The Football Writers Association of America bestows the Outland Trophy on the greatest college football interior lineman in the United States. The award is given out annually at the FWAA College Football Awards show in December.
A player must be a starter on the line that has the most starts during the season to be considered for the award. If a player transfers between two different schools throughout the season, he is eligible if he starts at both positions for at least one game. If multiple players start at the same position, they will be voted on by their peers. The winner is determined by the voting results.
This award is given to the top offensive and defensive linemen in college football. The Outland Trophy was created in 1922 by Dr. Walter Eckersall, who was the editor of The Greenville (NC) News. He had a board placed next to his bed when he went to sleep so he could keep up with all the great plays happening during games. When he woke up, he would write down what he remembered about the games and this idea became The Greenville News' Southeastern Conference Board. After Dr. Eckersall's death, the board remained with the newspaper until 1972, when it was donated to the University of Iowa in honor of its former president, John W. DeBoer.
Outland had long believed that football tackles and guards needed more respect, and he envisioned the Outland Trophy as a vehicle to provide that honor. Jim Ridlon was commissioned to create and sculpt the Outland Trophy in 1988. The trophy is gold colored with 18-karat gold trim.
It takes a special kind of person to be an Outland Trophy candidate. You have to be willing to try new techniques, break old habits, and explore different options before reaching a decision. Your job is also very demanding; you are expected to work long hours under stressful conditions. But if you are able to deal with all that then there's no reason why you can't become an Outland Trophy winner someday.
The first five candidates were selected by a committee composed of members of the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA). In 1992, the selection process was changed so that now the President of the AFCA makes the nominations and the Board of Directors of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) selects the winner.
The NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament has been called "March Madness" since its creation in 1939. The term "trophy" has been used since 1989 when the Outland Trophy was introduced for development of college football players.
Joeckel was voted a consensus All-American and earned the Outland Trophy, which is given to the nation's best college football interior lineman. NFL evaluators appreciated Joeckel's play against Louisiana State's outstanding defensive line, when he matched up effectively with defensive end Sam Montgomery.
Joeckel was named a Football Writers Association of America and Scout.com Freshman All-American. Joeckel started all 13 games as a sophomore in 2011 and was named to the Big 12 second team.
The finest interior lineman in college football are awarded the Outland Trophy. It is given out annually by the National Collegiate Athletic Association to the player of the year for offensive and defensive lines.
The Outland Trophy was established in 1946 by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) as a means of honoring the men who have excelled on the line that defines the line of scrimmage in American football. Every year since then, one man and one woman have been selected as the Outland Trophy winners. The players are chosen for their excellence on the line, regardless of position.
In addition to being honored with the trophy, the winner and recipient of the Outland Award receive $10,000 from AFCA's educational foundation and an expense-paid trip to Atlanta where they attend the annual NCAA Division I Football Championship Game. The award ceremony is held just prior to the start of the game between the Georgia Bulldogs and the South Carolina Gamecocks. Last year's winner was Alabama's Damon Harrison. The other finalist was Florida's Jawaan Taylor.
The Outland Trophy is the most prestigious honor in college football offensive and defensive lines.
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