Wolverine Trio Named National Award Finalists
11/21/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
A trio of University of Michigan football standouts has been selected as finalists for three national awards to be presented on ESPN's Home Depot College Football Award Show scheduled to be broadcast live nationally on Thursday, Dec. 7, at 7 p.m. EST.
Senior co-captain and defensive end LaMarr Woodley (Saginaw, Mich./Saginaw HS) was named a finalist for the Bednarik Award, senior cornerback Leon Hall (Vista, Calif./Vista HS) was selected as a finalist for the Thorpe Award and junior tailback Mike Hart (Syracuse, N.Y./Onondaga Central HS) earned a finalist nod for the Doak Walker Award.
Woodley is joined on Bednarik list by Penn State linebackers Dan Connor and Paul Pusluszny. Earlier today, Woodley was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and the league's defensive lineman of the year. He led the Big Ten and ranks fourth nationally in sacks (11). Woodley has contributed 15 of his 33 stops in the opposition's backfield this season, including those 11 quarterback sacks. He has forced a school-record-tying four fumbles and recovered four fumbles this season, including a 54-yard return for a touchdown at Notre Dame (Sept. 16). Woodley is also a finalist for the Lombardi Award, which will be presented at a banquet in Houston on Dec. 6.
Hall looks to join Charles Woodson (1997) as the only Wolverine to win the Thorpe Award. He is joined on the Thorpe Award list by Aaron Ross of Texas and Reggie Nelsonof Florida. Hall is fourth nationally and leads the Big Ten with a school-record-tying 18 pass breakups this season. He has collected a team-leading three interceptions to go along with 41 tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack and two fumble recoveries. Hall is a also finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Award, presented annually to the nation's top defensive player.
Hart, Arkansas' Darren McFadden and West Virginia's Steve Slaton are the finalists for the Doak Walker Award. Hart is the only player in the country to gain 90 or more rushing yards in every game this season. He is the nation's seventh-leading rusher with a career-best 1,515 yards on 301 carries this season. Hart has scored a career-high 14 rushing touchdowns. He was a semifinalist for the Doak Walker Award in 2005.
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