Chase Johnson Added To Lombardi Watch List
8/11/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 11, 2004
TCU senior center Chase Johnson has been added to the pre-season watch list for the 2004 Rotary Lombardi Award announced today. TCU offensive tackle Anthony Alabi was on the preliminary list of 54 players, which was announced in early March. Johnson, a 6-3, 302-pounder from Shawnee Mission, Kansas, has made 24 career starts for the Horned Frogs. He earned second team all-conference honors a year ago and is a first team pre-season selection this year. Johnson is also on the pre-season Rimington Watch List, which recognizes the nation's top center. Alabi, a 6-6, 323-pound left tackle from San Antonio, was a first team All-Conference USA slection by the league's coaches and media members and by collegefootballnews.com in 2003. He has started 24 games in his career. Last season, he helped the Horned Frogs log over 200 yards rushing and 200 yards passing per game, one of just seven schools to accomplish the feat. This year, the Rotary Lombardi Award will celebrate the 35th year of honoring the finest linemen in college football. The annual Rotary Lombardi Award Dinner will be held in Houston on December 8, with all net proceeds from the dinner and related activities adding to the total of nearly $3 million that has been raised for the American Cancer Society since the events inception. The 113 members of the Watch List earned a place on the Watch List by earning All-American honors at the end of the 2003 or previous seasons, by being named to their respective All Conference team as selected by the conference's head coaches, or by being named to one of the pre-season honor teams. Eligibility for the Rotary Lombardi Award is limited to down linemen and those defensive players who line up within five yards of the football. While the Watch Lists highlights players who have already received national recognition, any Division I player who meets the position requirements is eligible for consideration from the Rotary Lombardi Selection Committee, which is comprised of over 500 members, including all past finalists, all Division I head coaches and a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. The Rotary Lombardi Watch List, intended as a reference tool for the Selection Committee, will be periodically updated and revised through the conclusion of the voting to determine the 12 Semifinalists for 2004.
