July 12, 2012
THE FLATS – Omoregie Uzzi, the senior leader of Georgia Tech’s offensive line and a 2011 All-American, was named to the preseason watch list for the Outland Trophy, selected by the Football Writers Association of America.
The Outland Trophy goes annually to the nation’s top down lineman, including both offense and defense.
Uzzi, a Lithonia (Ga.) native, was a first team All-ACC selection last season and also earned second team All-America honors from SI.com and third team honors from Rivals. Uzzi helped Georgia Tech lead the ACC in rushing offense, total offense, scoring offense, fewest sacks allowed and third-down conversion percentage in 2011.
Uzzi is one of 20 offensive guards on the Outland Trophy watch list. There are 71 players total on the list, including 11 from the ACC.
The Outland Trophy winner is chosen from three finalists who are part of the FWAA All-America Team. The FWAA All-America Committee, after voting input from the entire membership, selects the 25-man team and eventually the three Outland finalists to be named on Nov. 19. Committee members, then by individual ballot, select the winner.
The Outland Trophy, presented annually since 1946, is the third oldest award in major college football. The winner of the 67th Outland Trophy, named after the late John Outland, an All-America lineman at Penn and Kansas at the turn of the century, will be announced on The Home Depot College Football Awards Show on Dec. 6 on ESPN.
The Outland Trophy presentation banquet, sponsored by the Greater Omaha Sports Committee, will be held on Jan. 10, 2013, in Omaha, Neb.
The Football Writers Association of America, a non-profit organization founded in 1941, consists of more than 1,300 men and women who cover college football for a living. The membership includes journalists, broadcasters and publicists, as well as key executives in all areas that involve the game. The FWAA works to govern areas that include gameday operations, major awards and its annual All-America team.
The Outland Trophy is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA). The NCFAA was founded in 1997 as a coalition of the major collegiate football awards to protect, preserve and enhance the integrity, influence and prestige of the game’s predominant awards. The NCFAA encourages professionalism and the highest standards for the administration of its member awards and the selection of their candidates and recipients. For more information, visit the association’s official website, ncfaa.org.
2012 OUTLAND TROPHY PRESEASON WATCH LIST
OT Oday Aboushi, Virginia
G Alvin Bailey, Arkansas
OT David Bakhtiari, Colorado
G Chris Barker, Nevada
C Mario Benavides, Louisville
DT Josh Boyd, Mississippi State
C Braxston Cave, Notre Dame
G Jonathan Cooper, North Carolina
DT Everett Dawkins, Florida State
DT Aaron Donald, Pittsburgh
OT Chris Faulk, LSU
C James Ferentz, Iowa
DT Sharrif Floyd, Florida
OT D.J. Fluker, Alabama
G Blaize Foltz, TCU
C Travis Frederick, Wisconsin
C Dalton Freeman, Clemson
G Theo Goins, UCF
C Ben Habern, Oklahoma
DT Johnathan Hankins, Ohio State
G Braden Hansen, BYU
OT Caylin Hauptmann, FIU
DT Jordan Hill, Penn State
C Khaled Holmes, USC
OT Alex Hurst, LSU
OT James Hurst, North Carolina
G Gabe Ikard, Oklahoma
G Gabe Jackson, Mississippi State
DT John Jenkins, Georgia
DT Timmy Jernigan, Florida State
OT Luke Joeckel, Texas A&M
C T.J. Johnson, South Carolina
OT Wesley Johnson, Vanderbilt
C Barrett Jones, Alabama
G Joe Kellogg, Boise State
C Tyler Larsen, Utah State
OT Taylor Lewan, Michigan
DT Bennie Logan, LSU
G Spencer Long, Nebraska
DT Star Lotulelei, Utah
OT Zack Martin, Notre Dame
OT Jake Matthews, Texas A&M
G Chris McDonald, Michigan State
C Andrew Miller, Virginia Tech
OT Morgan Moses, Virginia
DT Roosevelt Nix, Kent State
C Graham Pocic, Illinois
OT Mark Popek, USF
OT Justin Pugh, Syracuse
G Cyril Richardson, Baylor
C Weston Richburg, Colorado State
DT Kawann Short, Purdue
DT Akeem Spence, Illinois
DT Baker Steinkuhler, Nebraska
OT Matt Summers-Gavin, California
C Travis Swanson, Arkansas
G Lane Taylor, Oklahoma State
G Dallas Thomas, Tennessee
DT Aaron Tipoti, California
G Omoregie Uzzi, Georgia Tech
DT Joe Vellano, Maryland
OT LaAdrian Waddle, Texas Tech
OT Ricky Wagner, Wisconsin
G Mason Walters, Texas
G Larry Warford, Kentucky
G Chance Warmack, Alabama
C Stephen Warner, Louisiana Tech
DT Jesse Williams, Alabama
DT Sylvester Williams, North Carolina
G David Yankey, Stanford
G Carson York, Oregon
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