March 9, 2004
HOUSTON - San Diego State linebacker Kirk Morrison is one of 54 players who have been named to the 2004 Rotary Lombardi Award preliminary watch list.
Morrison, the Mountain West Conference's 2003 defensive player of the year, is a member of the watch list for the second straight season. Eligibility for the award is limited to down linemen or defensive players who line up within five yards of the ball.
The initial watch list is composed of players who earned All-America or all-conference honors last season. Morrison was a first-team All-America pick by College Football News and is a two-time first-team all-Mountain West selection. He was also a Freshman All-American in 2001.
The Lombardi Award Dinner will be held Dec. 8th in Houston with proceeds going to the American Cancer Society. The award is voted on by a panel of more than 500 people nationwide, including sportscasters, sportswriters and Division I head coaches.
Morrison enters the 2004 season eighth all-time at San Diego State with 281 career tackles. According to espn.com, he will enter 2004 as one of the top 75 players in the country, regardless of position. As a senior, Morrison will attempt to become SDSU's first three-time all-conference player since Kabeer Gbaja Biamila, now with the Green Bay Packers.
Last season, Morrison was the on the preseason watch lists for the Lombardi Award, Nagurski Award and Butkus Award. He was the anchor of SDSU's defensive unit that ended the season eighth nationally and tops in the Mountain West in total defense, allowing just 289 yards per game.