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Oct. 19, 2004
HOUSTON, Texas – University of Virginia guard Elton Brown (Hampton, Va.) is one of 12 semifinalists for the 2004 Lombardi Award, the Executive Committee announced on Tuesday.
A senior captain, Brown is an outstanding blocker who has paved the way for the Virginia offense to grind out an ACC-leading 233 yards on the ground and lead the ACC in fewest sacks allowed.
Nine of the 12 semifinalists are from the defensive side of the ball, including six defensive ends and three linebackers. Last year defensive tackle Tommie Harris of Oklahoma became the first interior defender to win the award since Warren Sapp in 1994, snapping a streak of four straight wins by defensive ends.
This year, the Rotary Lombardi Award celebrates the 35th year of honoring the finest linemen in college football. The annual Rotary Lombardi Award Dinner will be held in Houston on December 8, with all net proceeds from the dinner and related activities adding to the total of nearly $3 million that has been raised for the American Cancer Society since the event’s inception. Chris Spielman, the 1987 winner of the award, will serve as the featured speaker.
Eligibility for the Rotary Lombardi Award is limited to down linemen and those defensive players who line up within five yards of the football. The Rotary Lombardi Selection Committee is comprised of over 500 members, including all past finalists, all Division I head coaches and a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters.
Virginia travels to Duke on Oct. 23 for a 1 p.m. non-televised game.
35th ROTARY LOMBARDI AWARD SEMIFINALISTS
NAME SCHOOL POS HT WT YR HOMETOWNElton Brown Virginia OG 6-6 338 Sr. Hampton, VAJamal Brown Oklahoma OT 6-6 313 Sr. Lawton, OKDan Cody Oklahoma DE 6-5 270 Sr. Ada, OKShaun Cody USC DE 6-4 295 Sr. Hacienda, CAGreg Eslinger Minnesota C 6-3 285 Jr. Bismark, NDJonathan Goddard Marshall DE 6-0 245 Sr. Jacksonville, FLSpencer Havner UCLA LB 6-4 236 Jr. Nevada City, CAA.J. Hawk Ohio State LB 6-2 238 Jr. Centerville, OHErasmus James Wisconsin DE 6-4 263 Sr. Pembroke Pines, FLDerrick Johnson Texas LB 6-4 230 Sr. Waco, TXDavid Pollack Georgia DE 6-3 260 Sr. Snellville, GAMarcus Spears LSU DE 6-4 298 Sr. Baton Rouge, LA