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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Sowell Selected To Lombardi Award Watch List
7/12/2011 | Football
July 12, 2011
2011 Rotary 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.
