University of Oklahoma Athletics

Harris Named Semifinalist For Lombardi Award

October 30, 2002 | Football

By: Athletics Communications

Oct. 30, 2002

Norman, Okla. - Oklahoma sophomore defensive lineman Tommie Harris is one of 12 semifinalists for this year's Lombardi Award, presented to the top interior player in college football. From that list, four will be selected later this season to attend the award presentation in Houston.

Other semifinalists include efensive tackle William Joseph, defensive end Jerome McDougle and center Brett Romberg from Maimi, along with Georgia's Boss Bailey (LB) and Jon Stinchcomb (OT), center Jeff Faine of Notre Dame, linebackers E.J. Henderson of Maryland and Bradie James of LSU, defensive tackle Jimmy Kennedy of Penn State and defensive ends Cory Redding of Texas and Terrell Suggs of Arizona State.

The 12 semifinalists were selected in a vote of over 400 members of the Rotary Lombardi Selection Committee, which includes all Division I head football coaches, selected sports writers and broadcasters from around the country and the past winners of the award. Voting to determine the four finalists for the 33rd Rotary Lombardi Award will begin this Sunday, November 3 and continue through November 11.

The four finalists will be flown to Houston to attend the gala Rotary Lombardi Award Dinner, which will be held on the field of Houston's Reliant Stadium on December 11th. Former President George Bush is the Honorary Chairman of the 2002 event and will speak at the dinner, as will legendary Green Bay Packer lineman Jerry Kramer and Houston Texans owner Bob McNair.

This marks the first time the Rotary Lombardi Award Dinner has moved from a hotel ballroom and also marks the first time an event of this type will be hosted in the newly-opened Reliant Stadium.

Now in its 33rd year of honoring the top lineman or linebacker in Division I football, the Rotary Lombardi Award Dinner has raised over $2.6 million for The American Cancer Society since it was first held in 1970. Eligibility for the Rotary Lombardi Award is limited to Division I down linemen and those defensive players who line up within five yards of the football.

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