Razorbacks Make Lombardi Watch List

FAYETTEVILLE – Arkansas Razorbacks seniors Travis Swanson and Chris Smith have been named to the Rotary Lombardi Award Watch List, it was announced this week.

Their inclusion on the Rotary Lombardi Award Watch List is the third watch list for each. Last week, Swanson was named to watch lists for the Rimington Trophy and Outland Trophy, while Smith appeared on watch lists for the Bednarik Award and Bronko Nagurski Trophy.

Swanson, whose preseason recognition also includes appearances on All-American and All-SEC teams, was a team captain and earned second-team All-SEC honors in 2012. The Kingwood, Texas, native led an offensive line that allowed just 1.58 sacks per game to rank third in the conference and blocked as 24 school or SEC records were broken. Swanson has started all 38 games of his collegiate career, which is tied for the fourth-longest active consecutive games started streak in the country. He has blocked for a 3,000-yard passer in each season, including the first season in school history with a 3,000-yard passer and 1,000-yard rusher and the first time in school history the Razorbacks produced a 1,000-yard receiver in consecutive seasons.

Smith has been a near-consensus first-team preseason All-SEC selection after earning honorable mention All-SEC acclaim in 2012. The Mount Ulla, N.C., native started all 12 games last season, recording 52 tackles, 13.0 for loss with 9.5 sacks, 12 quarterback hurries, four pass breakups and one fumble. He and Jadeveon Clowney are the only two returners in the SEC with at least 9.0 sacks last season. Smith’s sacks total ranked seventh on Arkansas’ single-season list, and average of 0.79 sacks per game ranked fourth in the SEC and 25th in the NCAA. His average of 1.08 tackles for loss per game tied for fifth in the conference with teammate Trey Flowers. Smith enters 2013 tied for 12th on UA’s career sacks list with 13.0.

Eligibility for the Rotary Lombardi Award is limited to down linemen, end-to-end, either on offense or defense who set up no farther than 10 yards to the left or right of the ball, or linebackers who set up no farther than five yards deep from the line of scrimmage. Semifinalists are set to be announced Nov. 7, with finalists released Nov. 21 and the winner announced Dec. 11 at the Wortham Center in Houston, Texas.

Courtesy University of Arkansas Department of Athletics