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Who are the Legends Football Coaches?

Their names are synonymous with college football excellence. The legendary coaches are all College Football Hall of Fame members, or former coaches who are on track to be Hall of Fame members in the future. Here are the current voting members:

Frank Broyles, John Cooper, Fisher DeBerry, Vince Dooley, Terry Donahue, Pat Dye, LaVell Edwards, Don James, Frank Kush, Dick MacPherson, Bill Mallory, Don Nehlen, John Ralston, John Robinson, R.C. Slocum, Bill Snyder, Gene Stallings and George Welsh. The other non-voting members are: Lloyd Carr, Hayden Fry and Tom Osborne.

The LFCA Mission

The legendary coaches discuss team strengths and weaknesses every week of the season to separate the pretenders from the contenders. The evaluation process is very comprehensive, and the standards are beyond reproach.

The Legends Poll is unique because it is made up of three components … the most experienced coaches, who actually watch the games, and discuss and deliberate before they cast their vote. No other system has any of these components. Come back each week and review the results of the LFCA's efforts here at the LottTrophy.com.

Click the video to the right to begin watching the current Lott Shot of the Week.

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View past Lott Shots of the week for the entire season. Return each week for the Lott Shot of the Week Sponsored by Nike.

The Lott Trophy Winner, 2004
(Story originally published in December of 2004)

ATHENS, Ga. -- In 2004, the biggest motor in college football belonged to David Pollack, the defensive end for the University of Georgia.

Since he had already garnered All-American honors on the football field as both a sophomore and junior, Pollack could well have been in the National Football League collecting big paychecks rather than doing homework in Athens.

But Pollack wanted more – he always wanted more. Facing a steady dose of double teams, he had registered a mere 7.5 sacks as a junior after a school-record 14 as a sophomore. So he slipped into his familiar No. 47 jersey and ran roughshod through the Bulldogs’ schedule, notching another 12.5 sacks to give him 36, by far the most in school history.

Georgia went 42-10 in his four years in Athens and was ranked in the Top 6 in the country the last three of those seasons – likely Pollack’s most satisfying achievement.

The Pollack engine, it turns out, is always revved up.

He certainly didn’t slow down away from the gridiron. A solid student in the classroom, he was involved in a wide variety of campus activities and scored numerous victories there, too.

Cathy Padgett of the Athens-Clarke County of Leisure Services had this to say: “I have had the pleasure of working with hundreds of volunteers, of many ages and backgrounds, but no experience was more delightful and engaging than a special visit from David Pollack. His enthusiasm, careful selection of words and immense patience worked as a tonic for the children. One could have heard a pin drop as he asked the children how many of them had library cards and more importantly how often did they use that card; reminding them to be respectful of their parents and always ‘do the right thing’ as well as encouraging them to perform well in school.”

Kevin Hynes, the Georgia Team Chaplain said, “David is the most energetic young man that I have ever been around. He is a very positive, respectful and trustworthy young man. I have taken him or scheduled him to speak at over 20 churches and he has spoken to numerous high schools’ Fellowship of Christian Athletes meetings. David Pollack loves life.”

“David possesses and lives by each aspect of the IMPACT award. Any person who speaks on his behalf would label him as a man of integrity, maturity and outstanding values without any prompting. His record of service to, and involvement in, the surrounding community as well as his spiritual community is unequalled,” said Claude Felton, Sports Information Director at the University of Georgia.

Pollack also proved to be a man of conviction. Following his All-American sophomore season he was extended an invitation to attend a photo shoot at the Playboy mansion. Pollack declined. “I’ve seen a Playboy magazine before. I don’t see anything wrong with a Playboy magazine, if someone wants to buy it. I just wouldn’t want to be promoted in it. I do a ton of speaking in church to kids. That would be kind of a double standard, don’t you think?”

Those are the characteristics that put Pollack on the Watch List for the inaugural Lott Trophy in 2004.

And as his senior season progressed, Pollack was winning more and more accolades.

Wrote ESPN Insider Gene Wojciechowski: “Math teachers insist it’s impossible to give 110 percent. Obviously they’ve never crossed Georgia defensive end David Pollack, the most relentless heat-seeking pass rusher in the game.”

IMPACT: Pollack went on to win the first Lott Trophy in December of 2004. The following spring he was a first-round draft choice of the Cincinnati Bengals where he became a starter and finished second on the team in sacks as a rookie. A serious neck injury halted his NFL career in ’06. That same year he founded the EMPOWER Foundation in Cincinnati, a non-profit organization that benefits at-risk youths and their families by providing educational opportunities and resources needed to excel in the classroom and in life. The foundations interactive programs and events are designed to help build a foundation through education. He married Lindsey, who attended the banquet here in 2004.

The Lott Trophy Winner, 2005
(Story originally published in October of 2005)

Tuscaloosa, Al.--On Saturday, DeMeco Ryans, a 21-year-old senior linebacker for the University of Alabama, ran around the football field causing havoc for the opposing Middle Tennessee State team. His two tackles for losses helped the Tide roll to an easy 26-7 opening game victory.

Two days later, Ryans and several of his teammates spent a few hours at the American Red Cross shelter at the Student Rec Center on campus talking with evacuees from Hurricane Katrina and serving lunch to them.

"As students and football players, we don't have a lot of time to watch television, but what we did see of Hurricane Katrina was sickening," said Ryans. "We talked about what we could do to help and Karin Lee (Assistant Athletic Director for Community Outreach) suggested that on our off day Monday, we help serve lunch to those housed at the Recreation Center.

"We all have so much and we take so much for granted," he said. "When you see people who have lost everything, it makes you appreciate all you have."

Alabama football players also raised over $3,000 to contribute to the Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund.

It is this kind of community recognition and commitment that makes DeMeco Ryans a candidate for The Lott Trophy. He is one of 43 collegiate defensive players on this year's watch list.

A superb student as well as one of the top linebackers in the country, the 6-2, 232-pound Ryans says his biggest accomplishment to date is making the Academic All-State team in high school (in Bessemer, Alabama). At Alabama, he has retained a high grade point average and will graduate in December (in seven semesters) with a degree in Management. He's a two-time Academic All-SEC choice (he was also honored as a freshman in 2002) as well as CBS Scholar Athlete of the Week (against Auburn last year). Ryans has also been a CoSIDA Academic District IV honoree.

For the past two seasons, Ryans has also had the distinction of being the captain of the High Tide Club, a group of Alabama athletes who strive for academic excellence, progress toward a degree and community service. Each student-athlete receives a white t-shirt with High Tide on it; the captain receives a red t-shirt.

IMPACT: DeMeco Ryans went on to win the second annual Lott Trophy; graduate with honors from Alabama and was the first player chosen in the second-round of the National Football League draft by the Houston Texans. He had a brilliant rookie season, being named the NFL Rookie of the Year. He started the DeMeco Ryans Football Foundation in his hometown of Bessemer, Alabama. The camp is free to area kids with goals far reaching from football. “We not only want to teach the kids the fundamentals of the game, but also give them the fundamentals of life,” says Ryans. “When they leave the camp, we want them to realize that character matters and is huge to personal success.”

The Lott Trophy Winner, 2006
(Story originally published in December of 2006)

BERKELEY, Ca. – Cal’s Daymeion “Dante” Hughes covers the secondary as smoothly and easily as his paintbrush covers the canvas.

A senior from Crenshaw High in Los Angeles, Hughes is one of the nation’s elite cornerbacks, having locked down top receivers all season long while gathering a Pac-10 best eight interceptions. His artistry on the field is matched by his skill off the field, as he is recognized as a talented art major.

But it looks like that art career might be put on hold for a decade or so while the 6-2, 188-pounder makes his living on Sundays in the National Football League.

The combination of his accomplishments on the field, his commitment to charity work in the community and his unquestioned leadership earned Hughes a spot as a finalist for the third annual Lott Trophy.

Hughes was named to all four mid-season All-American teams and is considered a strong choice to be Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year.

“From the time he was a freshman, Dante has been a leader,” says Cal Head Coach Jeff Tedford. “He works hardest. He does things right and his teammates not only see it, but they respect it. If I had a team full of Dante Hughes’s we would undoubtedly be competing for the national championship every year.”

By mid-October when Cal had won five straight games after the season-opening loss in Tennessee, Hughes was spearheading an opportunistic defense that was among the best in the country at creating turnovers."I don't know how you play much better than Daymeion is playing right now," Tedford said. "He has such a great knack, and he studies the game so well. I would find it very hard to play much better. He's an all-around good player. He's a great tackler. Sometimes you find cornerbacks that can cover, but can't tackle. Daymeion can do both, and he likes to do both. That's why he's special."

“He has been a trusted and reliable individual on and off the field – a student of the game of football and a true ‘student-athlete’ and all that it should entail,” adds Defensive Coordinator Bob Gregory. “He has been mentally and emotionally mature enough to overcome adversity at home to excel as a student and a Division I football player.”

"Patience," Hughes told Dave Newhouse of the Oakland Tribune. "Patience is key in art. Painting is like a conversation between you and the canvas. You have to take your time, step back a little bit, and work out the issues you see. That's kind of how I play football. You evaluate what you're doing all the time. You have to be patient and not get stressed by situations. You try to do more right than wrong, which complies with the same rules of art.

"It's the freedom of expression," Hughes said. "Football is such an emotional game. You can use it to express yourself any way you want out there, create your own identity. It's the same thing you do with your art, how you express yourself."

And Hughes is expressing himself quite clearly on – and off – the field these days.

IMPACT: The third winner of The Lott Trophy, Hughes was drafted in the third round of the 2006 NFL draft by the world champion Indianapolis Colts. He says he will be reaching out to make a community impact with kids through his art. He received a degree in art from Cal and his works have been featured on the sports pages of bay area newspapers.

The Lott Trophy Winner, 2007
(Story originally published in December of 2007)

BATON ROUGE, LA. -- Glenn Dorsey blocks out the sun, swallows up ball carriers, punishes quarterbacks. One opposing coach calls him a man among boys, another says he throws players around like rag dolls. This 300-pound LSU senior defensive tackle is one big, mean, menacing monster.

Turns out Glenn Dorsey is also a softie.

The night before the Auburn game this season, he spent time with a 5-year-old who had been diagnosed with cerebral palsy. The child, with his legs in casts, was scheduled to have his legs put in braces, just like that of Dorsey when he was 3-years old. Dorsey was named the SEC Community Service Student Athlete of the Week.

Says LSU Coach Les Miles about his star: “He represents everything that makes college football such a great sport. He came back for his senior year to get his degree and lead his team in pursuit of a championship. For that, I have great respect for Glenn as a person, as well as a player. He’s the type of person that you wish for your sons to grow up and be like.”

Many college football experts consider Dorsey the finest defensive player in the country: ESPN’s Kirk Herbstret goes one step further: “He’s the best player in college football.” But he’s more than that.

He is a regular speaker to youth in the Baton Rouge area. His theme to the children he speaks to is “dream big”. He says, "even if you're from a small town, you can dream big and make things happen." His list of volunteer efforts include, leading 7th 8th graders at Kenilworth Middle School in math activities that involved foot, hand, and height ratios and gave the children a motivational talk about going to college. He spoke to a group of young kids at the YMCA in June of 2007 in his hometown of Gonzales and is a regular guest speaker at his former high school in Gonzales. Dorsey has also spent time working with kids at the Louisiana School for the Deaf in Baton Rouge, working with children at Southbound Elementary who have Downs Syndrome.

Dorsey returned to LSU for his senior year despite being a first round lock for last year’s NFL Draft. Saying he has “unfinished business at LSU like winning an SEC Championship.”

His commitment to LSU, his teammates and the LSU football program is one of the key reasons the Tigers are 10-2 overall. A team captain, Dorsey is a member of the unity council for the LSU football team, which is a group of players who meet with head coach Les Miles on issues within the team.

And on the field, he has created havoc: “He’s the first guy you look for when you come to the line of scrimmage if you’re playing LSU.” -- Erik Ainge, Tennessee quarterback.

“I was hoping he’d turn pro. We tried a dozen different ways to block him last year and we haven’t slowed him down yet.” -- Tommy Tuberville, Auburn Head Coach.

Glenn Dorsey is many things, one being an outstanding candidate for The Lott Trophy.

Impact: Dorsey was named the fourth recipient of The Lott Trophy in 2007. In April of 2008, he was the first-round draft choice (fifth overall) of the Kansas City Chiefs.

Who are the Master Coaches? 
Their names are synonymous with college football excellence. The Master Coaches are all College Football Hall of Fame members, or former coaches who are on track to be Hall of Fame members in the future. Here are the current voting members:  John Cooper, Vince Dooley, Terry Donahue, Pat Dye, LaVell Edwards, Hayden Fry, Don James, Frank Kush, Dick MacPherson, Bill Mallory, Don Nehlen, Tom Osborne, John Ralston, John Robinson, R.C. Slocum, Gene Stallings and George Welsh.

The MCS Mission 

The 17 Master Coaches discuss team strengths and weaknesses every week of the season to separate the pretenders from the contenders. The evaluation process is very comprehensive, and the standards are beyond reproach.  

The Master Coaches Poll is unique because it is made up of three components… the most experienced coaches, who actually watch the games, and discuss and deliberate before they cast their vote. No other system has any of these components. Come back each week and review the results of the Master Coaches' efforts here at the LottTrophy.com

Registered members vote & view your pick for the Lott Shot Defensive Hit of the Week

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2008 Lott Shots coming in September.

Each week the IMPACT Player of the Week is chosen by the Legends Football Coaches Association (LFCA) and weekly rankings of the top five players are displayed here. The LFCA is an advisory poll comprised of 21 former college football coaches, including 12 College Football Hall of Fame Members and represents ten national championships and over 3,500 victories combined. The legendary coaches review all of the relevant game tapes following each week of competition, discuss each team’s performance during a weekly conference call, then establish a ranking of the Top 25 teams. The Legends Poll Top 25 can be found on the Legends Channel website (www.legendspoll.com), including a breakdown of how the coaches voted.

As part of their selection process, the coaches not only attend games across the nation, but spend countless hours reviewing the DVDs of the previous weekend’s match-ups. Through this extensive process, the expert panel of coaches selects the IMPACT Player of the Week.

The ‘IMPACT Player of the Week’ award means $1,000 will be donated to the winner's school general scholarship fund.

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Click here to view this season's IMPACT Player of the Week rankings. It's an at-a-glance look at every player & every week in the season.

Table Sponsor - $20,000

Invitations to the pre-banquet cocktail party with the athletes and members of the Board of Directors.
A celebrity guest at your table for 10 at the December 12th Awards Dinner Presentation of The Lott Trophy.
VIP seating and recognition at the Award Presentation.
Corporate recognition at the Award Presentation Banquet and on the website.
Photos with your corporate executives and the sports celebrities in attendance.
A Forty-Niner football jersey signed personally by Ronnie Lott.
A full page ad the Lott Trophy Award dinner program.
A photo with the winner of the Lott Trophy and Ronnie Lott personally signed by Ronnie Lott.

The Board of Directors of the Pacific Club Impact Foundation is honored to inform you about the prestigious collegiate football award - The Lott Trophy.

This trophy is unique because it represents the first award to give equal weight to personal character as well as athletic performance.

The Lott Trophy is named for the two-time All-American and College Football Hall of Fame player who went on to win four Super Bowl rings, ten trips to the Pro Bowl and a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Always known as a fierce competitor he was a leader both on the field and off. Away from football this now soft spoken man has given his time and money to a number of charitable foundations. Ronnie Lott is a true champion and an exemplary leader. He was a gifted player and is a very special individual who demonstrates the best this country has to offer.

This trophy honor’s the nation’s most outstanding collegiate defensive football player who demonstrates the IMPACT of a Ronnie Lott both on and off the field. Since this award is equally weighted to reflect the recipient’s athletic performance as well as other aspects of his character off the field, it sends a clear message to today’s collegiate athletes regarding their personal character and off the field behavior.

This national award is presented annually in mid December at The Pacific Club in Newport Beach, CA during a gala black tie affair. The Pacific Club Impact Foundation is a non profit charitable foundation organized to benefit the youth of the country.

Please consider supporting this noble cause as a Sponsor since becoming a sponsor sends an important message to college athletes that character and integrity counts. On behalf of the entire Board of Directors we would like to thank you in advance for your aid in providing the help necessary to help us find and recognize someone who represents the best qualities in the young men of this country.

If you would like to make a contribution directly to The Lott Trophy please follow the donations link below and make a donation using your Paypal account or major credit card.

$450,000 has been donated since 2004 to scholarships and charities.

Click here for a map, or to get directions from your location.
From Los Angeles

405 Freeway South, exit MacArthur Boulevard turn Left (South) to Von Karman Avenue; turn left, first driveway you come to turn left through toll gates. The Pacific Club is on the right - two white buildings sit on a lake.

From San Diego

405 Freeway North, exit MacArthur Boulevard go South to Von Karman Avenue; turn left, first driveway you come to turn left through toll gates. The Pacific Club is on the right - two white buildings on a lake.

The Pacific Club

Contact: Karen Ringer
karen@pacificclub.org
949-955-1123
Pacific Club Impact Foundation
4110 MacArthur Blvd.
Newport Beach, CA
92660

Founded in 1981, The Pacific Club is an establishment devoted to serving the business, social, and leisure interests of its Members in an environment noted for comfort and elegance.

The Pacific Club was conceptualized in 1981 and has been in operation since 1983. The Club was designed for Orange County’s business elite.

Within a luxurious setting, the character of The Pacific Clubs founding trustees is promoted. We proudly provide uncompromising services, excellent food, and a forum for social engagements for Club Members and their invited guests.

For memorable daily dining, personal fitness, indulging spa services, important business gatherings, and special events, The Pacific Club is a reflection of Orange County, Californias distinctive, professional leadership, and leisure lifestyle. Click here to visit the Pacific Club web site, or Tour the Pacific Club.

The Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation®

It is the mission of the Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation to recognize and support national and local charities serving America''s youth.

The Foundation will raise money for those charitable purposes from events associated with awarding of The Lott Trophy to the Defensive IMPACT Player of the Year.

The Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation provides an IMPACT award to individuals who demonstrate excellence in the field of athletics. The IMPACT award recognizes college football's Defensive Player of the Year who best exemplifies Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community and Tenacity.

The Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation is a California Non-Profit Corporation. (Federal Tax ID #20-1508538, 501(C) 3 )

Peter Arbogast

Steve Atwater

Joe Barry

Harris Barton

John Brodie

Dick Butkus

Chuck Cecil

Sam Cunningham

Jack Del Rio

Chris Doleman

Vince Ferragamo

Rob Fukuzaki

Roy Garibaldi

Mike Giddings

Jerry Gray

Kevin Greene

Rosey Grier

John Hall

Phil Hansen

Steve Hartman

John Holecek

Marlin McKeever

Tom Holmoe

Jim Jeffcoat

Brent Jones

Henry Jones

Chuck Knox

Willie Lanier

Howie Long

Mark May

Matt Millen

Tory Nixon

Ken Norton, Jr.

Kenneth O’Brien

Merlin Olsen

Rodney Peete

Clancy Pendergast

Gary Plummer

Rich Saul

John Seymour

Lynn Swann

Keena Turner

Ronnie Lott

John Hamilton, Chairman

Mike Salmon, Vice Chairman

Robert Cristiano, President

Bonner Paddock, Secretary

Thomas Brown, Treasurer

Kermit Alexander

Marcus Allen

Steve Bisheff

Jeff Bitetti

Ted Broedlow

Mark Carrier

Vic Cegles

Terry Donahue

Pete Donovan

Ann Meyers Drysdale

Dick Enberg

Mike Garrett

Joe Gatto

Craig Gibson

Frank Gifford

Michael Gordon

Dan Guerrero

Pat Haden

Robert Hoff

Jeremy Hogue

Ed Hookstratten

Darrell Hoover

Charles Hurst

William Junkin

Jack Kemp

Dennis Kuhl

Joe Montana

Steve Paulin

Kirk Reynolds

Karen Ringer

John Robinson

Larry Stewart

Rocky Tarantello

Joe Tavarez

Peter Ueberroth

Mike White

The Lott Trophy was designed and created in cast bronze by award winning sculptress, Michelle Armitage, and presented to The Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation courtesy of Steve Luczo.

The key criteria for selection will be the player's IMPACT on the field and off as measured by the following criteria:

Integrity: Illustrated by his courage, honesty, strength of character and respect of his teammates.

Maturity: Exhibited by his leadership skills, sense of responsibility, wisdom displayed and the consistency of good judgment.

Performance: Measured by his athletic performance, his effect on the team and his ability to influence the game and its outcome.

Academics: Demonstrated by his achievements in the pursuit of academic excellence.

Community: Evidenced by his commitment of time and resources to community needs.

Tenacity: Established by his resolve, persistence, drive and determination to overcome adversity in the pursuit of goals.

by Bill Walsh

Every football coach,indeed every coach in any sport, looks for players who can make an impact. They are the rarest of athletes, the ones who truly make a difference. The ones who always seem to rise to the occasion, the ones who can be counted on, the ones who drive your teams to play to their maximum ability.

A player can have an impact on his team in a multitude of ways. On the field of play, the impact player simply changes the course of the game. He makes plays. And often times the plays come at crucial time sin the contest. Impact players are fearless and almost always want to make the play when the game is on the line. He can do it on offense by throwing the critical pass or by making a big first down. He can do it on special teams with a clutch field goal or a long kick return. And he can do it on defense by making a touch-down-saving tackle or a momentum-stopping sack.

Off the field, the player can also make an impact. Leadership skills come to my mind immediately. There are vocal leaders, ones who encourage teammates and chide the laggards into following the pack. There are quiet leaders who lead by example, hard play and diligent work ethic.

Players can also have an impact on the team as to how they prepare for the game, how they interact with their teammates, how they listen to and respect their coaches.

When you find players who combine all these traits, you have found a champion.

I was fortunate enough to coach Ronnie Lott with the San Francisco 49ers. He was one of the few who embodied all of the characteristics of an impact player.

Ronnie made so many big plays for us in San Francisco, it would take several volumes to chronicle them all. I remember, as I know my good friend John Robinson does‚ a play-off game against the Rams when they were driving deep into our territory and Flipper Anderson was wide open over the middle. It sure looked like it would be a Ram touchdown until Ronnie flew across the field, deflected the pass and we went on to win. It was Ronnie Lott at his finest. Making an impact on the game.

That's what makes this award so special for me. Ronnie was an impact player in football and is an impact person in life. We all know Ronnie as one of the greatest defensive players in the history of football, but it's wonderful to recognize his impact and to reward the young student-athletes who have followed in Ronnie's footsteps.

Ronnie is a joy to be around, an inspiration on a daily basis and a gift as a friend. An impact person in every way.

Registered members vote & view your pick for the next Lott Trophy Winner

{exp:eepoll poll_id="1"} {poll} {/exp:eepoll} *Final selection of candidate will be made by IMPACT Foundation voting members.

Legendary high school coach and car wash manager Ricky Jimmy recalls the best, second best, and third best players to ever play for him or serve nachos.

Click here to view the top 5 impact players of the week.

The Lott Trophy was established by The Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation to honor college football's Defensive IMPACT Player of the Year.

The award is unique because it represents the first trophy to give equal weight to personal character as well as athletic performance from a defensive college player and is the first national college football award based on the West Coast.

The Lott Trophy was named in honor of Ronnie Lott - a two time All -American for USC and College Football Hall of Fame inductee. Ronnie Lott went on to win four Super Bowl rings with the San Francisco 49ers, ten trips to the Pro Bowl and a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Always known as a fierce competitor, he was a leader who had IMPACT both on and off the field.

The Pacific Club Impact Foundation provides an IMPACT award to individuals who demonstrate excellence in the field of athletics. The IMPACT award recognizes college football's Defensive Player of the Year who best exemplifies Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community and Tenacity.

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