By GRANT TRAYLOR

Marshall Athletics

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Marshall redshirt senior defensive end Owen Porter was named to the 2023 Rotary Lombardi Award Watch List on Tuesday.

The Rotary Lombardi Award is presented annually to the college football offensive or defensive lineman who exemplifies the character and discipline of NFL Hall of Fame Coach Vince Lombardi, in addition to outstanding performance and ability.

Porter was one of 80 players nationally named to the list by the Rotary Club of Houston. It continues a preseason full of accolades for the 6-foot-3, 237-pound defensive end.

On Monday, he was named to the Bednarik Award Watch List and previously, he was also named to the Nagurski Award Watch List.

Porter was also selected as a 2023 Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference First Team selection by the Sun Belt coaches, and also by Phil Steele Publications and Athlon.

The Huntington, W.Va. native returns as one of 2022’s top returnees in FBS in sacks and tackles for loss after ranking in the top-20 in both categories last season.

In 2022, Porter finished with 60 tackles, including 15 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks – both in the top-3 among SBC players last year.

For his efforts, Porter was named as a 2022 All-Sun Belt Conference First Team selection following the completion of the season.

Porter’s top game came in the win at James Madison when he set career-highs in tackles (9), tackles for loss (4.5) and sacks (3.5) in the Herd’s 26-12 road win over the Dukes.

The performance earned Porter the distinction of Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 24, 2022.

Porter also had a key interception late in Marshall’s 26-21 upset at No. 8 Notre Dame last season.

In addition to tackles for loss and sacks, Porter also led Marshall in quarterback hurries (9) and forced fumbles (2).

The Rotary Lombardi Award has specific points of criterium for eligibility:

• Must be a down lineman, end-to-end, on offense or defense, setting up no further than 10 yards to the left or right of the ball when snapped.
• Must be a linebacker on defense, setting up no further than five yards deep from the line of scrimmage
• Must not come out of the offensive backfield and set up on the line of scrimmage as a blocker or receiver or listed in the program as an offensive back or receiver.
• Must be eligible to participate in the current season

Semifinalists for the award will be announced on Nov. 1 while the four finalists for the Bednarik Award will be announced on Nov. 15. The winner of the 29^th Chuck Bednarik Award will be announced on Dec. 6.