Tech's D'Anthony Smith Named to Outland List

D'Anthony Smith was one of two WAC players named to the 2009 Outland Trophy Watch List. Aug. 13, 2009

Louisiana Tech's D'Anthony Smith Named to Outland Trophy Watch List DALLAS - Louisiana Tech's D'Anthony Smith was named to the 40-man 2009 Outland Trophy Watch List. The award goes to the nation's top interior lineman and Smith was one of two Western Athletic Conference (WAC) players named to the list. Smith was a prominent lineman for the Bulldogs last season, garnering first team All-WAC honors after leading LA Tech with five total sacks. Smith was third on the team with 65 total tackles and was named the team's defensive player of the week on four separate occasions. Every Division I Bowl subdivision conference, along with Notre Dame, had at least one player on the annual list, which includes only interior linemen - tackles, guards and centers on both sides of the ball. Alabama defensive tackle Terrence Cody is the only player on the list who was on the FWAA's 2008 All-America Team. Idaho's Mike Iupati was the other WAC player named. In early October, the FWAA will consider other players for the 2009 Outland Trophy Watch List when most teams have completed four games of play. Sports Information Directors will be asked to contact their conference's representative on the 2009 All-America Committee and copy the FWAA office with the nominated player. The Outland Trophy, presented annually since 1946, is the third oldest award in major college football. The winner of the 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 ESPNU College Football Awards Show on Dec. 10 in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The Outland Trophy presentation banquet, sponsored by the Greater Omaha Sports Committee, will be held on Jan. 14 in Omaha, Neb. Louisiana Tech opens the 2009 season at Auburn on Sept. 5 with ESPNU broadcasting the action from Jordan-Hare Stadium at 6 p.m. CT.