ND Has Two on Lott Trophy List

Notre Dame has two players on the Lott Trophy list, which is named after Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott and given to, we're quoting the press release here, "college football's IMPACT defensive player of the year."

They have the word impact all in uppercase, so we're not sure if it means the best hitter or, you know, the best player. Cal defensive back Daymeion Hughes won the award last year.

Both Notre Dame safety Tom Zbikowski and linebacker Maurice Crum Jr. are among the 42 players on the watch list for the award that will be announced Dec. 9 at The Pacific Club in Newport Beach, Calif. This is Zbikowski's second stint on the Lott Award watch list.

The other 40 players on the list (with 2007 Notre Dame opponents in italics): Xavier Adibi, LB, Virginia Tech; Jamar Adams, S, Michigan; Josh Barrett, S, Arizona State; Tommy Blake, DE, TCU; Caleb Campbell, DB, Army; Jonathan Casillas, LB, Wisconsin; Antoine Cason, DB, Arizona; Simeon Castille, CB, Alabama; Dan Connor, LB, Penn State; Shawn Crable, LB, Michigan; Brian Cushing, LB, USC; Bruce Davis, DE, UCLA; Jordan Dizon, LB, Colorado; Glenn Dorsey, DL, LSU; Sedrick Ellis, DT, USC; Zack Follett, LB, California; Eric Foster, DT, Rutgers; Vince Hall, LB, Virginia Tech; Chris Harrington, DL, Texas A&M; Nic Harris, DB, Oklahoma; Derrick Harvey, DL, Florida; Jonathan Hefney, S, Tennessee; Chris Horton, CB, UCLA; Kelin Johnson, SS, Georgia; Cody Kase, LB, New Mexico; Drew Kelson, LB, Texas; Mike Klinkenborg, LB, Iowa; Nick Larkin, DE, Boston College; James Laurinaitis, LB, Ohio State; J Leman, LB, Illinois; Chris Long, DL, Virginia; Derek Lokey, DT, Texas; Dwight Lowery, CB, San Jose State; Marc Magro, LB, West Virginia; Jeff Van Orsow, DL, Oregon State; Darryl Richard, DT, Georgia Tech; Keith Rivers, LB, USC; Bo Ruud, LB, Nebraska; Eric Wicks, DB, West Virginia and Wesley Woodyard, LB, Kentucky.

-By Michael Rothstein of The Journal Gazette