NEWPORT BEACH, Ca. – Emmanuel Acho of Texas has been named the Lott IMPACT Player of the Week.
Acho is a 6-2, 245-pound senior linebacker from Dallas who had a team high 11 tackles, two for losses, and defended one pass in the Longhorns’ 52-20 win over Texas Tech Saturday.
For the season, Acho leads Texas in tackles with 71 and has 10 tackles for loss, two sacks and 10 quarterback hurries. He was a mid-season All Big-12 selection.
One of the outstanding student-athletes in the country, Acho is a six-time member of the Texas Athletic Director Honor Roll, a two-time Academic All Big-12 choice, a semifinalist for the Campbell (Academic Heisman) Award, a finalist for the Lowe’s Senior Class Award and a member of the American Football Coaches Assn. Good Works Team.
His middle name Cinedum means “God Guides Me.” Acho, his brother Sam (a Lott IMPACT Trophy finalist last year and now a member of the Arizona Cardinals) and his family, makes medical mission trips to Nigeria each summer.
In recognition of Acho’s performance, the Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation, sponsors of the Lott IMPACT Trophy, will make a $1,000 donation to the general scholarship fund at Texas.
An interview with Acho can be heard at halftime of Saturday’s Florida-South Carolina game on Sports USA Radio Network. The IMPACT Player of the Week is also featured on FOX college football games this weekend.
Other notable performances by players on the Lott IMPACT Trophy Watch List were:
*Mark Barron, Alabama. Had six tackles and an interception in 9-6 loss to LSU in overtime.
*Brodrick Brown, Oklahoma State. Had 10 tackles, all solo, and credited with two passes defended in 52-45 win over Kansas State.
*Dont’a Hightower, Alabama. Had seven tackles and two quarterback hurries in loss to LSU, 9-6, in overtime.
*Lavonte David, Nebraska. Had 11 tackles and an interception in loss to Northwestern, 28-25.
*Luke Kuechly, Boston College, Had 20 tackles in 38-7 loss to Florida State.
*Kendall Reyes, Connecticut. Seven tackles (credited with ½ sack) and one pass breakup in win over Syracuse, 28-21.
*John Simon, Ohio State. Led team with 10 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, one sack in win over Indiana, 34-20.
Brandon Taylor, LSU. Had five tackles, one for loss and a pass break up in win over Alabama, 9-6, in overtime.
Lott IMPACT Players of the Week
Week 1 – Jordan Kovacs, Michigan
Week 2 – Shayne Skov, Stanford
Week 3 – Luke Kuechly, Boston College
Week 4 – Brodrick Brown, Oklahoma State
Week 5 – T.J. McDonald, USC
Week 6 – Lavonte David, Nebraska
Week 7 – John Simon, Ohio State
Week 8 – Dont’a Hightower, Alabama
Week 9 – Lavonte David, Nebraska
Week 10 – Emmanuel Acho, Texas
Named after Pro Football Hall of Fame member, Ronnie Lott, The Lott IMPACT Trophy is awarded to college football’s Defensive IMPACT Player of the Year. Founded in 2004 by The Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation, The Lott Trophy is the first and only college football award to equally recognize athletic performance and the personal character attributes of the player. The Lott Trophy is given to the player who exhibits the same characteristics Lott embodied during his distinguished career: Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community and Tenacity. Voters for the award include selected members of the national media, previous finalists, the Board of Directors of the Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation and a distinguished group of former college football head coaches. To date, the Foundation has donated more than $850,000 to various charities throughout the country. The eighth annual Lott Trophy dinner will be held Dec. 11th at The Pacific Club in Newport Beach, California. For more information on The Lott Trophy visit: www.LottTrophy.com . Follow college football by going to the Lott Blog at www.LottTrophy.com