Penn State defensive end Carl Nassib was named tonight as the 2015 recipient of the Lott IMPACT Trophy, awarded to college football’s defensive player of the year who best exemplifies the IMPACT acronym.
The other finalists were Duke safety Jeremy Cash, Temple linebacker Tyler Matakevich and Ohio State linebacker Joshua Perry. All four players are seniors.
The Lott IMPACT Trophy is the only college football award to equally recognize athletic performance and the personal character attributes of the player. It is the first national college football award based on the West Coast.
IMPACT is an acronym for integrity, maturity, performance, academics, community and tenacity.
Penn State’s general scholarship fund will receive a $25,000 donation, while the other three finalists’ schools will each receive $5,000 from the IMPACT Foundation, which recognizes and supports national and local charities serving youths.
The award has been presented annually since 2004 and is named for Ronnie Lott, who played safety for USC from 1977-80 and for four NFL teams from 1981-1995. He was selected to both the college and professional football halls of fame.
Past recipients include J.J. Watt and Manti Te’o.
The award is determined by voting by “selected members of the national media,” previous finalists, the Board of Directors of the Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation and “a distinguished group of former college football head coaches,” according to organizers.
The award presentation was made at The Pacific Club in Newport Beach with Lott participating in the presentation.
— City News Service