEO Ninety, and personally developed hundreds of successful dealership personnel. As CEO of the Capital Companies, he created Flex-Pro, a patented program which allows additional income stream coupled with products, insurance and reinsurance administrative services. The Capital Companies refers to four unique companies: Capital Benefits Group—Structures custom benefit options based on your business needs, Capital Automotive—Gives dealerships the edge they need to meet and exceed their goals, Capital Processing Systems—Provides state-of-the-art products, administration, insurance and reinsurance services to complement dealership and shareholder financial goals, and Data Dot Dealer Services—Least expensive, most effective anti-theft deterrent ever created. We are a group of companies that work together to help dealers capitalize on their investments. We keep our clients in the game and moving toward the goal line through our consumer and client centric products and administrative services.
About Veterans Bridge Home
Veterans Bridge Home connects Veterans and their families, in any state of transition, to the community. Through our network of partners, we help Veterans navigate employment, create social connections, and settle their families. We look at the whole Veteran and connect them to the resources needed to be successful and thriving leaders in our community. Veterans Bridge Home serves as an entry point for Veterans who don't know where to turn to access support and services. Because Veterans return home to a civilian community and not to federal agencies or bureaucracies, each community must reach out and actively assist in the reintegration process alongside federal agencies such as the Veterans Administration. The Carolinas have the opportunity and privilege to help bring our nation's warriors and their families home with the same energy and commitment that our Veterans have displayed in serving our nation. In so doing, ours will serve as a leader to inform other communities that wish to create more welcoming and livable communities for returning Veterans and their families.
The Charlotte Touchdown Club is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization founded in 1990 for the purpose of promoting youth, high school, collegiate, and professional football in the Charlotte, North Carolina region. Since its inception, the club has grown as well as diversified boasting a sponsor team of more than (70) companies. The Club's activities and services focus community attention on the outstanding Citizenship, Scholarship, Sportsmanship, and Leadership of area athletes and coaches. Through individual and corporate support, more than $3,000,000 has been raised and donated to benefit the Charlotte Touchdown Club scholarship efforts.
The Bronko Nagurski Trophy is presented annually by the Charlotte Touchdown Club in conjunction with the Football Writers Association of America to the nation's most outstanding NCAA Division I defensive football player.
"The Defender of the Nation Award celebrates our nation's military academies and their many outstanding-student athletes, according to John Rocco, Executive Director of the Charlotte Touchdown Club. Congratulations to Air Force Academy's Trey Taylor on being named this year's Defender of the Nation recipient. We look forward to honoring Trey's achievements on December 4th at the Bronko Nagurski Awards Banquet presented by Coca-Cola Consolidated."
The recipient of The Defender of the Nation Award is selected from one of the nation's nine service academies and senior military institutions as well from top collegiate ROTC programs including Air Force Academy, Auburn University, The Citadel, Coast Guard Academy, Michigan State, University of Mississippi, Naval Academy, Norwich University, University of South Carolina, Texas A&M University, Villanova University, Virginia Tech, VMI, and West Point and is based on exceptional leadership qualities on the field, in the classroom and in the community. The recipient must also exhibit a high standard of integrity by leading through example.
Rick Hughes, President of Capital Group of Companies commented, "There are certain people we meet that are exceptional in and about some things, then there are those that achieve in multiple tasks. We at Capital believe to win the Defender of the Nation Award you must be exceptional in three areas. Not only must you be an exceptional football player, but an outstanding student and more importantly, exceptional in the endeavor of military commitment. The man who is this year's Defender of the Nation Award is Trey Taylor from the United States Air Force Academy. Congratulations Trey! Capital supports you and is proud of our relationship."
In conjunction with the Football Writers Association of America, the 2023 Bronko Nagurski Awards Banquet presented by Coca-Cola Consolidated will be held on Monday, December 4th at the Charlotte Convention Center. In addition to honoring the Defender of the Nation Award winner, Clemson University's Jeff Davis from the Class of 1981 will be honored as the 2023 Legends Award recipient and TCU Head Coach Sonny Dykes is slated as the keynote speaker. CBS Sports Studio Host, Adam Zucker, is confirmed as Master of Ceremonies!
"We are fortunate on our football team to have so many well qualified players for this award, and yet, Trey is an incredible choice," said Air Force head coach Troy Calhoun. "He's a tremendous teammate, a tough and highly productive football player, fine student, and most of all, a young man with enormous leadership attributes."
Athletic Achievements: First-team preseason all-Mountain West by the league's media. Voted one of the top three safeties in the Mountain West by the league's media. Bronko Nagurski Trophy watch list, given annually to the nation's top defensive player. Jim Thorpe Award watch list, given annually to the top defensive back in the nation.
The most celebrated Air Force player since 2016 in terms of preseason honors and awards. Air Force's top returning tackler from last season with 69. Leads all active Falcons with 131 career tackles.
2022 - Started all 13 games. Second-team all-MW and first-team all-Colorado. Led the team in tackles with 69 and solo stops with 41. Three tackles vs. Baylor in the bowl game. Five tackles, TFL, INT and PBU vs. SDSU, INT came in the endzone in the fourth quarter. Eight or more tackles in a game three times. Four tackles vs. Colorado State. Five tackles and a sack for 15 yards vs. Army, also had a PBU. Eight tackles vs. Boise State. Five tackles at UNLV. Went over the 100-tackle mark for his career. Season-high nine tackles and a TFL at Utah State. Six tackles and a TFL vs. Navy. Three tackles vs. Nevada. Six tackles, a tackle for loss and second INT of his career at Wyoming. Four tackles vs. Colorado. Team-best eight tackles vs. UNI, including six unassisted. Also had a pass breakup. Leads all active Falcons in career tackles with 131.
2021- Played in 10 games, all starts. Second on the team in tackles with 62. Led team with three 10-plus tackle games. Team and game-high 10 tackles and PBU vs. Louisville in bowl game. Three tackles and a TFL vs. UNLV. One tackle and a PBU at Nevada. Eight tackles and first-career INT at Colorado State. Back-to-back games with 10-plus tackles earlier this season, averaging 10.5 per game. Team-best 10 tackles vs. Army. Career-high 11 tackles vs. SDSU, ties as the most by a Falcon this year. Six tackles at Boise State. Team-high seven tackles vs. Wyoming - first time to lead the team in tackles. Recorded four tackles, all solo, a sack for 11 yards, a forced fumble and three pass breakups vs. FAU in first-career game.
High School - Lettered four years in track and field and two in football. Earned all-state honors in football twice. Was named defensive player of the week twice as a senior. Set school record for interceptions in a season with seven. High school football coach was Jeff Rayburn. Member of the National Honor Society. Graduated Cum Laude. Earned second-team academic all-state honors.
Scholarship: Majoring in management. Major's Grade Point Average of 2.7. PEA of 3.5. Superintendent's list for excellence in military performance, academics, and athletics. The Commandant's List for military excellence. Athletic Director's List for athletic excellence. Aspires to become a personal trainer or physical therapist.
Personal: Parents are Tyree Taylor and Courtney Caldwell. Has three siblings, Trenton, Timothy, and Joseph. Member of Cadet Squadron 13. NFL Hall-of Famer Ed Reed is his cousin. Would like to attend pilot training after graduation. Enjoys fishing, working out, playing pool, table tennis, basketball, and cooking.
About Capital Group of Companies
Rick Hughes has a successful 42-year track record in the automotive and finance and insurance industry. Rick worked with Sonic Automotive on setting up their F&I Program, with NCADA to form and market their NC Life program and industry-leading programs to increase dealer revenue. Prior to starting Capital Automotive, Rick was the Director of Business Development for one of the world's largest automotive finance product and service companies. Rick coordinated various international field forces, presented at BSF and CEO Ninety, and personally developed hundreds of successful dealership personnel. As CEO of the Capital Companies, he created Flex-Pro, a patented program which allows additional income stream coupled with products, insurance and reinsurance administrative services. The Capital Companies refers to four unique companies: Capital Benefits Group—Structures custom benefit options based on your business needs, Capital Automotive—Gives dealerships the edge they need to meet and exceed their goals, Capital Processing Systems—Provides state-of-the-art products, administration, insurance and reinsurance services to complement dealership and shareholder financial goals, and Data Dot Dealer Services—Least expensive, most effective anti-theft deterrent ever created. We are a group of companies that work together to help dealers capitalize on their investments. We keep our clients in the game and moving toward the goal line through our consumer and client centric products and administrative services.
About Veterans Bridge Home
Veterans Bridge Home connects Veterans and their families, in any state of transition, to the community. Through our network of partners, we help Veterans navigate employment, create social connections, and settle their families. We look at the whole Veteran and connect them to the resources needed to be successful and thriving leaders in our community. Veterans Bridge Home serves as an entry point for Veterans who don't know where to turn to access support and services. Because Veterans return home to a civilian community and not to federal agencies or bureaucracies, each community must reach out and actively assist in the reintegration process alongside federal agencies such as the Veterans Administration. The Carolinas have the opportunity and privilege to help bring our nation's warriors and their families home with the same energy and commitment that our Veterans have displayed in serving our nation. In so doing, ours will serve as a leader to inform other communities that wish to create more welcoming and livable communities for returning Veterans and their families.
The Charlotte Touchdown Club is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization founded in 1990 for the purpose of promoting youth, high school, collegiate, and professional football in the Charlotte, North Carolina region. Since its inception, the club has grown as well as diversified boasting a sponsor team of more than (70) companies. The Club's activities and services focus community attention on the outstanding Citizenship, Scholarship, Sportsmanship, and Leadership of area athletes and coaches. Through individual and corporate support, more than $3,000,000 has been raised and donated to benefit the Charlotte Touchdown Club scholarship efforts.
The Bronko Nagurski Trophy is presented annually by the Charlotte Touchdown Club in conjunction with the Football Writers Association of America to the nation's most outstanding NCAA Division I defensive football player.
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