Iowa State DE Cory Morrissey makes 2014 Lott IMPACT Trophy Watch List
By Brian Spaen
Iowa State football’s Cory Morrissey has been listed as one of the 42 nominees for the 2014 Lott IMPACT Trophy.
Morrissey is considered one of the leaders on the Cyclones’ young defense, and he’s getting some national recognition after getting nominated on one of college football’s most prestigious defensive awards.
Other players that have been nominated in the Big 12 are:
- Ryan Mueller (Kansas State)
- Eric Striker (Oklahoma)
- Sam Carter (TCU)
- Bryce Hager (Baylor)
- Cedric Reed (Texas)
- Karl Joseph (West Virginia)
Morrissey was sixth on the Cyclones in tackles last season with 52 total (35 solo). He recorded 6.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, and forced a fumble.
Recent award winners of the Lott IMPACT Trophy are Anthony Barr from UCLA last year and Manti Te’o from Notre Dame two years ago. Other notable award winners are Boston College’s Luke Kuechly, Wisconsin’s J.J. Wat, and Georgia’s David Pollack.
The trophy is named after one of the best defensive backs in NFL history, Ronnie Lott. After his college days at USC, Lott was selected as the eighth overall pick in the 1981 NFL Draft, and played his first 10 seasons with the San Francisco 49ers. He made the Pro Bowl 10 times in his 15-year career, won four Super Bowls, and is ranked as the 11th best player by NFL.com. He got his jersey retired with the 49ers and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000.