BATON ROUGE — LSU defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey highlighted the list of 12 semifinalists for the Lombardi Award, which was announced on Wednesday night by the Rotary Lombardi Award Committee in Houston.
The Rotary Lombardi Award goes annually to the college football lineman — offense or defense — who, in addition to outstanding performance and ability, best exemplifies the discipline of Vince Lombardi.
Dorsey, a senior from Gonzales, La., is the leader of an LSU defense that ranks among the top 10 in the nation in five categories, including a No. 1 rating in pass efficiency defense and ranking No. 2 in total defense, allowing 233.14 yards per game. The tigers are also No.4 in pass defense (155.14 yards per game), No. 6 in scoring defense (14.14 points per game) and No. 7 in rushing defense (68.0 yards per game).
Despite being double, and sometimes triple-teamed this year, Dorsey still has 34 tackles and a team-best four sacks to his credit. Dorsey has added 5.5 tackles for losses, two quarterback hurries, and he’s batted down two passes at the line of scrimmage.
Four of the top five schools in the opening Bowl Championship Series standings are represented on the list of semifinalist. Joining Dorsey on the list include: Ohio State’s James Laurinaitis, South Florida’s George Selvie and Oklahoma’s Duke Robinson.
Southern California offensive tackle Sam Baker is the only returning player from last season’s Rotary Lombardi Award watch list. This year’s list consisted of 108 offensive and defensive linemen, linebackers and tight ends. The list of 12 will be reduced in mid-November to the four players who will be named as finalists.
The other semifinalist are Virginia Tech linebacker Xavier Adibi, University of Miami (Fla.) defensive end Calais Campbell, Penn State linebacker Dan Conner, Illinois linebacker J Leman, Virginia defensive end Chris Long, Michigan offensive tackle Jake Long and California center Alex Mack.
Among the highlights of the finalists’ trip to Houston will include visiting the Front Line Kids at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center and Texas Children’s Hospital. The Front Line Kids are children with cancer who attend the dinner and other Rotary Lombardi Award events. All net proceeds from the award, named in memory of Hall of Fame coach Vince Lombardi, benefit the American Cancer Society.