Western Michigan’s Okorafor Named Semifinalist for Outland Trophy
OMAHA (FWAA) – Six semifinalists for the 2017 Outland Trophy – five offensive linemen and one defensive tackle – were announced on Thursday night during a reception hosted by the Greater Omaha Sports Committee. The Football Writers Association of America (FWAA), in a call of its 2017 All-America Committee, has determined the following six players as semifinalists for the award, in alphabetical order: Oklahoma offensive tackle Orlando Brown, Notre Dame offensive tackle Mike McGlinchey, Notre Dame offensive guard Quenton Nelson, Western Michigan offensive tackle Chukwuma Okorafor, Houston defensive tackle Ed Oliver and Ohio State center Billy Price.
Okorafor, 6-6 and 330 lbs., a three-year starter for the Broncos (6-5) who has been ranked as the No. 4 offensive tackle by Mel Kiper Jr. going into the 2018 NFL Draft. A native of Southfield, Mich., Okorafor played right tackle his first two seasons then moved to left tackle at the beginning of the 2016 season and has been a fixture there since. He has started every game the last three seasons for a productive offense which has been among national leaders in rushing the past two years. Western Michigan has 26 rushing touchdowns this season and is averaging 236.5 yards rushing per game. Okorafor was a First-Team All-MAC selection last season.
The field for the Outland Trophy, which is awarded to the best interior lineman in college football on offense or defense, will be reduced to three in the next week. Those finalists will be announced at 6:30 p.m. ET on Tues., Nov. 21, on The Home Depot College Football Awards Nomination Special on ESPNU. The winner of the 72nd Outland Trophy will be revealed on Thurs., Dec. 7, on ESPN during The Home Depot College Football Awards from the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta.
About the Outland Trophy:
The Outland Trophy, which has been awarded annually by the FWAA since 1946, is named after the late John Outland, an All-America lineman at the University of Pennsylvania in the late 1800s. The Outland Trophy is the third-oldest award in major college football behind the Heisman Trophy and Maxwell Award.
For the 21st consecutive year, the Outland Trophy Presentation Banquet will occur in Omaha and will be sponsored by the Greater Omaha Sports Committee. At the same banquet, the fourth annual Tom Osborne Legacy Award, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Omaha-Downtown, will be presented to Florida State coaching legend Bobby Bowden.
The Outland Trophy Award Dinner will be held on Wed., Jan. 10, in Omaha at the DoubleTree Hotel Downtown. Also appearing at the dinner for the 20th straight year will be the winners of Nebraska's football senior awards – the Tom Novak Trophy, the Guy Chamberlin Trophy and the Cletus Fischer Native Son Award.
The Outland Trophy is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. Founded in 1997, the NCFAA and its 24 awards now boast over 800 recipients, dating to 1935. Visit ncfaa.org to learn more about our story.
FWAA:
The Football Writers Association of America, a non-profit organization founded in 1941, consists of more than 1,300 men and women who cover college football. The membership includes journalists, broadcasters and publicists, as well as key executives in all the areas that involve the game. The FWAA works to govern areas that include game day operations, major awards and its annual All-America team. For more information about the FWAA and its award programs, contact Steve Richardson at tiger@fwaa.com or call 214-870-6516.
The Greater Omaha Sports Committee:
The Greater Omaha Sports Committee, founded in 1977, is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, consisting of more than 900 men and women from the City of Omaha, the State of Nebraska, and others. The membership serves to communicate, develop, initiate and promote sports activities in the Greater Omaha sports area. In addition to the Outland Trophy Presentation Banquet, the Greater Omaha Sports Committee promotes high school, college, and professional sports in the Greater Omaha area and the Midwest.
