July 12, 2012
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Larry Warford, who has been a second-team All-Southeastern Conference performer each of the last two seasons, has yet another honor to add to the list this preseason as the University of Kentucky senior offensive guard has been tabbed to the Outland Trophy Award Watch List, which seeks to honor the nation’s best interior lineman, the Football Writers Association of America announced Thursday.
This is the second honor of the day for Warford, who earlier Thursday was named as a first-team All-SEC preseason performer by league coaches. It was the second-consecutive first-team preseason selection for Warford.
Warford had an outstanding season in 2011, earning All-SEC second-team honors by SEC coaches, Associated Press and Phil Steele’s College Football/. The 6-foot-3, 343-pound offensive guard has led Kentucky in knockdown blocks each of the last two seasons, including 34 last season. Warford, who graded at 87.5 percent last year by the UK coaching staff, has played in 35 career games for Kentucky, including 25 consecutive starts. Prior to 2011, Warford was named Sophomore All-America second team by CollegeFootballNews.com in 2010, while also earning All-SEC second-team honors by SEC coaches, AP, Rivals.com and Phil Steele’s College Football.
Warford made the list of 71 players which includes only tackles, guards and centers on both sides of the ball. Of the players on the watch list, 18 defensive tackles occupied spots, while the rest of the linemen were on offense. Every Division I Bowl Subdivision conference, along with independents BYU and Notre Dame had at least one player on the list. The SEC led all leagues with 19 selections.
The Outland Trophy winner is chosen from three finalists who are part of the FWAA All-America Team. The FWAA All-America Committee, after voting input from the entire membership, selects the 25-man team and eventually the three Outland finalists to be named on Nov. 19. Committee members, then by individual ballot, select the winner.
The Outland Trophy, presented annually since 1946, is the third oldest award in major college football. The winner of the 67th Outland Trophy, named after the late John Outland, an All-America lineman at Penn and Kansas at the turn of the century, will be announced on The Home Depot College Football Awards on Dec. 6 on ESPN. Kentucky has had one previous winner, tackle Bob Gain, who garnered the honor in 1950.
The Outland Trophy presentation banquet, sponsored by the Greater Omaha Sports Committee, will be held on Jan. 10, 2013, in Omaha, Neb.
For more information on the Kentucky football team, follow “UKFootball” on Twitter or visit UKathletics.com.
