July 16, 2012

HOUSTON (SMU) - SMU seniors Margus Hunt and Taylor Reed have been named to the Lombardi Award Official Watch List, the Rotary Club of Houston announced today. The Rotary Lombardi Award, in its 43rd year, is given to the nation's top college lineman or linebacker each year.

Hunt enters 2012 after being named the No. 1 athletic "freak" in college football by CBSSports.com. He is a three-time All-C-USA honorable mention selection and notched 28 stops and four blocked kicks in 2011. He wrapped up the season with a dominant performance in the BBVA Compass Bowl win, racking up three sacks and five total tackles.

Reed, who was All-C-USA in 2011 and on the All-C-USA Freshman Team in 2009, led SMU with 101 tackles last season, including 9.5 tackles for loss and four sacks. This marks the second straight season he has been selected to the Lombardi Award Watch List.

Eligibility for the Rotary Lombardi Award is limited to offensive or defensive end-to-end down linemen who set up no farther than 10 yards to the left or right of the ball and linebackers who set up no farther than five yards deep from the line of scrimmage.

The candidates earned a place on the Official Watch List by: earning All-American honors last season; being named last season to their respective all-conference first team as determined by the conference's head coaches; being projected to be an All-American or first team all-conference player for the coming season; or by nomination approved by the nominations committee. While the Watch List highlights those players who have already received national recognition, any Division IA player who meets the above requirements is eligible for consideration. The committee is comprised of more than 500 members, including all past winners and finalists, all Division IA head coaches, and a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters.

On the heels of its third straight bowl appearance, SMU will host Texas A&M, TCU, Memphis, C-USA West rivals Houston and Tulsa and 2011 C-USA Champion Southern Miss at Ford Stadium in 2012. For Mustang ticket information, call the Athletics Department Ticket Office at (214) SMU-GAME (768-4263).