Nix Selected to Lombardi, Outland and Nagurski Trophy Watch Lists
7/11/2013 2:54:00 PM | Football
Kent State senior defensive tackle Roosevelt Nix (Reynoldsburg, Ohio) was named to both the Nagurski and Outland Trophy Watch Lists on July 11 and the Rotary Lombardi Trophy Watch List on July 15. The Outland Trophy is presented to the nation's most outstanding interior lineman (offense or defense), while the Nagurski Trophy is presented to the National Defensive Player of the Year by the Charlotte Touchdown Club and the Football Writers Association of America.
Eligibility for the Rotary Lombardi Award is limited to down linemen, end-to-end, either on offense or defense, who set up no farther than 10 yards to the left or right of the ball, or linebackers who set up no farther than five yards deep from the line of scrimmage.
Making his second straight appearance on the Outland list, Nix is one of only 19 defensive players in the group and one of three Mid-American Conference players in the entire group of 75 players. He made the Nagurski list for a third consecutive season and is one of 28 linemen with that distinction. Just two MAC players are on the entire Nagurski group of 81.
Two days earlier, Nix was named to the Bednarik Award Watch List, also recognizing the nation's top defensive player. Earlier this summer, he was named to Phil Steele's 2013 Preseason All-American Team.
In 2010, Nix became the first freshman to be named MAC Defensive Player of the Year. A three-time All-MAC First Team selection, he is among the nation's career active leaders in tackles for loss (52.0), sacks (20.5) and forced fumbles (10).
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. Committee members, then by individual ballot, select the winner.
The list will be trimmed to six or seven semifinalists on Nov. 20. Five days later three Outland Trophy finalists will be named by the FWAA. The winner of the 68th Outland Trophy, named after the late John Outland, an All-America lineman at Penn at the turn of the 20th century, will be announced on ESPN on The Home Depot College Football Awards on Dec. 12 from Disney's Boardwalk in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
The Football Writers Association of America will choose a Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week each Tuesday throughout the season. If not already on the watch list, the honored player will be added at that time. The FWAA and the Charlotte Touchdown Club will announce five finalists for the 2013 Bronko Nagurski Trophy on Nov. 21. The winner will be chosen from those five finalists who are part of the 2013 FWAA All-America Team.
The 44th Rotary Lombardi Award will be held on December 11, 2013 at the Wortham Center in Houston, Texas.
The Golden Flashes are coming off an unprecedented 11-win season, going 8-0 in Mid-American Conference play. Kent State kicks off the 2013 season Aug. 29 against Liberty at 6 p.m. inside Dix Stadium.
