Texas Football: Ridgeway on Outland Trophy Preseason Watch List
Texas junior defensive tackle Hassan Ridgeway has been selected to the 2015 Outland Trophy Preseason Watch List. The Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) announced the 81-player list of the top interior offensive and defensive linemen on Friday.
Ridgeway, a fourth-year player, has appeared in 25 career games with 10 starts, all last season. He took over as the starter for an injured Desmond Jackson in the fourth game and shined, recording 43 tackles, including 11 tackles for loss and 6.0 sacks. He ranked tied for 11th (second among DTs) in the Big 12 in sacks (0.46 per game).
A native of Mansfield, Texas, Ridgeway played in 12 games as a redshirt freshman in 2013.
The Outland watch list will be trimmed to six or seven semifinalists on Nov. 19. Five days later three Outland Trophy finalists will be named by the FWAA.
Last season, defensive tackle Malcom Brown, a first-round pick of the New England Patriots in the 2015 NFL Draft, was an Outland Trophy finalist.
Three Longhorns have won the award: tackle Scott Appleton (1963), tackle Tommy Nobis (1965) and defensive tackle Brad Shearer (1977). In addition to Brown, there have been three other finalists: offensive guard Dan Neil (1996), offensive tackle Leonard Davis (2000) and guard/tackle Justin Blalock (2006).
The Outland Trophy winner is chosen from three finalists who are a part of the FWAA All-America Team. The FWAA All-America Committee, after voting input from the entire membership, selects the 26-man first team and eventually the three Outland finalists. Committee members, then by individual ballot, select the winner. Only interior linemen on offense or defense are eligible for the award; ends are not eligible.
Texas opens the 2015 season on Saturday, Sept. 5 at Notre Dame.
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