The energizer bunny has nothing on Nick Reed.
Oregon’s senior defensive end keeps going and going and going…
Undersized at 255 pounds, he is a relentless pass rusher who has been going and going since he arrived on the Eugene campus four years ago.
And where did it get him? Well, the 12 sacks and 22.5 tackles for losses got him first team All Pac-10 honors (along with second team All-American recognition from SI.com). And he didn’t stop going when he left the football field, either. He kept right on going to a 3.39 grade point average in history that earned him Academic All-American honors.
And now, he’s gotten himself all the way to the 2008 Watch List for The Lott Trophy®.
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 fourth 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 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 Master Coaches, a distinguished group of former head college coaches.
The winner will be announced at a gala black-tie banquet at The Pacific Club in Newport Beach, Ca. on December 14th, 2008.
It would be no surprise to see Reed at the banquet as one of the four finalists who are flown in for the annual event. It would be a homecoming for Reed, who starred at Mission Viejo High School and was named The Register’s Defensive Player of The Year in 2004.
Last year he was a finalist for The Ted Hendricks Award (top defensive end in the country) and, in addition to The Lott Trophy®, is on the watch list for the Nagurski Award (top defensive player in the country).
And, he will not turn 21 until Sept. 1.
Hardly the prototypical defensive end, Reed is driven by a large motor.
“If Nick walked into a room with six of the top defensive ends in the Pac-10, he’d be the last guy you’d pick to say, this is the guy that leads the league in sacks,” Oregon defensive coordinator Nick Aliotti told Rob Moseley of The Eugene Register-Guard
“But I just keep calling him the Tasmanian Devil. He plays so hard.
“He’s everything you want in a football player. It would be nice if he was 6-4, 275. But then maybe he wouldn’t have the little extra something he has that makes him special.”
Reed likely appeared at least 6-4, 275 against some 2007 opponents. Against Washington State he had 11 tackles, including 5 for losses and was named National Player of the Week. Against Arizona State he repeated those numbers and was chosen Pac-10 Player of the Week.
At Oregon, he heads a ferocious defense that led the entire country in tackles for losses a year ago with 122. Reed’s 22.5 were the third highest total for individual players.
Reed also relies on his brains while attacking football.
“I’d say I play smart football. But I wouldn’t say I’m a smart guy. I’m not going to be operating on hearts.
“I take pride in studying, knowing our opponents and knowing who I’m going up against.”
Going? That’s what Nick Reed keeps doing.
For further information on The Lott Trophy®, please visit our website at http://www.TheLottTrophy.com.
Pete Donovan
Media Director, The Lott Trophy®
760/360-0414