Lombardi Award
| File:Lombardi Logo.jpg | |
| Awarded for | the best college football lineman or linebacker |
|---|---|
| Location | Houston, Texas |
| Country | United States |
| Presented by | Rotary International |
| History | |
| First award | 1970 |
| Most recent | Jonathan Allen, Alabama |
| Website | http://www.rotarylombardiaward.com/ |
The Rotary Lombardi Award is awarded annually to the best college football lineman or linebacker. The Lombardi Award program was approved by the Rotary International club in Houston in 1970 shortly after the death of famed National Football League coach Vince Lombardi.[1] The committee outlined the criteria for eligibility for the award, which remains in place to this day. A player should be a down lineman on either offense or defense or a linebacker who lines up no further than five yards deep from the ball.[2]
The voting electorate is made up of the head coaches from all NCAA Division I schools, sports media personnel from across the country, and former winners and finalists of the Lombardi Award. The total number of voters is approximately 500.[3] Ohio State University holds the record for most Lombardi awards with six. Orlando Pace, the only two-time winner (1995 and 1996), is the most recent offensive lineman to be honored.
The main part of the trophy is a block of granite, paying homage to Lombardi's college days at Fordham University as an offensive lineman when his offensive line was referred to as the "Seven Blocks of Granite".[4]
Winners
See also
- Outland Trophy, awarded annually to the best interior lineman in college football
- Rimington Trophy, awarded annually to the best center in college football
- Ted Hendricks Award, awarded annually to the best defensive end in college football
- UPI College Football Lineman of the Year
References
- General
- "Vince Lombardi Award Winners". Sports Reference. Retrieved July 16, 2017.
- Footnotes
- ^ "The Rotary Lombardi Award". The Rotarian. 167 (6). Rotary International: 34. December 1995. ISSN 0035-838X. Retrieved July 16, 2017.
- ^ Reineking, Jim (July 14, 2015). "2015 Rotary Lombardi Award watch list". NFL.com. Retrieved July 16, 2017.
- ^ "Texas' Orakpo wins Lombardi Award". ESPN.com. Associated Press. December 10, 2008. Retrieved July 16, 2017.
- ^ "Michigan's Woodley wins Lombardi Award". USA Today. Associated Press. December 6, 2006. Retrieved July 16, 2017.