Football: Panthers make preseason watch lists

The Football Writers Association of America announced on Friday that two Pitt offensive lineman… The Football Writers Association of America announced on Friday that two Pitt offensive lineman — Chris Jacobson and Lucas Nix — made the Outland Trophy watch list and that Panther defensive end Brandon Lindsey was named to the Bronko Nagurski Trophy watch list. Lindsey was also named to the Rotary Lombardi Award watch list, the award’s committee anounced Tuesday.

The Outland Trophy — which has been given out annually since 1946 — is presented to the top offensive or defensive lineman each year based on votes from the The Football Writers Association of America.

Seniors Jacobson and Nix will be the core of the Panther offensive line this season. Jacobson made the switch from guard to center this spring and Nix will play right tackle.

The watch list includes 65 players, six of whom play in the Big East.

In addition to Jacobson and Nix, Big East players who made the watch list include Don Barclay (Offensive Tackle, West Virginia), Moe Petrus (Center, Connecticut), Kendall Reyes (Defensive Tackle, Connecticut) and Derek Wolfe (Defensive Tackle, Cincinnati).

In 1980, Mark May became the first and only Pitt player to win the Outland Trophy.

The Football Writers Association of America has given out the Bronko Nagurski Trophy to the top defensive player in the country since 1993.This season, 87 players made their way onto the preseason watch list. Of those 87 players, six — including Lindsey — represent the Big East.

Both Reyes and Wolfe also made the Nagurski Trophy watch list, along with Josh Robinson (Central Florida, Defensive back), J.K. Schaffer (Cincinnati, Linebacker), Keith Tandy (West Virginia, Defensive back) and Bruce Irvin (West Virginia, Defensive end).

The Rotary Lombardi award is given to the nation’s best lineman or linebacker as determined by the head coaches of all Division I schools, sports media members and former winners and finalists for the trophy.

Hugh Green won the Rotary Lombardi trophy in 1980.

There are 125 players on the 2011 watch list, including Big East athletes Don Barclay (Offensive Tackle, West Virginia), Alex Hoffman (Guard, Cincinnati), Bruce Irvin (Defensive End, West Virginia), Chandler Jones (Defensive End, Syracuse), Julian Miller (Defensive Tackle, West Virginia), Moe Petrus (Center, Connecticut), Kendall Reyes (Defensive End, Connecticut), Mike Ryan (Offensive Tackle, Connecticut) and JK Schaffer (Linebacker, Cincinnati).

Last season, Lindsey, a senior, ranked 16th nationally in both sacks (.77 sacks/game) and tackles for loss (1.38/game). For his efforts, Lindsey was awarded All Big East second-team honors.

A Pitt player has never won the Nagurski Trophy, but Greg Romeus made the watch list in 2010.