Harris Advances in Lott Award

Oct. 22, 2007

NORMAN, Okla. - Oklahoma defensive back Nic Harris has advanced to the quarter-final round in the selection process for the 2007 Lott Trophy.

Harris ranks second on the team with 51 tackles and two interceptions. The Alexandria, La., native returned an interception for a touchdown against North Texas, then iced the Missouri win with his fourth-quarter pick.

The junior free safety, who was born to teenage parents and raised in multiple homes during his childhood, has been an active community service leader in the OU Athletics Department. He is in his second term as president of Bridge Builders, a group of minority student-athletes that is involved with multiple outreach efforts during the year.

The Lott Trophy is named after Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott and goes to the outstanding college defensive player of the year who has had the biggest IMPACT on his team both on and off the field. IMPACT stands for Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community and Tenacity. It represents the only college football trophy to give equal weight to personal character as well as athletic performance.

Sponsored by the The Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation, the Lott Trophy has donated nearly $300,000 to various charities throughout the United States in just three years.

The previous winners have been David Pollack of Georgia in 2004, DeMeco Ryans of Alabama in 2005 and Daymeion Hughes of Cal in 2006. Ryans went on to be named the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year last season with the Houston Texans.

The four finalists will be flown to Newport Beach, Ca. for the banquet. The university of the winner will receive $25,000 for its general scholarship fund while the three universities of the runnerups will receive $5,000 each for their general scholarship fund.

Voters for The Lott Trophy are college offensive and defensive coordinators, former head coaches who make up the Master Coaches, the Board of Directors of The Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation, The Lott Trophy Board of Advisors and selected members of the national media.

The Dec. 9 black-tie banquet at The Pacific Club, already sold out for the fourth consecutive year, will be televised live by Fox Sports. Hall of Famer Merlin Olsen will receive The Lott Trophy Lifetime IMPACT Award. There will also be a video tribute to the late Bill Walsh, a founding member of the Board.

Other quarterfinalists include: Antoine Cason (Arizona defensive back); Jordon Dizon (Colorado linebacker); Glenn Dorsey (LSU defensive tackle); Sedrick Ellis (USC defensive tackle); Derrick Harvey (Florida defensive end); Jonathan Hefney (Tennessee defensive back); Nick Larkin (Boston College defensive lineman); James Laurinaitis (Ohio State linebacker); J Leman (Illinois linebacker); Chris Long (Virginia defensive end); Dwight Lowery (San Jose State defensive back); Ben Moffitt (South Florida linebacker); Keith Rivers (USC linebacker); Woodyard (Kentucky linebacker) and Tom Zbikowski (Notre Dame safety).

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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