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Peterson, Sheppard on Lott Trophy Watch List

by Bill Martin (@LSUBillMartin)
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Peterson, Sheppard on Lott Trophy Watch List

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. — LSU is one of six schools in the nation who have placed two players on the 2010 Lott Trophy Watch List as linebacker Kelvin Sheppard and cornerback Patrick Peterson made the list, The Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation has announced.

The Lott Trophy is given to a player who exhibits the same characteristics Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott embodied during his distinguished career: Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community and Tenacity.

Voters for the award include selected members of the national media, previous finalists, members of the Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation Board of Directors and distinguished alumni of various schools around the nation. The winner, who will be announced at the annual black-tie gala in December, receives $25,000 for his school’s general scholarship fund.  Three runner-ups each receive $5,000.

LSU All-American Glenn Dorsey won the honor in 2007. TCU’s Jerry Hughes was the recipient in 2009. A total of 42 players are on the 2010 watch list with six schools — UCLA, North Carolina, Ohio State, Oregon, LSU and Virginia Tech — each having two candidates.

Peterson, a 2009 Sporting News Second-Team All-American, ranked third in the Southeastern Conference with 15 passes defended as a sophomore. The Pompano Beach, Fla., native started all 13 games for LSU while registering 52 tackles and two interceptions. Peterson was a second-team All-Southeastern Conference selection by the Associated Press and league coaches.

Sheppard, a native of Stone Mountain, Ga., led LSU in tackles with 110 and ranked third in the SEC in that category. Sheppard added 8.5 tackles for loss, one sack and one interception while starting 12 games at linebacker. The 110 tackles were the most by an LSU player since Bradie James recorded a single-season school record 154 tackles in 2002.

LSU opens the 2010 season in the Chick-fil-A College Kickoff against North Carolina at 7 p.m. CT on Sept. 4 in Atlanta. The game will be televised nationally on ABC from the Georgia Dome.

2010 Lott Trophy Watch List
 Sam Acho Texas     
 Akeem Ayers UCLA     
 Mark Barron Alabama     
 Jeremy Beal Oklahoma     
 Brandon Boykin Georgia     
 Rashad Carmichael Virginia Tech     
 Ugo Chinasa Oklahoma State     
 Jared Crick Nebraska     
 Brian Duncan Texas Tech     
 John Graves Virginia Tech     
 Mark Herzlich Boston College     
 Cameron Heyward Ohio State     
 Ross Homan Ohio State     
 Tejay Johnson TCU     
 Jeron Johnson Boise State     
 A.J. Jones Florida     
 Greg Jones Michigan State     
 Tom Keiser Stanford     
 Ryan Kerrigan Purdue     
 Cliff Matthews South Carolina     
 Casey Matthews Oregon     
 Josh McNary Army     
 Wyatt Middleton Navy     
 Von Miller Texas A & M     
 Dontay Moch Nevada     
 Mike Mohamed Cal     
 Rahim Moore UCLA     
 Stephen Paea Oregon State     
 Patrick Peterson LSU     
 Robert Quinn North Carolina     
 Andrew Rich BYU     
 Greg Romeus Pitt     
 Kenny Rowe Oregon     
 Tyler Sash Iowa     
 Kelvin Sheppard LSU     
 Malcolm Smith USC     
 J.T. Thomas West Virginia     
 JJ Watt Wisconsin     
 Duenta Williams North Carolina     
 Lawrence Wilson Connecticut     
 Anthony Wright Air Force     
 Alex Wujciak Maryland