Named after Pro Football Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott, The Lott Trophy is awarded to college football's Defensive IMPACT Player of the Year. In its third year, The Lott Trophy is the first college football award to equally recognize athletic performance and the personal character attributes of the player.
Sponsored by The Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation, the Lott award is given to a player who exhibits the same characteristics Lott embodied during his distinguished career: Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community and Tenacity (IMPACT).
Here is an excerpt of Posluszny's profile from the Lott Trophy site:
LINEBACKER WITH A PEDIGREE
Running backs come from USC, wide receivers from Miami, offensive linemen from Michigan and linebackers from Penn State. Shane Conlan, Jack Ham and LaVar Arrington are among the Nittany Lion All-Americans who played the position at University Park. In all, there have been a dozen first-team All-American linebackers who have played for Joe Paterno. Now comes Paul Posluszny. To further his pedigree, one only need to look at his hometown – Aliquippa, Pennsylvania. Football Hall of Famers Mike Ditka and Tony Dorsett grew up in Aliquippa, making it, perhaps, the football capital of the world based on its population of just over 11,000.
Posluszny, though, is writing his own history. He won the Butkus Award last season as the top linebacker in the nation and the Lombardi as the top defensive player. He also earned first-team Academic All-American honors with a 3.67 grade point average in finance. He's been on the Dean's List in each of his semesters at Penn State.
"In 28 years at Penn State, I've never coached a player with better character than Paul Posluszny," says Nittany Lion Defensive Coordinator Tom Bradley. "He's almost too good to be true. – great student, in church at 9 o'clock every Sunday morning, handsome. He's the kind of guy you want your daughter to marry.
"When I recruited Paul, I ran into a man at the airport who had his two sons with him. He congratulated me on getting Paul to Penn State and said he hoped his sons would grow up and be like Paul. But not as football players, the man said, as human beings."
Bradley coached All-Americans Conlan and Arrington, among others. "He's as good a player as they were," says the long-time coach. "He's right up there. One of his goals is to play the perfect game and he's always trying. His worth ethic is out of this world. He's a tremendous leader, as well respected as any kid we've ever had here. He carries people with him – they want to be like him."
The Lott Trophy's Official Site
-30-