Pair of Buckeyes land on initial Lott IMPACT Trophy candidate list
COLUMBUS — There are still four months until the college football season kicks off for Ohio State, but that’s not going to stop preseason watch lists from making their first appearances.
The Lott IMPACT Trophy released its initial candidate list for the upcoming year on Thursday, and a pair of Buckeyes defenders have made the first cut. The Lott Trophy, with the IMPACT standing for Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community and Tenacity, is handed out annually to the defensive player who has the largest impact in college football both on and off the field, taking character into account when considering winners.
This season, two Buckeyes will be up for the award. Star linebacker Tommy Eichenberg and defensive end J.T. Tuimoloau are both candidates for the trophy, which has only been awarded to an Ohio State player once.
Current Buckeyes assistant James Laurinaitis won the award in 2008.
A total of eight Big Ten defenders are on the candidate list, the second-most of any conference. The SEC has nine players on the initial list.
Eichenberg was a captain for the Buckeyes last season and figures to be one yet again this fall. He led the team with 120 total tackles last year, and he also tallied 2.5 sacks, 12 tackles for loss, an interception returned for a touchdown and a fumble recovery.
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He will be a trendy preseason All-American pick when those teams come out later this summer.
Tuimoloau, meanwhile, had 28 total tackles last fall while racking up 10.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, two interceptions — one for a touchdown — a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. He had one of the most memorable performances for a defensive player in Ohio State history last October, when he forced four turnovers and scored a defensive touchdown in a huge game at Penn State.
He can build on that with an impressive junior season. Tuimoloau is already gaining first-round buzz in NFL Draft circles.
Both of the Ohio State playmakers are quickly drawing praise as preseason superstars in college football. They’re getting the summer award watch list season started early, being candidates for the Lott IMPACT Trophy already.
It won’t be the last watch list both of them land on, either.
