2011 Lott IMPACT Trophy Watch List Announced

NEWPORT BEACH, Ca. – The 2011 Lott IMPACT Trophy Watch List, honoring the top collegiate defensive player in the country, was announced today at a luncheon hosted by Ronnie Lott and the Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation.  

 

          This is the eighth year that the IMPACT Foundation has recognized the student-athletes throughout the nation who have had the biggest IMPACT on their teams both on and off the field.  IMPACT is an acronym for Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community and Tenacity, characteristics that Ronnie Lott exhibited throughout his brilliant Hall of Fame career at both USC and in the National Football League.  

 

          The 2011 list of 42 (Lott’s uniform number) includes 19 defensive backs, 14 linebackers and nine defensive linemen.  There are 11 players from the ACC, eight from the SEC, seven from the Big Ten, six from the Pac-10, six from the Big 12, one from the Big East, one from the Mountain West, one from the Western Athletic Conference and one from Notre Dame.

 

          Eleven of the nominees received All-American honors a year ago and 10 were accorded academic honors in their respective conferences.  

 

          The Lott Trophy has now donated nearly $850,000 to charities since its inception in 2004, including $275,000 to 23 different universities.  The winners’ school receives $25,000 annually, each of the three runner-ups $5,000 and the Lott IMPACT Player of the Week $1,000.   

 

          A national voter panel, made up of more than 200 former collegiate stars, former college coaches, members of the media and both the Lott IMPACT Board of Directors and Board of Advisors, will select the four finalists who will be honored at the annual Lott IMPACT Trophy banquet Dec. 11 in Newport Beach. 

 

 

The 2011 Lott IMPACT Trophy Watch List

 

Emmanuel Acho, Texas, LB,

Ray-Ray Armstrong, Miami, DB

Mark Barron, Alabama, S

Jake Bequette, Arkansas, DL

Omar Bolden, Arizona State, CB

Nigel Bradham, Florida State, LB

Brodrick Brown, Oklahoma State, CB

Tank Carder, TCU, LB

Quinton Coples, North Carolina, DE

Jared Crick, Nebraska, DL

Lavonte David, Nebraska, LB

Matt Daniels, Duke, S

Tony Dye, UCLA, S

Stephon Gilmore, South Carolina, CB

Cliff Harris, Oregon, CB

Aaron Henry, Wisconsin, DB

Dont’a Hightower, Alabama, LB

Joe Holland, Purdue, LB

Jayron Hosley, Virginia Tech, CB

Delano Howell, Stanford, DB

Brandon Jenkins, Florida State, DE

Janois Jenkins, Florida, CB

Mychal Kendricks, Cal, LB

Jordan Kovacs, Michigan, S

Luke Kuechly, Boston College, LB

Travis Lewis, Oklahoma, LB

Chris Marve, Vanderbilt, LB

T.J. McDonald, USC, S

Matt Merletti, North Carolina, S

Chase Minnifield, Virginia, CB

Tyler Nielsen, Iowa, LB

Kendall Reyes, Connecticut, DT

John Simon, Ohio State, DT

Shayne Skov, Stanford, LB

Jacquies Smith, Missouri, DE

Sean Spence, Miami, LB

Kenny Tate, Maryland, S

Brandon Taylor, LSU, S

Manti Te’o, Notre Dame, LB

Prentiss Waggner, Tennessee, S

Billy Winn, Boise State, DE

Jerel Worthy, Michigan State, DT

 

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

          2009 – Jerry Hughes, TCU

          2010 – J.J. Watt, Wisconsin

 

 

Named after Pro Football Hall of Fame member, Ronnie Lott, The Lott Trophy is awarded to college football’s Defensive IMPACT Player of the Year. Founded in 2004 by The Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation, The Lott Trophy is the first and only college football award to equally recognize athletic performance and the personal character attributes of the player. The Lott Trophy is given to the player who exhibits the same characteristics Lott embodied during his distinguished career: Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community and Tenacity. Voters for the award include selected members of the national media, previous finalists, the Board of Directors of the Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation and the Legends Coaches which is a distinguished group of former college football head coaches. To date, the Foundation has donated more than $850,000 to various charities throughout the country.  The eighth annual Lott Trophy dinner will be held December 11th at The Pacific Club in Newport Beach, California. For more information on The Lott Trophy visit: www.LottTrophy.com.

 

FOX SPORTS TO TELEVISE INAUGURAL PAC-12 FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

Agreement includes media and sponsorship rights to 2011 Championship, 

plus additional football games on FSN

The Pac-10 Conference and FOX Sports have reached a one-year agreement for FOX to broadcast the inaugural Pac-12 Football Championship Game, and to market the corporate sponsorship for the game.  Additionally, as part of the deal, Fox Sports Net (FSN) increases its 2011-12 regular season telecast package with the conference by up to six football and 10 men’s basketball games, taking into account the additions of Colorado and Utah and expansion to 12 teams. 

"This is an historic time for the conference as we expand to the Pac-12 next season and we are thrilled to be working with FOX Sports and their award-winning production team," Pac-10 Commissioner Larry Scott said. "FOX has demonstrated its ability to drive new innovation into sports broadcasting and we look forward to seeing how they will help us take our Championship Game to the next level of interactive entertainment for our fans."

"FOX has enjoyed a successful and mutually beneficial relationship with the Pac-10 for many years," FOX Sports President Eric Shanks said.  "It's an honor to have the first-ever Pac-12 championship football game on FOX and available to the widest possible audience. We're excited to take our relationship with the Pac-12 to an entirely new level."

The Pac-12's first-ever football championship game is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, December 3, 2011 at the home stadium of the team with the best conference record, with kickoff planned at 3:30 p.m. ET.

FUTURE PAC-12 CONFERENCE FOOTBALL SCHEDULES ANNOUNCED

WALNUT CREEK, Calif.--The Pac-10 announced today the 2011 Pac-12 football schedule and the eight-year rotation model used for future scheduling.

The 2011 season begins on Saturday, September 3 and culminates Saturday, December 3, with the first-ever Pac-12 Championship game. That game will be played at the home site of the division champion with the best overall conference record.

The 2012 schedule will include the same set of opponents as the 2011 schedule, with games played at opposite sites. Dates of those games are to be determined.

“We are pleased to follow the announcement of the Pac-12 North-South divisional alignment with the release of our 2011 football schedule, and a future conference football scheduling model that maintains important traditional rivalries, and will create some very exciting match-ups in our new 12-team conference,” stated Commissioner Larry Scott.

2011 Pac-12 Football Schedule
Thurs., Sept. 1
Montana State at Utah

Sat., Sept. 3
Northern Arizona at Arizona
UC Davis at Arizona State
Minnesota at USC
UCLA at Houston
California (game to be scheduled)
San Jose State at Stanford
Oregon vs. LSU
Oregon State (game to be scheduled)
Eastern Washington at Washington
Idaho State at Washington State
Colorado at Hawaii

Sat., Sept. 10
Utah at USC
Arizona at Oklahoma State
Missouri at Arizona State
San Jose State at UCLA
California (game to be scheduled)
Stanford at Duke
Nevada at Oregon
Oregon State at Wisconsin
Hawaii at Washington
UNLV at Washington State
Colorado (game to be scheduled)

Sat., Sept. 17
Stanford at Arizona
Arizona State at Illinois
Syracuse at USC
Texas at UCLA
California (game to be scheduled)
Oregon (game to be scheduled)
Washington at Nebraska
Washington State at San Diego State
Colorado vs. Colorado State
Utah at BYU

Sat., Sept. 24
Oregon at Arizona
USC at Arizona State
UCLA at Oregon State
California at Washington
Colorado at Ohio State

Sat., Oct. 1
Arizona at USC
Oregon State at Arizona State
UCLA at Stanford
Washington at Utah
Washington State at Colorado

Thurs., Oct. 6
California at Oregon

Sat., Oct. 8
Arizona at Oregon State
Arizona State at Utah
Washington State at UCLA
Colorado at Stanford

Thurs., Oct. 13
USC at California

Sat., Oct. 15
Arizona State at Oregon
Stanford at Washington State
Colorado at Washington
BYU at Oregon State
Utah at Pittsburgh

Thurs., Oct. 20
UCLA at Arizona

Sat., Oct. 22
Utah at California
Washington at Stanford
Oregon at Colorado
Oregon State at Washington State
USC at Notre Dame

Sat., Oct. 29
Arizona at Washington
Colorado at Arizona State
Stanford at USC
California at UCLA
Washington State at Oregon
Oregon State at Utah

Sat., Nov. 5
Utah at Arizona
Arizona State at UCLA
USC at Colorado
Washington State at California
Stanford at Oregon State
Oregon at Washington

Sat., Nov. 12
Arizona at Colorado
Arizona State at Washington State
Washington at USC
UCLA at Utah
Oregon State at California
Oregon at Stanford

Sat., Nov. 19
Arizona at Arizona State
USC at Oregon
Colorado at UCLA
California at Stanford
Washington at Oregon State
Utah at Washington State

Sat., Nov. 26
California at Arizona State
UCLA at USC
Oregon State at Oregon
Washington State at Washington
Colorado at Utah
Louisiana-Lafayette at Arizona
Notre Dame at Stanford

Sat., Dec. 3
Pac-12 Championship Game

PAC 12 Announces Conference Division Alignments

--New Policies Established for Revenue Sharing, Football Divisional Structure, Football Championship Game and Schedules for all other Sports--

SAN FRANCISCO, CA (October 21, 2010) - The Pac-12 Conference took major steps to transform itself into a dynamic new enterprise by forming two football divisions that maintain traditional rivalries, creating the first-ever Pac-12 football championship game, establishing schedule models for all other sports and agreeing to move to an equal revenue sharing plan for the !rst time in conference history, it was announced today.

The Chancellors and Presidents of the 12 member institutions voted to create a new North-South division structure that allows the conference to continue to play its traditional rivalry games, including the long-standing annual games among the California schools, delivers a football championship game to the home !eld of the top team in the conference standings and is easy for fans to follow.

“Our key objective was to transform the Pac-10 to a modern 12-team conference that has long term strength, increased value, competitive balance and is fan friendly and we have done that with these monumental decisions today,” Commissioner Larry Scott said. “By unanimously adopting a plan for equal revenue sharing we have created a conference with a strong foundation for long term success. It’s an exciting day for the Pac-12 and all of our fans.”

“This has been a very thorough process that created a lot of discussion and has delivered results that we are all very excited about,” said Michael Crow, President of Arizona State University and Chairman of the Pac-10 CEO Group. “The engagement we have received from all 12 member institutions and their Presidents and Chancellors has been tremendous. We have an ambitious plan for the future of our conference and all of that input was vital in allowing us to take these transformational steps.”

The new divisions will feature California, Oregon, Oregon State, Stanford, Washington and Washington
State in the North and Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, UCLA, USC, and Utah in the South. Each school will play !ve divisional games, and four cross-divisional games each year. To preserve all of the historic rivalries, including those among the California schools, the new scheduling format locks in annual inter-divisional games between the Northern and Southern California teams, that date back to the 1930s.

The traditional rivalries like Oregon-Oregon State (113 meetings), Cal-Stanford (112), Washington-
Washington State (102), Arizona-Arizona State (83) and UCLA-USC (79) will continue to be played at the end of each season. Not to be lost, USC has played Stanford (98 times) and Cal (89) more than it has faced cross town rival UCLA (79). Meanwhile USC, Cal and Stanford tie as UCLA’s most frequent opponent at 79 meetings apiece. The divisions were formed based on the combination of rivalries, location and competitive balance.

“Not only did we achieve a competitive balance in our divisions, but we were also able to preserve our traditional rivalries as cornerstones of our conference,” Scott said. “These great annual battles have produced some of the most memorable moments in sports history. It was imperative that we kept them in tact.”

The inaugural Pac-12 Championship game will be played in December 2011 at the home stadium of the team with the best overall conference record, ensuring a full stadium and an electric collegiate atmosphere be!tting of a major conference championship game.

There will not be divisions for Pac-12 basketball or any other sports. In men’s and women’s basketball, the teams will play an 18-game conference schedule that will include home and home games with traditional rivals, six rotating home and homes and single play games against the remaining four teams in the Conference.

UCLA Will Wear New Jersey At Oregon On Oct. 21

UCLA and adidas unveiled their new TECHFIT compression football jerseys Monday. Featuring a ground-breaking compression fit and weighing 30 percent lighter than standard football jerseys, the adidas TECHFIT jersey will help players be lighter and faster on the field.

The UCLA Bruins will wear the new adidas TECHFIT jerseys on Thursday, Oct. 21 as they visit Oregon at 6 pm PT on ESPN.

"adidas and UCLA have had a great relationship for over a decade and we are excited about this new, cutting-edge product adidas has produced for our players," said UCLA Head Coach Rick Neuheisel. "The new jersey has a compression fit and is harder for our opponents to grab. It will also keep our players cool, thanks to the material and ventilation system, and it has a great look to it. Some of the players had a chance to sample it and we are excited to wear them for the first time at Oregon on Oct. 21."

UCLA, adidas Announce New Football Jersey

PAC-10 REPRIMANDS OREGON FOOTBALL COACH

WALNUT CREEK, Calif.--University of Oregon head football coach Chip Kelly has been reprimanded by the Pac-10 Conference for comments he made about the officiating at last Saturday’s game against Stanford, Commissioner Larry Scott announced today. Kelly’s comments were aired on ABC as part of a half-time interview conducted by Erin Andrews.

“The Pac-10 has specific rules that prohibit our coaches from making public comments about officiating, and this prohibition specifically includes comments that create doubts about the credibility of the Conference’s officiating program,” stated Scott. “The Conference expects each Pac-10 coach to adhere to our standards of conduct and to conduct himself or herself in a manner which will reflect credit on the institution and the Conference.”

USC and L.A. Sports Council Team Up On 'Touchdown For Youth'

LOS ANGELES (September 22, 2010) –- Once again, USC and the L.A. Sports Council Foundation are teaming up on “Touchdown For Youth,” an annual program that allows thousands of economically disadvantaged kids from the area to attend a Trojans home football game each year.

For each $30 tax-deductible contribution from an individual or corporation, one child will be provided a ticket to the game plus refreshments.

This year’s edition of “Touchdown For Youth” is the game vs. Arizona State at the Coliseum on Saturday, November 6.

Anyone interested in supporting “Touchdown For Youth” should call (213) 482-6333.

Now in its 18th year, the program is run jointly by USC and the L.A. Sports Council Foundation. USC distributes the tickets to youth charities affiliated with the university’s athletic department.

“‘Touchdown For Youth’ can provide a special experience to young people who may never have been on a campus or inside the Coliseum, perhaps inspiring them to one day pursue a college education,” said USC Athletic Director Pat Haden. “Hopefully, we’ll have a great turnout and the kids will help cheer on the Trojans to a win.”

Sheldon I. Ausman is the founder of “Touchdown For Youth,” inaugurated at the 1993 Super Bowl, played at the Rose Bowl. Ausman, Director of Client Services for Gumbiner Savett Inc., is a member of the L.A. Sports Council Foundation board of directors.

Thanks to the strong support of our local business community, 2,000 youngsters attended last season’s “Touchdown For Youth” game (USC vs. San Jose State). Over the life of the program, over 40,000 youths have been able to enjoy Los Angeles-area collegiate and professional football games.


The Los Angeles Sports Council is a private, nonprofit organization that encourages economic and community development through the promotion of spectator sports programs in the Los Angeles and Orange County area, including support of our local teams and the attraction of events to the area.

Larry Scott Is On A Mission To Turn Around PAC-10

I had the chance to once again visit with PAC-10 Commissioner Larry Scott this past weekend during the Colorado/Cal football game in Berkeley.  Since he replaced legendary commissioner Tom Hansen a year ago, I have spoken to Scott on a handful occasions—both on and off the air.  From the very beginning, I sensed that he had two clear missions for the conference going forward: to be bigger and better.

It was no secret that Scott’s number one goal for the PAC-10 was to expand the conference by a minimum of two teams so the conference could have the always highly profitable conference championship game (expect an announcement on future division alignments by the end of October).  The implementation of this post-season showcase has led to an influx of hundreds of millions of dollars for the ACC, Big East, Big 12 and SEC over the last few seasons.  What’s good for the goose is good for the gander, right?

foxsportswest.com: Larry Scott Is On A Mission To Turn Around PAC-10

PAC-10 Unveils New Brand and Digital Media Initiatives

--Football Coaches Join Commissioner Scott In New York, L.A. To Usher in New Era--

NEW YORK - At the launch of its first-ever bicoastal Media Tour, Commissioner Larry Scott today unveiled a series of new initiatives designed to reflect an increasingly fan-friendly, innovative future for the Conference of Champions. In addition to presenting the new Pac-10 logo and the most comprehensive branding effort in the history of the Conference, fans were able to experience a new digital initiative which includes streaming video and a new Pac-10.org website with original content.

These initiatives enable the Pac-10 to tell its story more effectively and leverage technology to engage an enlarging fan base as the University of Colorado and the University of Utah prepare to join the Conference. Scott confirmed that the Conference name will officially migrate to Pac-12 once the Buffaloes and Utes actually begin their membership. The new branding and logo already reflect this geographical expansion, depicting the beauty and energy of the West, from the mountains to the ocean, an expanded territory that will include seven of the nation’s top 35 media markets.

The announcements came as the Conference and its current 10 head football coaches were conducting a series of media events, for the first time taking place on both East and West Coasts. The events began with today’s announcements in New York City and will culminate with the annual Pac-10 Media Day in California, which for the first time will be held on the field of the historic Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, Calif. The Rose Bowl portion of the media tour will be streamed live on the internet.

Introducing the initiatives at a New York press conference today, Scott said, “With our universities and students on the cutting edge of innovation and digital media in their research, studies and daily lives, we think it’s appropriate that the Pac-10 lead the way in using these new media and technologies to more effectively bring our competition and stories to our fans.”

While the new website will retain all the things fans have come to expect – schedules, scores, standings – it will now offer video highlights, streaming video, blogs, and other state-of-the-art features. As part of the Conference’s digital initiative, fans and media will also be able to follow this week’s media tour via Twitter (@Pac10), Facebook (www.facebook.com/Pac10) and Flickr.

After the press conference, the league’s 10 head football coaches – Arizona’s Mike Stoops, Arizona State’s Dennis Erickson, California’s Jeff Tedford, Oregon’s Chip Kelly, Oregon State’s Mike Riley, Stanford’s Jim Harbaugh, UCLA’s Rick Neuheisel, USC’s Lane Kiffin, Washington’s Steve Sarkisian and Washington State’s Paul Wulff – had the opportunity to speak one-on-one with key national media.

On Wednesday morning, the coaches and Commissioner Scott begin the day ringing NASDAQ’s opening bell as a new Pac-10 movie trailer runs all week on News Corp’s giant electronic television in the heart of New York City’s Times Square. The live stream of the NASDAQ opening ceremony will be available at the link: www.nasdaq.com/about/marketsitetowervideo.asx.

The group will then travel to Bristol, Conn., to provide interviews and shoot videos at ESPN headquarters.

The three-day tour culminates Thursday, July 29, with the annual media day in Pasadena. The 10 coaches and one student-athlete from each institution will answer questions from the media. The Media Tour caps off with a Hollywood premiere of the new Pac-10 for over 200 guests hosted by the Fox Broadcasting Company on their studio lot.

- www.pac-10.org -

USC Files Appeal to NCAA Ruling; Seeks to Overturn Some Findings and Penalties

--USC Accepts Part of Sanctions; Will Implement Post-Season Ban for 2010 Football Season--


The University of Southern California today filed an appeal with the NCAA asking that its Infractions Appeals Committee overturn certain findings of the Committee on Infractions and reduce some of the penalties recently imposed.

Pending the appeal consideration, USC will implement the post-season ban for the 2010 football season and certain scholarship-related penalties in football.  The University noted that it is pleased that the NCAA determined that USC’s self-imposed penalties on men’s basketball and women’s tennis were sufficient.

“The University recognizes that violations of NCAA rules did occur, especially involving impermissible benefits going to student athletes as well as their friends and families, from unscrupulous sports agents and sports marketers.  And we take full responsibility for those violations given that they happened on our watch.  However, we disagree with many of the findings in the report from the NCAA Committee on Infractions and assert that the penalties imposed are too severe for the violations identified and are inconsistent with precedent in similar cases,” said Todd Dickey, USC’s senior vice president for administration.

USC's appeal specifically asks that the two-year postseason ban in football be reduced to a one-year ban, and that the scholarship penalties in football for the 2011-12, 2012-13, and 2013-14 academic years be reduced to five rather than 10 each year.  "We are hopeful that the NCAA Infractions Appeals Committee will agree with our position on appeal, and reduce the penalties,” said Dickey.




    

USC to Appeal NCAA Ruling; Penalties Too Severe for Infractions Alleged

--USC Says Some Violations Occurred, Accepts Some Sanctions--

Los Angeles, CA – June 10, 2010 -- The University of Southern California today announced that, after reviewing the NCAA Committee on Infractions report, it will accept some of the penalties imposed by the Committee and it will appeal those penalties it believes are excessive. 

The university noted that it is pleased that the NCAA determined that USC’s self-imposed penalties on men’s basketball and women’s tennis were sufficient, and that the NCAA imposed no further sanctions.

“We acknowledge that violations occurred and we take full responsibility for them.  However, we sharply disagree with many of the findings in the NCAA Committee on Infractions Report.  Further, we feel the penalties imposed are too severe for the violations identified in the report,” said Todd Dickey, USC’s senior vice president for administration.

Dickey added, “We will accept those sanctions we believe to be consistent with penalties imposed upon other NCAA member institutions found guilty of similar rules infractions. We are hopeful that the NCAA Infractions Appeals Committee will agree with our position on appeal, and reduce the penalties.”

“There is a systemic problem facing college athletes today: unscrupulous sports agents and sports marketers,” Dickey stated.  “The question is how do we identify them and keep them away from our student-athletes?   To provide us with recommendations about the best way to protect our student-athletes and their families from those who seek to violate the rules, we have retained the Freeh Group, headed by former federal judge and ex-FBI director Louis Freeh.

“Our success in athletics and the outstanding individuals we recruit make our student-athletes an attractive target for those seeking to take unfair advantage of them,” Dickey stated.  “We cannot and will not tolerate this.  Our program must set the highest standards in the country. USC deserves that and our 640 student-athletes deserve that.”

Dickey said that USC will not comment about specific elements of its position while it is in the appeals process.

###

For a special message to the Trojan Family from USC President Steven B. Sample, please visit: http://www.usc.edu

For an online video message regarding USC's response to the NCAA ruling, please visit:  http://www.usctrojans.com

Former UCLA & USC Standouts Headline Hall Of Fame Class

When you talk college football here in LA, there's a pretty good chance you will spark an argument, uh I mean, debate regarding UCLA vs. USC.  As successful as both programs have been through the years, you could make the argument that neither would be as good without the other, and that also applies to the coaches and players who have opposed each other over the last several decades.


Thus, it's only fitting that when the College Football Hall of Fame class of 2010 was announced Thursday, it included both a former Bruin and Trojan.




foxsportswest.com: Cross, Cunningham Elected To College Football Hall of Fame

PAC-10 EARLY 2010 FOOTBALL TELEVISION SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED

--FOX SPORTS NET, ESPN AND ABC TO AIR PAC-10 FOOTBALL--


WALNUT CREEK, Calif.--Pacific-10 Conference television partners  Fox Sports Net, ESPN/ABC and Versus will combine to provide extensive coverage of Pac-10 football in 2010.  ESPN and ABC will combine to televise 20 games from Pac-10 sites, while FSN will air 11 games and Versus seven to a national cable audience.  In addition, many non-conference road games involving Pac-10 teams will be aired over various television outlets.  In addition to the Conference television packages, individual schools at times may present games on local over-the-air or cable entities.  Some of the games to be televised are selected prior to the season, others will be selected as the season progresses with picks made either six or 12 days prior to the games.  Following are games involving Pac-10 teams that have been selected for television as of May 11, 2010.  Additional telecast selections will be announced on June 1, 2010.



Day/Date Time (PT) Game TV
Thu., Sep. 2 8:00 p.m. USC at Hawai’i ESPN

Fri., Sep. 3 5:00 p.m. Arizona at Toledo ESPN

Sat., Sep. 4 12:30 p.m. UCLA at Kansas State ABC
4:00 p.m. Washington at BYU CBS College Sports
4:45 p.m. Oregon State vs. TCU ESPN

Sat., Sep. 11 12:30 p.m. Colorado at California FSN
4:00 p.m. Oregon at Tennessee ESPN2
7:30 p.m. Stanford at UCLA ESPN
7:30 p.m. Virginia at USC FSN

Fri., Sep. 17 7:00 p.m. California at Nevada ESPN2

Sat., Sep. 18 12:30 p.m. Nebraska at Washington ABC
12:30 p.m. Arizona State at Wisconsin ABC/ESPN2
12:30 p.m. USC at Minnesota ESPN
12:30 p.m. Washington State at SMU CBS College Sports
7:30 p.m. Iowa at Arizona ESPN
7:30 p.m. Houston at UCLA FSN
8:15 p.m. Wake Forest at Stanford ESPN2

Sat., Sep. 25 12:30 p.m. Stanford at Notre Dame NBC
7:30 p.m. Oregon at Arizona State FSN
TBA Oregon State at Boise State ABC, ESPN or ESPN2
TBA UCLA at Texas ABC

Sat., Oct. 2 5:00 p.m. Washington at USC ABC, ESPN or ESPN2
8:15 p.m. Stanford at Oregon ESPN

Sat., Oct. 9 5:00 p.m. USC at Stanford ABC

Sat., Oct. 16 12:30 p.m. California at USC FSN
7:15 p.m. TBA ESPN

Thu., Oct. 21 6:00 p.m. UCLA at Oregon ESPN

Sat., Oct. 23 12:30 p.m. TBA ABC

Sat., Oct. 30 5:00 p.m. Oregon at USC ABC

Sat., Nov. 6 12:30 p.m. TBA ABC
7:15 p.m. TBA ESPN

Sat., Nov. 13 5:00 p.m. USC at Arizona ABC


Thu., Nov. 18 5:00 p.m. UCLA at Washington ESPN

Sat., Nov. 20 12:30 p.m. Stanford at California FSN
5:00 p.m. USC at Oregon State ABC, ESPN or ESPN2

Fri., Nov. 26 12:30 p.m. UCLA at Arizona State FSN
4:00 p.m. Arizona at Oregon ESPN

Sat., Nov. 27 5:00 p.m. Notre Dame at USC ABC, ESPN or ESPN2

Thu., Dec. 2 5:00 p.m. Arizona State at Arizona ESPN

Sat., Dec. 4 12:30 p.m. TBA ABC

LOTT TROPHY NAMES 2010 WATCH LIST

Newport Beach, Ca. – The Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation has announced the 2010 Watch List for the seventh annual Lott Trophy. 

One spends summers on medical missions in Africa; one was diagnosed with a brain tumor in high school; another is coming back from cancer.

One led the country in sacks last season, another in interceptions.

They are just five of the 42 selected to the 2010 Lott Trophy Watch List, a cross-section of the finest student-athletes on the college football landscape.

Sam Acho of Texas (missions), Robert Quinn of North Carolina (high school tumor) and Mark Herzlich (cancer survivor) of Boston College have unique stories off the field, but like the other nominees they are outstanding performers on it, making them ideal candidates for the seventh annual Lott Trophy.

Von Miller (sack leader) of Texas A&M and Rahim Moore (interception leader) of UCLA are back, looking to be leaders once again.

The 2010 Lott Trophy Watch List was announced at a luncheon in Newport Beach by Ronnie Lott. 

As a group, the 42 intercepted 81 passes last season and sacked opposing quarterbacks 185 times.

Thirty-six different schools are represented on the annual Lott Watch List with six schools -- UCLA, North Carolina, Ohio State, Oregon, LSU and Virginia Tech -- each having two candidates.

“This is a superb list of young men,” said Ronnie Lott, announcing the Watch List at a luncheon in Newport Beach.  “We at the Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation are always pleased to see the accomplishments of such outstanding student-athletes, all of whom are worthy of consideration for the Lott Trophy.”

Sponsored by The Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation in Newport Beach, Ca., the award is given to a player who exhibit’s the same characteristics Lott embodied during his distinguished career: Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community and Tenacity. 

Voters for the award include selected members of the national media, previous finalists, members of the Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation Board of Directors and distinguished alumni of various schools around the nation.

The winner, who will be announced at the annual black-tie gala in December, receives $25,000 for his school’s general scholarship fund.  Three runner-ups each receive $5,000. 

        The previous winners of the Lott Trophy:

        2004 - David Pollack, Georgia

        2005 - DeMeco Ryans, Alabama

        2006 - Dante Hughes, Cal

        2007 - Glenn Dorsey, LSU

        2008 - James Laurinaitis, Ohio State

        2009 - Jerry Hughes, TCU

In six years, the IMPACT Foundation has now donated more than $750,000 to various charities. 


View the entire 2010 Lott Trophy Watch List at www.thelotttrophy.com.

Time Will Tell If Kiffin Is The Right Move

To say that USC's hiring of Lane Kiffin came as a surprise would be like saying the school's tuition fees can be a bit pricey.  This move didn't just come out of left field, it came right out of nowhere according to the some Trojan players I spoke to shortly after USC announced the news.
 
Although there are obvious reasons why Kiffin might be considered for the job (i.e. the six years he spent there as an assistant coach under Pete Carroll), there are many who will question the move.


foxsportswest.com: Time Will Tell If Kiffin Is The Right Move 

LOTT TROPHY NAMES EIGHT SEMI-FINALISTS

Newport Beach, Ca. – The Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation has announced the eight semi-finalists for the 2009 Lott Trophy.

The list includes two safeties, two defensive tackles, one linebacker and three defensive ends.

The eight semi-finalists are: Safety Eric Berry of Tennessee (a semi-finalist last year), Safety Taylor Mays of USC, Defensive Tackle Ndaumkong Suh of Nebraska, Defensive Tackle Gerald McCoy of Oklahoma, Linebacker Rolando McClain of Alabama, Defensive End Sam Acho of Texas, Defensive End Jerry Hughes of TCU and Defensive End Eric Norwood of South Carolina.

Ballots will be sent to over 300 members of the Lott Trophy National Voter Panel, a list that includes Hall of Fame coaches and players, select members of the media and distinguished business leaders throughout the country.

The four finalists will be announced Nov. 24 and they will travel to the sixth annual Lott Trophy Banquet Dec. 13 where the winner will be announced.

A look at the eight semi-finalists:

Eric Berry (Safety, Jr., Tennessee, 5-11, 195, Fairburn, Ga.): Has 14 career interceptions and 494 return yards, second most in NCAA history. Consensus All-American and SEC Defensive Player of the Year last season. Lott Player of the Week twice. “That guy is one of the most dominant players in the country. There is no better safety in college football today.” - Former UCLA Coach Terry Donahue, a member of the Board of Directors of the IMPACT Foundation.

Taylor Mays (Safety, Sr., USC, 6-4, 225, Seattle): All-American his last two seasons at Southern California. Team captain. Lott Player of the Week against Cal. “Taylor Mays is a man of character and integrity. His leadership skills are demonstrated on and off the field.” - Mimi Butler, USC Student Athlete Academic Services.

Gerald McCoy (DT, Jr., Oklahoma, 6-4, 300, Oklahoma City): All-American and team captain. Has 12 tackles for losses this season. “One of the most outstanding young men I have been honored to coach. He is a young man focused on goodness in his own life and in finding ways to spread it to others.” - Bob Stoops, Head Football Coach, Oklahoma.

Ndamukong Suh (DT, Sr., Nebraska, 6-4, 300, Portland, Oregon): Has blocked three kicks this year. Lott Player of the Week twice. Eleven tackles for losses. ” I have had the good fortune to work with a number of outstanding players, great leaders and men of excellent character. I can assure you that Ndamukong Suh ranks right near the top of that list when you evaluate his total impact on our football program.” - Bo Pelini, Head Coach, Nebraska.

Rolando McClain (LB, Jr., Alabama, 6-4, 249, Decatur, Ga.): Leads undefeated Tide in tackles with 66. “He is the best defensive player I have seen this year. No, make that the best defensive player I’ve seen in many years.” – Former Auburn Head Coach Pat Dye.

Sam Acho (DE, Jr., Texas, 6-3, 260, Dallas): Leads nation with four fumbles recovered*26 tackles, 5 sacks, 8 tackles for losses*Texas Athletic Director’s Honor Roll four straight times*Academic All-District in ‘09*Went on medical mission to Nigeria with his father and brother this past summer* “Sam stands out to me as an especially accomplished and earnest student-athlete. Quite simply, he is a great young man—and a tremendous football player.” - William Powers, Jr., President, University of Texas

Jerry Hughes (DE, Sr., TCU, 6-3, 267, Sugar Land, Texas): Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year last season when he led the country in sacks with 15. Has nine sacks this year for undefeated TCU. “Jerry Hughes is among the very few… Few who have the integrity to always, without fail, select the right path. Instead, he is an encourager who motivates and uplifts others.—Le Ann Roberts, Communications Studies, TCU.

Eric Norwood (DE, Sr., South Carolina, 6-0, 249, Acworth, Ga.): “Has 62 tackles, seven sacks (28 in his career with 51.5 tackles for losses). Team captain. “He’s the way we want our student-athletes to be, I think he epitomizes it. I can talk forever about him, that’s how strongly I feel about him and his character.” - Raymond M. Harrison, Jr., Director of Academics and Life Skills, University of South Carolina.

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.


Named after Pro Football Hall of Fame member, Ronnie Lott, The Lott Trophy is awarded to college football’s Defensive IMPACT Player of the Year. Founded in 2004 by The Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation, The Lott Trophy is the first and only college football award to equally recognize athletic performance and the personal character attributes of the player. The Lott Trophy is given to the player who exhibits the same characteristics Lott embodied during his distinguished career: Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community and Tenacity. Voters for the award include selected members of the national media, previous finalists, the Board of Directors of the Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation and the Legends Coaches which is a distinguished group of former college football head coaches. The sixth annual Lott Trophy dinner will be held December 13th at The Pacific Club in Newport Beach, California. For more information on The Lott Trophy visit: www.LottTrophy.com.

Brut Sun Bowl Aligns With Pac-10, ACC Through 2013

EL PASO, Texas (November 5, 2009) – The Brut Sun Bowl officially announced today it has extended its partnership with the Pac-10 Conference through 2013 and aligned with the Atlantic Coast Conference from 2010-2013.

The new alignment will feature the third selection after the Bowl Championship Series from the Pac-10 against either the runner-up of the Dr Pepper ACC Football Championship Game or the third selection after the BCS from the ACC.

“We are extremely excited to forge this new partnership,” said Frank Bates, president of the Sun Bowl Association. “We have had such a strong and long-standing relationship with the Pac-10. Having the opportunity to pair the Pac-10 with the Atlantic Coast Conference could really prove to be some exciting matchups.”

The Brut Sun Bowl has the second longest current relationship with the Pac-10, hosting a league school for 14 consecutive years. Nine of the league’s 10 schools have participated in the Brut Sun Bowl 25 times, with California as the lone school to have never played in the Sun Bowl.

“The Pac-10 is very happy to extend its longtime relationship with the Brut Sun Bowl,” said Commissioner Larry Scott. “The Sun Bowl has been a good and loyal partner over the years and through its New Year's Eve positioning on CBS provides an excellent showcase for the Pac-10 teams. We look forward to many more years of partnership.”

The Atlantic Coast Conference is also no stranger to the Brut Sun Bowl, but has not sent a team to El Paso since 1994. In all, ACC schools have made 10 appearances, with North Carolina appearing four times – 1972, 1974, 1982 and 1994.

The 1994 Sun Bowl between Texas and North Carolina was named the greatest Sun Bowl ever played at last year’s 75th Brut Sun Bowl.

“As someone who has been to the Sun Bowl, I can tell you that it was one of the best bowl trips that I have ever experienced,” said ACC Commissioner John Swofford. “We are looking forward to having a compelling match-up with the Pac-10, while also being part of the storied bowl history and tradition. This partnership will provide special and memorable experiences for our student-athletes and fans.”

The Pac-10 Conference consists of Arizona, Arizona State, California, Oregon, Oregon State, Stanford, UCLA, USC, Washington and Washington State. The Atlantic Coast Conference includes Boston College, Clemson, Duke, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Maryland, Miami, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Virginia, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest.

The 76th Brut Sun Bowl is slated for Thursday, Dec. 31 at Noon (MT) at Sun Bowl Stadium. This year’s game features the Pac-10 Conference against the Big 12 Conference. Tickets are available by calling 915-533-4416 or online at www.sunbowl.org.

SEC Slaps Lane Kiffin On The Wrist--Again!!

For the second time this season, first-year Tennessee football coach Lane Kiffin has received a letter of reprimand from SEC Commissioner Mike Slive. Kiffin got this slap on the wrist not just for criticizing the officiating from Saturday's loss to Alabama, but for insinuating that the officials are somehow playing favorites and potentially determining the outcomes of games.

From his introductory news conference when he talked about beating Florida this season to his first reprimand from the league office back in February for accusing Florida of violating NCAA rules, I thought Kiffin was in way over his head. He simply wasn't ready to lead a big-time program such as Tennessee. Sure he could talk a good game, but I felt that same mechanism--his mouth--would ultimately lead to his downfall. After less than a season on the job, he seems headed down that road.

If Kiffin gets called into the commissioner's office again this year, he could face even harsher penalties, including a suspension. That's how seriously the SEC is taking these repeated offenses.

It's time to grow up a little bit here, Lane. Instead of repeatedly calling your favorite play--open mouth, insert foot--you should keep your head down and focus on building a program that can speak for itself!

Roger Goodell Voices Concern Over Rush Limbaugh

I have thought for quite some time that the NBA's David Stern was the best commissioner in professional sports. Now it appears, however, that the NFL's Roger Goodell is giving Stern a run for his money.

Not only is he continuing to lay down the law for the players, but with his latest comments on Rush Limbaugh's viability as a NFL owner, Goodell has also made it perfectly clear what the league is all about and, perhaps more importantly, what it's not about.

Goodell Voices Concern Over Limbaugh -- NYTimes.com

Oregon CB Thurmond done for season

You may not find a stronger proponent for higher education than yours truly. I believe the college experience--from both the educational to the social aspects--is invaluable to young people, especially today. Those who believe it's a waste a time and/or money have no idea what they are missing.

However, I am also a realist. College is not for everyone, or perhaps more accurately, a college degree is not for everyone.

The number one goal of going to college is to develop skills to help you ensure a successful and productive life once your school days are done. I often use that argument when today's student-athletes are faced with the decision to leave school early for the professional ranks or to stay in college for another season or two.

Granted, every case is different, but for the upper echelon of uber talented athletes, staying in school sometimes has its consequences, and Oregon's Walter Thurmond III is the latest example.

Thurmond, who came extremely close to entering the 2009 NFL Draft, suffered a season-ending knee injury in Saturday's win over Cal. Instead of rehabbing that knee with a professional team, who would be paying him while doing so, Thurmond must now try to get back to a level of strength and conditioning by January so he can work out for NFL teams with hopes of someone taking a chance on him.

Once a guaranteed lock for a high draft pick, Thurmond is now viewed as damaged goods by professional scouts and talent evaluators. Instead of determining where he should be picked in the draft, some teams will soon determine whether he should be drafted at all.

Here's hoping that Thurmond's work ethic and desire will help him prove to NFL general managers, coaches and scouts that he is still worthy of a chance.