Ole Miss' Sowell Selected To Lombardi Award Watch List
HOUSTON,
Texas – For the second time in a week, Ole Miss' Bradley Sowell
has been singled out as a candidate for one of college football's top
awards.
On Tuesday, the senior offensive tackle was named to the Official Watch
List for the 2011 Rotary Lombardi Award. This is the 42nd year that the
award has honored the nation’s college lineman of the year.
Last week, Sowell made the watch list for the Outland Trophy for the
NCAA's best interior lineman. The Hernando, Miss., native is a near
consensus preseason first team All-SEC pick and received honorable
mention preseason All-America honors from NationalChamps.net. He has
helped Ole Miss rank top-two in the SEC in fewest sacks allowed each of
the last two seasons.
Other Rebels on watch lists this preseason include Rimington Trophy
candidate A.J. Hawkins and Groza Award nominee Bryson Rose.
Eligibility for the Rotary Lombardi Award is limited to down linemen,
end-to-end, either on offense of defense, who set up no farther than 10
yards to the left or right of the ball, and linebackers who set up no
father than five yards deep from the line of scrimmage. All candidates
also must be eligible to play college sports under the rules and
regulations of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).
The candidates earned a place on the Official Watch List by earning
All-American honors last season, by being named to their respective
all-conference first team last season as selected by the
conference’s head coaches, by being projected to be an
All-American or first team all-conference player for the coming season,
or by nomination approved by the nominations committee.
While the Watch List highlights those players who have already received
national recognition, any Division IA player who meets the above
requirements is eligible for consideration from the Rotary Lombardi
Award Selection Committee. This committee is comprised of more than 500
members, including all past winners and finalists, all Division IA head
coaches, and a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters.
The Rotary Lombardi Award Watch List, intended as a reference tool for
the Selection Committee, will be periodically updated and revised up to
the first round of voting to determine the 12 Semifinalists for 2010.
The 42nd Rotary Lombardi Award will be held on December 6-7, 2011 at
Reliant Center in Houston, Texas. For more information on the two-day
schedule of events and ticket opportunities, please visit
www.rotarylombardiaward.org.
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