4 WAC players, UNT's Kennedy on Outland watch list

[PonyPride]

From the Western Athletic Conference office:

DALLAS (FWAA) - The Football Writers Association of America has announced the prestigious 2003 Outland Trophy Watch List for college football's top interior lineman. The WAC has four players on the list: Joseph Hayes, OG, San Jose State; Logan Mankins, OT, Fresno State; Isaac Sopoaga, DT, Hawaii; and Ben Stephens, C, Rice.

The winner of the 2003 Outland Trophy will be announced Dec. 11 on the ESPN College Football Awards Show from Orlando, Fla. Three finalists will be selected by the FWAA All-America Committee in late November and will appear on the show.

The winner also will receive his trophy during a banquet on Jan. 8 in
Omaha, Neb. The banquet is sponsored by the Omaha Sports Committee, and will honor 1987 Outland winner Chad Hennings.

The first Outland Award was presented to the late George Connor of Notre Dame. Several notable linemen have won the Outland over the years. But the FWAA only started presenting a trophy to the winner in the last 15 years. Past winners who have do not have trophies are receiving them at the presentation banquet each January when the current-day winners receive their trophies.

Washington State's Rien Long won the 2002 Outland Trophy, leading his team to the Pac-10 championship and a berth in the Rose Bowl.

The Outland Trophy annually goes to the nation's top interior lineman -
tackles, centers, guards on offense or defense are eligible - in college
football. The FWAA All-America Committee selects the winner with input
from the membership. Presented since 1946, the Outland is the third oldest award in major college football behind the Heisman Trophy and Maxwell Award.

The award is named after the late John Outland, an All-America lineman at Penn at the turn of the century. Dr. Outland established the award in
1946, a year before his death, with the help of the FWAA. He believed it
was important for lineman to receive greater recognition.

2003 OUTLAND TROPHY WATCH LIST
Tim Anderson, DL, Ohio State
Shawn Andrews, OT, Arkansas
Calvin Armstrong, OT, Washington St.
Jason Babin, DL, Western Michigan
Darnell Dockett, DT, Florida State
Nat Dorsey, OT, Georgia Tech
Rob Droege, OL, Missouri
Louis Gachelin, DT, Syracuse
Todd Ghilani, C, Northern Illinois
Jake Grove, C, Virginia Tech
Rex Hadnot, C, Houston
Tommie Harris, DT, Oklahoma
Joseph Hayes, OG, San Jose State
Howard Hodges, DL, Iowa
Trevor Hutton, OG, Utah State
Richie Incognito, C, Nebraska
Carlos Joseph, OT, Miami, Fla.
Jason Kaufusi, DL, Utah
Brandon Kennedy, DT, North Texas
Nick Leckey, OL, Kansas State
Logan Mankins, OT, Fresno State
Matt Martinez, C, Idaho
Nate McPeek, OL, Marshall
Shane Olivea, OT, Ohio State
Tony Pape, OT, Michigan
Rob Petitti, OT, Pittsburgh
Brady Poppinga, DL, BYU
Brian Rimpf, OT, East Carolina
Jacob Rogers, OT, USC
Darrion Scott, DL, Ohio State
Isaac Sopoaga,, DT, Hawaii
Max Starks, OT, Florida
Ben Stephens, C, Rice
Claude Terrell, OL, New Mexico
Marcus Tubbs, DT, Texas
Dan Weaver, C, Oregon

For more information, go to the Outland Trophy's official website:
<A HREF="http://www.outlandtrophy.com." TARGET=_blank>www.outlandtrophy.com.</A>

[BUS]

We had Brandon Kennedy ready to come to SMU. I heard that the Academic Council really grilled him.

That was then, and this is now, we could have had that man as a Mustang.

[Ikus]

Hey BUS, how much happier would you be if Allan Adami was going into this season as the "other" starting DT?

Also, don't forget that Marcus Tubbs, the Texas DT on that list, is the nephew (or some relation) of former SMU hoops assistant Jimmy Tubbs. Good thing Cavan didn't go after him, huh?

[BUS]

Would be nice.

We need the two Freshmen DT's to play NOW

[Corso]

We have:
Allan Adami
Darrin Johnson
Randy Denman
Brent Karrington
(with Brad Bean out with his back injury)

If nobody else moves to DT, I think you're right. Desmond Jones and Brandon Bonds might both be forced into action.

[Ikus]

How's Brad Bean's back? Is there any chance he'll play again, this year or ever?

[JayM]

Kennedy has already been named pre-season 1st team All-American by PlayBoy, CollegeFootballNews and Lindy's Football. Not too shabby.

[Buddha]

Especially for a kid a certain former SMU coach once called "a hard worker, but too short to be a good defensive tackle." Congratulations to Kennedy on all his accolades.