The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Watkins Tabbed To Rotary Lombardi Award Watch List
7/14/2014 12:00:00 AM | Football
July 14, 2014
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ---- UAB senior Diaheem Watkins was named Monday to the Watch List for the 2014 Rotary Lombardi Award.
The list includes 123 athletes from 76 universities.
One of the Blazers' most experienced players, the defensive end from Brent, Ala. started 11 games last season and finished with 37 tackles, 30 of which were solo hits. Watkins led the team in sacks with 5.5 and was second in tackles for loss with 7.5.
Watkins is the fourth UAB player named to a watch list in the past week. Wide receiver Jamarcus Nelson was tabbed to the Paul Hornung Watch List while tight end Kennard Backman (John Mackey Award) and Hunter Mullins (Ray Guy Award) were also selected to preseason watch lists.
"This is one of our favorite times of the year," Rotary Lombardi Award committee chair Brian Carr said. "The dog days of summer are when people start thinking about college football again. We are ready to see who is going to distinguish themselves this year, and we look forward to tracking the progress of each player on this list."
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.
The candidates earned a place on the preliminary watch list by earning All-American honors, being named to their respective all-conference teams or receiving 2014 pre-season honors. The Rotary Lombardi Award Watch List will be updated prior to the start of the 2014 season in order to identify other players who have received significant pre-season honors.
While the Watch List highlights those players who have already received national recognition, any Division 1 player who meets the requirements is eligible for consideration from the Rotary Lombardi Selection Committee. This committee is comprised of more than 300 members, including all past winners and finalists, all Division 1 head coaches and a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters.
The Rotary Lombardi Watch List, intended as a reference tool for the Selection Committee, will be periodically updated and revised through the conclusion of the voting to determine the 12 Semifinalists for 2014.
The 45th Rotary Lombardi Award will be held on Wednesday, December 10, 2014 at the Bayou Music Center in Houston, Texas. For more information, visit www.rotarylombardiaward.org.
