Scott McKillop Named Semifinalist for Lott Trophy
11/12/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 12, 2008
PITTSBURGH--Pitt senior linebacker Scott McKillop has been named a semifinalist for the 2008 Lott Trophy, awarded to college football's "Defensive IMPACT Player of the Year."
Named after Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott, and sponsored by The Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation, the Lott Trophy is given to a player who exhibits the same characteristics Lott embodied during his distinguished career: Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community and Tenacity.
McKillop (Export, Pa./Kiski Area) is one of eight semifinalists for the honor, which last year was given to LSU's Glenn Dorsey. The list will be trimmed to four finalists on November 26.
This is the second defensive player-of-the-year award to name McKillop a semifinalist. Earlier this month he was named a semifinalist for the Chuck Bednarik Award by the Maxwell Football Club.
McKillop has firmly established himself as one of the nation's finest defenders. He ranks second nationally in solo stops (6.78 solos/game) and paces the Big East in solos, total tackles (9.89 tackles/game) and tackles for loss (1.39 TFLs/game).
In October, McKillop was named a first team Midseason All-American by no fewer than five different media outlets, including CBSSports.com, CollegeFootballNews.com, Phil Steele, SI.com and Sporting News Today.
McKillop was named the Lott Trophy IMPACT Player of the Week for his performance in Pitt's 26-21 victory at USF (Oct. 2). He collected a team-high 12 tackles - all solo - and had two quarterback sacks, three TFLs and snuffed out a fake field goal against the Bulls. That production also earned him the FWAA/Bronko Nagurski and Walter Camp National Defensive Player of the Week awards.
He additionally has been selected the Big East's Defensive Player of the Week three times this season (USF, Iowa and Buffalo games), making him a favorite for the conference's Defensive Player of the Year honor.
McKillop's exceptional 2008 season is a fitting encore to his breakthrough junior campaign. Last year, he was the country's leading tackler (12.58 avg.), a unanimous first-team All-Big East selection and named to four All-America teams. For more information on McKillop, go to www.ScottMcKillop40.com.
Pitt, ranked 21st in each of the major polls, is off this week. The Panthers (7-2, 3-1 Big East) will travel to face No. 22 Cincinnati (7-2, 3-1) in a key conference battle November 22 on ESPN2 at 7:15 p.m.
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