Harris, Lehman Named Semifinalists For Lombardi Award

Oklahoma's Tommie Harris and Teddy Lehman have been named semifinalists for the Lombardi Award. Harris, a junior defensive tackle, was one of three finalists last year. Lehman, a senior linebacker, was a finalist for the Butkus Award last season.

Lehman leads Oklahoma with 68 tackle this season. he also has eight tackles for loss, one sack, one interception, one fumble forced and three passes broken up. Harris has 19 tackles, including seven behind the line of scrimmage. He has three sacks, 15 quarterback hurries, one fumble forced and one fumble return of 14 yards.

The three remaining unbeaten teams in Division 1 football have produced five of the 12 semifinalists for the 34th Rotary Lombardi Award, the winner of which will be announced on December 10 in Houston.

Aside from Harris and Lehman, linebacker Jonathan Vilma and tight end Kellen Winslow of the second-ranked Miami Hurricanes were named, as was defensive end Bo Schobel of TCU which ran its record to 8-0 with a 62-55 win at Houston this past weekend.

Rounding out the list of 12 semifinalists are offensive tackle Shawn Andrews of Arkansas, defensive end David Ball of UCLA, offensive tackle Robert Gallery of Iowa, linebacker Matt Grootegoed of USC , center Jack Grove of Virginia Tech and defensive ends David Pollack of Georgia and Will Smith of Ohio State,.

Harris was a finalist for the award last season and is looking to become the first two-time finalist since Andy Katzenmoyer of Ohio State in 1997 and 1998. Winslow is the first tight end to be named a semifinalist since Keith Jackson of Oklahoma, who went on to be named a finalist in 1987.

A total of eight defensive players make up this year's list including four defensive ends and three linebackers, while the offensive side of the ball is represented by two tackles and a center in addition to Winslow. The full spectrum of sizes are represented in the semifinalists, ranging from Grootegoed (5-11, 215) to Andrews (6-6, 353) and Gallery (6-7, 320).

The semifinalists were selected by a panel of over 400 selectors, comprised of all Division 1 head coaches, all past winners and finalists of the Rotary Lombardi Award, as well as writers and broadcasters who cover college football. Voting to determine the four finalists for the award will begin immediately and conclude on Monday, November 11.

Now in it's 34th year, the Rotary Lombardi Award continues on the path first set down by the founders of the award, who conceived of the event as a way to honor the memory of Vince Lombardi and raise money for the American Cancer Society. The first event took place just over four months after Lombardi's death, and since that time, nearly $3 million has been raised for cancer research.

Tickets and tables are currently on sale through the Rotary Club of Houston office (713) 973-9936 or online at www.rotarylombardiaward.com.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Harris, Lehman Named Semifinalists For Lombardi Award

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