Four Wolverines on Rotary Lombardi Award Watch List
4/1/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football
HOUSTON, Texas -- Four members of the 2005 University of Michigan football team are among the 54 players on the preliminary watch list for the Rotary Lombardi Award. The Wolverines had the largest representation of players on the list from any school in the country. The Lombardi Award is presented annually to the best lineman -- offense or defense -- in college football who, in addition to outstanding performance and ability, best exemplifies the discipline of Vince Lombardi.
Fifth-year senior right guard Matt Lentz (Ortonville, Mich./Brandon HS), fifth-year senior tight end Tim Massaquoi (Allentown, Pa./Parkland HS), fifth-year senior left tackle Adam Stenavich (Marshfield, Wis./Marshfield HS) and senior defensive tackle Gabe Watson (Novi, Mich./Southfield HS) gained selection on the prestigious list following first-team All-Big Ten Conference selections by the coaches last season.
Lentz has started every game over the past two seasons at right guard and enters 2005 with 25 consecutive starts at the position, while linemate Stenavich leads all returning players with 27 career starts, at left tackle. The team's other representative on the offensive side of the ball is Massaquoi, who has 35 receptions for 403 yards and two touchdowns in 20 career starts. Watson helped anchor the middle of the defensive line in 2004, registering career highs with 37 tackles and seven tackles for loss.
The 54 preliminary candidates earned their place on the initial watch list by earning All-America honors at the end of the 2004 or previous seasons, or by being named to their respective all-conference team as selected by the conference's head coaches. The watch list will be updated prior to the start of the 2005 season, in order to further identify those players who have been selected as preseason honors candidates.
Voting will begin in late September and the winner will be revealed at the end of a gala dinner on Dec. 7 at the Hilton Americas Hotel in Houston.
The complete watch list of 54 players is available on the Lombardi Award site.
Media Contacts: David Ablauf, Jim Schneider (734) 763-4423
