Oklahoma State University Athletics
Photo by: Bruce Waterfield
Ogbah Named Semifinalist for Lott IMPACT Trophy
November 12, 2015 | Cowboy Football
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. – Oklahoma State standout defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah was named one of nine semifinalists for the 2015 Lott IMPACT Trophy, The Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation announced Thursday.
The national award is in its 12th year and is awarded annually to the college football's best defensive player, giving equal weight for both personal character and performance. The IMPACT award is given to individuals who demonstrate excellence in the field of athletics and recognizes college football's Defensive Player of the Year who best exemplifies the IMPACT acronym: Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community and Tenacity.
In addition to his high level of character and community involvement, Ogbah has been one of the most dominant players in college football this season. He leads the Big 12 and ranks fifth nationally with 1.00 sacks per game, leads the league with 13.5 tackles for loss and has earned Big 12 defensive player of the week honors three times in nine games this year. His 24.0 career sacks rank second nationally among all active players.
When combining sacks, hurries and pass break ups, Ogbah has affected 26 passing plays this season and is perhaps the most disruptive player in the country in that respect.
The junior is OSU's career leader in quarterback hurries with 22, holds the season record for hurries with 15 just nine games into the season and has recorded at least one sack in 13 of his last 17 games.
Against first-team All-Big 12 and well-thought-of NFL prospect Le'Raven Clark from Texas Tech, Ogbah went for seven tackles, a sack, two tackles for loss and two quarterback hurries. At West Virginia, he scored a defensive touchdown, forced two fumbles, recovered a fumble, notched a sack, a tackle for loss and a quarterback hurry in addition to logging a season-high eight tackles in OSU's overtime win. He earned national player of the week honors from the Football Writers Association of America and the Lott IMPACT Trophy for that performance.
Additionally, Ogbah was the 2014 Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year and an All-Big 12 first team selection, and received Academic All-Big 12 honors in 2013.
The winner of the 2015 Lott IMPACT Trophy will be announced at The Lott IMPACT Trophy Award Banquet, held at the Pacific Club in Newport Beach on Dec. 13. The award show will be televised live on Fox Sports and will be hosted by Fox Sports' Joel Klatt and Jenny Taft.
The Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation will make a $25,000 donation to the general scholarship fund of the winner's university and $5,000 to each of the schools of the runner-ups. In 10 years, the Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation has now donated more than $1.1 million, including over $500,000 to universities throughout the country.
2015 Lott IMPACT Trophy Semi-Finalists
Jeremy Cash, S, Duke
Shilique Calhoun, DE, Michigan State
Tyler Matakevich, LB, Temple
Carl Nassib, DE, Penn State
Emmanuel Ogbah, DE, Oklahoma State
Joshua Perry, LB, Ohio State
Jaylen Ramsey, CB, Florida State
Jaylon Smith, LB, Notre Dame
Eric Striker, LB, Oklahoma
The national award is in its 12th year and is awarded annually to the college football's best defensive player, giving equal weight for both personal character and performance. The IMPACT award is given to individuals who demonstrate excellence in the field of athletics and recognizes college football's Defensive Player of the Year who best exemplifies the IMPACT acronym: Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community and Tenacity.
In addition to his high level of character and community involvement, Ogbah has been one of the most dominant players in college football this season. He leads the Big 12 and ranks fifth nationally with 1.00 sacks per game, leads the league with 13.5 tackles for loss and has earned Big 12 defensive player of the week honors three times in nine games this year. His 24.0 career sacks rank second nationally among all active players.
When combining sacks, hurries and pass break ups, Ogbah has affected 26 passing plays this season and is perhaps the most disruptive player in the country in that respect.
The junior is OSU's career leader in quarterback hurries with 22, holds the season record for hurries with 15 just nine games into the season and has recorded at least one sack in 13 of his last 17 games.
Against first-team All-Big 12 and well-thought-of NFL prospect Le'Raven Clark from Texas Tech, Ogbah went for seven tackles, a sack, two tackles for loss and two quarterback hurries. At West Virginia, he scored a defensive touchdown, forced two fumbles, recovered a fumble, notched a sack, a tackle for loss and a quarterback hurry in addition to logging a season-high eight tackles in OSU's overtime win. He earned national player of the week honors from the Football Writers Association of America and the Lott IMPACT Trophy for that performance.
Additionally, Ogbah was the 2014 Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year and an All-Big 12 first team selection, and received Academic All-Big 12 honors in 2013.
The winner of the 2015 Lott IMPACT Trophy will be announced at The Lott IMPACT Trophy Award Banquet, held at the Pacific Club in Newport Beach on Dec. 13. The award show will be televised live on Fox Sports and will be hosted by Fox Sports' Joel Klatt and Jenny Taft.
The Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation will make a $25,000 donation to the general scholarship fund of the winner's university and $5,000 to each of the schools of the runner-ups. In 10 years, the Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation has now donated more than $1.1 million, including over $500,000 to universities throughout the country.
2015 Lott IMPACT Trophy Semi-Finalists
Jeremy Cash, S, Duke
Shilique Calhoun, DE, Michigan State
Tyler Matakevich, LB, Temple
Carl Nassib, DE, Penn State
Emmanuel Ogbah, DE, Oklahoma State
Joshua Perry, LB, Ohio State
Jaylen Ramsey, CB, Florida State
Jaylon Smith, LB, Notre Dame
Eric Striker, LB, Oklahoma
Players Mentioned
DE
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