Jones Named Finalist For Rotary Lombardi Award

FOOTBALL

Georgia junior Jarvis Jones has been named one of four finalists for the Rotary Lombardi Award, which is given to the nation’s top lineman or linebacker each season.

Established in 1970, the annual award honors collegiate lineman who display courage, character and team spirit on and off the gridiron.

This year’s Rotary Lombardi Award will be presented on December 5th at Houston’s Hobby Center and telecast nationally on the CBS Sports Network.

Two other players from the Southeastern Conference join Jones as a finalist along with Notre Dame’s Manti Te’o. South Carolina’s Jadeveon Clowney and Alabama’s Barrett Jones were also included on the list.

A 6-3, 241-pound outside linebacker from Columbus, Jones has accumulated 56 tackles, including 17.0 tackles for loss of 100 yards and 10.5 sacks, one interception, five forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries in only eight games this season. He is the current NCAA active leader in sacks per game (1.1) with 24 in two seasons and in tackles for loss (1.7) with 36.5 through this season and last.

He has twice been named the National Defensive Player of the Week by the Lott IMPACT, Nagurski and Walter Camp awards in 2012 and the SEC Defensive Player of the Week twice this season following his performances at Missouri and versus #3 Florida.

Jones has sparked a defense that has given up a combined 19 points (one touchdown, four field goals) during the team’s last three SEC victories. During that span, Jones has tallied 20 tackles, including five sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.

Jones earned All-America honors last season after leading the SEC and tying for fifth nationally with 13.5 sacks to go along with 70 tackles, including 19.5 tackles for loss.

Former Georgia All-American and current ESPN announcer David Pollack won the 2004 Lombardi Award, along with the Bednarik Award, Lott IMPACT Trophy and the Ted Hendricks Award that year.

Jones has already been named a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and a semifinalist for the Bednarik, Maxwell, Butkus and Lott IMPACT awards.