Herian Named to Lombardi Watch List

Nebraska junior tight end Matt Herian is one of 54 players who have been named to the preliminary watch list for the 2003 Rotary Lombardi Award.

The 6-5, 240-pound Herian led Nebraska with 22 receptions for 484 yards last season, including three touchdown catches. He was a first-team all-conference selection and was one of eight semifinalists for the John Mackey Award, given annually to the nation’s top tight end.

The 54 preliminary candidates for the award earned a place on the initial watch list by earning All-America honors at the end of the 2003 or previous seasons, or were named to their respective all-conference team as selected by the league’s head coaches. The Watch List will be updated before the start of the 2004 season, in order to identify those players who have been selected as pre-season honors candidates

Eligibility for the Rotary Lombardi Award is limited to down linemen and those defensive players who line up within five yards of the football. Nebraska players have won four Lombardi Awards including Rich Glover (1972), Dave Rimington (1982), Dean Steinkuhler (1983) and Grant Wistrom (1997).