........... Alabama offensive tackle Barrett Jones was named the 66th winner of the Outland Trophy and on Thursday night, January 12th in Omaha Nebraska he becomes the third Crimson Tide player to win the award and second in the last four seasons. . . Jones, a 6-5, 311-pound junior from Memphis, Tenn., follows previous Outland Trophy winners from Alabama, offensive tackles Chris Samuels (1999) and Andre Smith (2008). In 2011, Jones was one of the most versatile and productive linemen in the game. He has started 10 games at left tackle, but has also played right tackle, center and left guard. The only interior offensive line position he did not play in 2011 for the Crimson was right guard. Before this season, he had started 25 games at the position during the 2009 and '10 seasons. . . . "It was kind of fun, it was definitely a challenge," Jones said. "I watched a lot of film. Playing all those positions gave me a greater understanding of the schemes and concepts of the entire offensive line. It helped me understand the big picture better." . . . Jones spearheads the blocking effort for Heisman Trophy finalist running back Trent Richardson, who led the Southeastern Conference with 1,583 yards rushing and 23 total touchdowns. During his career, Jones has blocked for 25 individual 100-yard rushing performances, including nine this season. . . . In 2011, Jones allowed just three sacks all season at left tackle, despite routinely facing the opposing team's top pass rusher. Jones has faced seven of the nation's top 51 defenses and has graded out at 87 percent, including 100 percent in four games. He has registered 20 "pancake" blocks this season. Jones was a semifinalist for the Lombardi Award ... consensus midseason All-American by ESPN.com, SI.com, CBSsports.com, Sporting News and Phil Steele ... earned SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week honors following the Arkansas win ... a two-time Offensive Player of the Week by the Alabama coaching staff ... received the Jerry Duncan “I Like Practice” award after spring training in 2009. In 2010, Jones was awarded the Derrick Thomas Community Service award after he spent his spring break helping earthquake victims in Haiti. . . . In the 2009 season, Jones had recovered 100 percent from his injury in the previous season. He became one of three new additions to the starting offensive line. He replaced Marlon Davis at the right guard position. He started in all fourteen games for the Tide, helping Alabama amass 403 yards of total offense per game. . . . Jones received his first start against Virginia Tech. He had a part in an outstanding offensive season for the Tide. He blocked for Trent Richardson and Mark Ingram, both would receive awards throughout the season including the SEC Offensive Player of the Week and the Heisman trophy. . . . Jones was redshirted his freshman year at the Capstone. He played in three games before a shoulder injury ended his season. He competed in the Western Kentucky game, as well as two SEC games at Arkansas and against Kentucky. He was able to receive a medical redshirt. . . . Jones came to Alabama in 2008 after playing high school football at Evangelical Christian. In 2007 he was listed as a U.S. Army All-American. He was also listed as the No.1 player in Tennessee and the No. 20 offensive lineman nationally by SuperPrep.

2011 Outland Trophy Finalists DeCastro, a 6-5, 310-pound junior from Bellevue, Wash., is one of the top run blockers in college football for Stanford (10-1), which ranks 22nd in the country in rushing offense (209.0 yards per game), 24th in passing (276.6 yards per game) and 10th in total offense (485.6 yards per game). Considered the vocal leader of the offensive line, DeCastro, a three-year starter, is able to dominate the line and get to linebackers as well as protect standout quarterback Andrew Luck. In matchup with Washington's mammoth defensive tackle Alameda Ta'amu, Castro dominated in a 65-21 Stanford victory.            ************************************************       Still, a 6-5, 310-pound senior from Wilmington, Del., has led a Penn State defense that ranks third nationally in points against (13.0 per game), trailing only Alabama and LSU. The Nittany Lions' defense is eighth nationally in yards allowed per game (287.3). Still has been Penn State's defensive leader and is tied for 11th in the country in tackles for loss (16.5 for 75 yards), of which four of those are sacks for 34 yards in losses. He has one pass breakup and one forced fumble. He has 53 total tackles (25 assisted) for a 9-2 team that is playing for a berth in the Big Ten Championship Game this weekend. He's is a two-year starter who has overcome injuries that hampered him early in his college career.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2010 Outland Trophy Finalists

     DALLAS _Colorado's   Nate Solder and Florida State's Rodney Hudson were announced as two of the three finalists for the Outland Trophy by the Football Writers Association of America.   

 

   Solder CU's starting left tackle, he is CU's most decorated in the preseason since 2006 (PK Mason Crosby).  His top honor was being named to the prestigious Playboy Preseason All-America team; he also earned first-team honors from The Kickoff and Consensus Draft Services, second-team mention from Lindy's Big 12 Football and Phil Steele's College Football, and third-team from Athlon and CFI.  A unanimous preseason All-Big 12 selection, he is also one of 63 players on the watch list for the Outland Trophy and one of 75 for the Lombardi Award.  Rivals.com ranked him as the No. 72 player overall (all positions) in the nation, while Lindy's rated him as the No. 3 offensive tackle, with Phil Steele tabbing him No. 7 on that same list.   ESPN.com ranked him as the No. 5 "freak" in the nation as far as conditioning is concerned; with less than 7 percent body fat on his frame, he power-cleans 415 pounds (for three reps), hang-cleans 473 (also three reps), owns a 4.88 time in the 40 and a 32-inch vertical jump.  Those numbers helped him earn the team's Iron Buffalo Award for the second straight year for all offensive linemen.  He was also a co-recipient of the Greg Biekert Award for attention to detail.  

 

 

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      Hudson a consensus preseason All-American and candidate for the Lombardi Award and Outland Trophy, Hudson is on the cusp of becoming one of the most decorated linemen in FSU history from his left guard position. Is poised to become the first offensive lineman in league history to earn All-ACC honors four times. Earned the Hinesman Award as the most dominant performer at the conclusion of spring practice and was also honored with the Matt Schmauch academic award.

 

       The Outland Trophy, which has been awarded annually by the FWAA since 1946, is named after the late John Outland, a lineman at Pennsylvania at the turn of the century. The Outland Trophy is the third oldest award in major college football behind the Heisman Trophy and Maxwell Award.   The official 2010 award presentation will be Jan. 13, 2010, in Omaha, Nebraska at a banquet sponsored by the Greater Omaha Sports Committee. A Past Winner of, the Outland Trophy, will also receive his trophy there.