ARIZONA STATE’S NIXON NAMED LOTT TROPHY PLAYER OF THE WEEK
NEWPORT BEACH, Ca. – Arizona State Linebacker Mike Nixon has been named The Lott Trophy IMPACT Player of the Week.
Nixon, a 6-3, 224-pound senior from Phoenix, had three interceptions and blocked a punt in the Sun Devils’ win over Idaho State, 50-3. Nixon returned one of the interceptions for a touchdown. Idaho State was held to just 37 yards in total offense.
Arizona State will receive $1,000 for its general scholarship fund in recognition of Nixon’s accomplishment.
“Mike Nixon played a whale of a defensive game for Arizona State,” said former Sun Devil Coach Frank Kush, a member of the Legends Coaches who selected the Player of the Week. “His interception on the first play set the tone for the ASU defense. To have three interceptions and a blocked punt in one game shows the intelligence level this guy has. He sure used it in his film study preparing for Idaho State.”
Nixon was also named the Pac-10’s Defensive Player of the Week.
Other players nominated for the Player of the Week were Greg Jones of Michigan State, Eric Norwood of South Carolina, Alterraun Verner of UCLA and Kurt Coleman of Ohio State.
Named after Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott, the Lott Trophy is awarded to college football’s Defensive IMPACT Player of the Year. Now in its sixth year, the Lott Trophy is the first college football award to equally recognize athletic performance and the personal character attributes of the player.
Sponsored by The Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation in Newport Beach, the award is given to the player who exhibits the same characteristics Lott embodied during his distinguished career: Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community and Tenacity.
Past winners of The Lott Trophy:
2004 – David Pollack, Georgia
2005 – DeMeco Ryans, Alabama
2006 – Dante Hughes, California
2007 – Glenn Dorsey, LSU
2008 – James Laurinaitis, Ohio State
In five years, the Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation has donated more than $650,000 to various charities, including $25,000 to each of the winners’ universities.
Voters for the award include selected members of the national media, previous finalists, the Board of Directors of the IMPACT Foundation, the IMPACT Foundation Board of Advisors comprised of retired NFL players and the Legends Coaches, a distinguished group of former college head coaches.
Watching The Watch List
Mike Nixon, Linebacker, Arizona State – Had three interceptions, returned one for 34 yards and a touchdown. Also blocked a punt and had five tackles in 50-3 win over Idaho State. Nixon was the first Sun Devil in 20 years to get three interceptions in one game.
George Selvie, Defensive End, South Florida – 7 tackles, 1 sack in win over Wofford, 40-7
Gerald McCoy, Defensive Tackle, Oklahoma – 4 tackles for loss in 14-13 loss to BYU
Joe Pawelek, Linebacker, Baylor – Led team with 6 tackles, 1 sack, 1 interception in win over Wake Forest, 24-21
Alterraun Verner, Cornerback, UCLA – Had 70-yard touchdown return on blocked field goal in win over San Diego State, 33-14.
Taylor Mays, Safety, USC – Had 6 tackles in 56-3 win over San Diego State.
Kurt Coleman, Safety, Ohio State – Had team best 9 tackles, a forced fumble and an interception in 31-27 win over Navy.
Sean Lee, Linebacker, Penn State – 6 tackles, 2 tackles for losses in 31-7 win over Akron (only 8 first downs).
Pat Angerer, Linebacker, Iowa – Led team with 12 tackles in win over Northern Iowa, 17-16.
Eric Norwood, Defensive End, South Carolina – 2 sacks, 8 tackles in 7-3 win over North Carolina State
Ndamukong Suh, Defensive Tackle, Nebraska – 7 tackles, 1 tackles for loss, pass breakup in 49-3 win over Florida Atlantic
Sean Weatherspoon, Linebacker, Missouri – Led team with 9 tackles, 1 sack, 1 quarterback hurry in win over Illinois.
Greg Jones, Linebacker, Michigan State – Had team high 14 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 1 ½ sacks in 44-3 win over Montana State.
Rolando McClain, Linebacker, Alabama – Had 2 sacks in 34-24 win over Virginia Tech.
INJURIES: BYU Linebacker Matthew Bauman left the Oklahoma game early with what appeared to be a concussion….Oregon’s T.J. Ward, who had 11 tackles in the first half, suffered an ankle injury in the second half against Boise State.
Pete Donovan
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