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Osemwegie Named to Lott Watchlist 4/20/2005 Vanderbilt senior linebacker Moses Osemwegie has been named to the 2005 Lott Trophy Watch List, the second preseason honor for the all-league performer. Osemwegie, a native of Nashville, Tenn., is one of nine Southeastern Conference standouts included in the list of 42 top defensive players. Honoring Hall of Famer and former Southern California All-American Ronnie Lott, the trophy goes to the college defensive player of the year who makes the biggest impact on and off the field. The inaugural award was won last year by Georgia’s David Pollack. Osemwegie is the SEC’s top returning tackler among all linebackers. A first team All-SEC selection by the league’s coaches and Associated Press panel in 2004, Osemwegie averaged 9.4 tackles each game last year, totalling at least 10 tackles in seven outings. He enters his final season among the SEC active career leaders with 273 tackles and 21 tackles for losses. Osemwegie is joined on the watchlist by three other linebackers in the SEC, Travis Williams of Auburn, DeMeco Ryans of Alabama and Jon Sumrall of Kentucky. Additional SEC representatives are safety Jason Allen and defensive lineman Jesse Mahelona of Tennessee; defensive lineman Tommy Jackson of Auburn; defensive end Quentin Moses of Georgia; and defensive lineman Claude Wroten of LSU. Sponsored by the IMPACT Foundation of The Pacific Club headquartered in southern California, the Lott Trophy is given to a player who exhibits the same characteristics that Lott embodied during his distinguished career: integrity, maturity, performance, academics, community and tenacity. It is the only college award that is based on both performance and character. Vanderbilt opens the 2005 season against ACC foe Wake Forest in Winston-Salem, N.C., on Thursday, Sept. 1. Vanderbilt also hosts Ole Miss, Richmond, Middle Tennessee, Georgia, LSU and Kentucky on campus in Nashville. Reduced Commodore season tickets starting at $65 are available.
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