Cal’s Follett Named Lott Player of the Week
NEWPORT BEACH, Ca. – Cal Linebacker Zack Follett has been named the winner of The Lott Trophy IMPACT® Player of the Week presented by Wachovia. It is the second time this season, Follett has been honored.
Follett had 11 tackles, 3 tackles for losses, a sack and 3 pass breakups in Cal ‘s 26-16 win over Oregon . Cal will receive $1,000 for its general scholarship fund in recognition of Follett’s performance. Follett (6-1, 238, Senior, Clovis , Ca.) was selected by The Legends Football Coaches Association. Former Washington Coach Don James, a member of the Legends Coaches, said: “Follett was very active against Oregon ‘s spread offense. It takes exceptional skill to make that many tackles against the Ducks’ wide-open version of the spread. Zack’s numbers were even more amazing considering the playing conditions from the driving rainstorm throughout the game made footing extremely tough.”
Follett was also named the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Week. On the season, Follett has 49 tackles, 11.5 tackles for losses, five sacks and two forced fumbles.
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 fifth 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 , Ca., the award is given to a player who exhibits the same characteristics Lott embodied during his distinguished career: Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community and Tenacity.
David Pollack of Georgia won the initial Lott Trophy® in 2004. DeMeco Ryans of Alabama won the award in 2005 Daymeion Hughes of Cal was the recipient in 2006 and Glenn Dorsey of LSU in 2007. Georgia , Alabama , Cal and LSU each received $25,000 for their general scholarship funds. In four years, the Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation® has donated more than $450,000 to various charities, including the four universities.
Voters for the award include selected members of the national media, previous finalists, the Board of Directors of the Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation®, The IMPACT® Foundation Board of Advisors comprised of many retired NFL players and the Legends Coaches, a distinguished group of former head college coaches.
Other players receiving consideration from the Legends Coaches this week were: Aaron Curry of Wake Forest , Brandon Spikes of Florida, Scott McKillop of Pitt and Jan Jorgensen of BYU.
The Lott Trophy IMPACT® Players of the Week, 2008
Week I – Alterraun Verner, CB, UCLA
Week II – Zack Follett, LB, Cal
Week III – George Selvie, DE, South Florida
Week IV – Aaron Curry, LB, Wake Forest
Week V – Brian Orakpo, DE, Texas
Week VI – Scott McKillop, LB, Pitt
Week VII - Brian Orakpo, DE, Texas
Week VIII – Eric Berry, S, Tennessee
Week IX – Brit Miller, LB, Illinois
Week X – Zack Follett, LB, Cal
THREE WAS ENOUGH: Five of the teams with players on the Lott Trophy® Quarterfinalist Watch List won games by three points this past weekend: Missouri 31, Baylor 28; Illinois 27, Iowa 24; BYU 45, Colorado State 42; Wake Forest 33, Duke 30 (overtime) and Pitt 36, Notre Dame 33 (4 overtimes). And one lost by three – Florida State, 31-28 to Georgia Tech.
LOTT SHOTS: Missouri Linebacker Sean Weatherspoon had a game best 14 tackles, including 2 tackles for losses and one sack in a 31-28 win over Baylor… Oregon ‘s Nick Reed recovered three fumbles and had his 9th sack of the season in a 26-16 loss to Cal . …BYU Defensive End Jan Jorgensen recorded 2 sacks, 2 quarterback hurries and forced a fumble in the Cougars’ 45-42 win over Colorado State…Linebacker Aaron Curry of Wake Forest proved to be a demon on defense against Duke, garnering 16 tackles (10 solo) in a 33-30 overtime win…Jeremy Jarmon of Kentucky recorded the 16th sack of his career in a 14-13 win over Mississippi State. Jarmon is now tied for 5th all-time in Kentucky career sacks…Boston College Linebacker Mark Herzlich intercepted a pass and had 2 tackles for losses in a 27-21 loss to Clemson…Colorado’s George Hypolite had 4 tackles for losses, including 2 sacks, but the Buffs lost to Texas A&M, 24-17…Pittsburgh Linebacker Scott McKillop had 15 tackles (2 for losses) in the Panthers’ 4-overtime win over Notre Dame, 36-33…Tennessee safety Eric Berry had his sixth interception of the season (and returned it 45 yards). The Vols lost to South Carolina , 27-6. The Gamecocks’ Eric Norwood had 2 sacks and 2 quarterback hurries in the victory.