University of Houston Athletics
Houston's Akeroyd Selected to Outland Watch List
6/13/2007 12:00:00 AM | Football
June 13, 2007
HOUSTON, Texas - University of Houston senior offensive lineman Jeff Akeroyd today was selected to the Outland Trophy Award Watch List, as announced by the Football Writers Association of America.
A native of Lubbock, Texas, Akeroyd was one of only 10 players to start all 14 games in 2006, setting a UH single-season record. Akeroyd was a starter for an offensive line, which helped account for 33.0 points and over 440.0 yards of total offense per game. He was a consensus selection to the Conference USA Second Team by both the coaches and the media.
"It feels great," Akeroyd said. "I did not expect this at all. When SirVircent (Rogers) got hurt last year and was lost for the season, we had to buckle down and not make any mistakes. We had to play really well all the time. I think (this honor) has a lot to do with that."
Akeroyd started the season as the starting guard for the first four games and moved to left tackle after injuries forced lineup changes and started the final 10 games there. He was a member of an offensive front that ranked No. 1 in C-USA in scoring offense and total offense and No. 2 in rush offense and pass offense.
The Outland Trophy has been award to the best interior lineman in college football since 1946. The winner is selected by the FWAA's All-America Committee, which selects the association's 25-man All-America team and picks the three Outland Trophy finalists and the winner.
The 2007 Outland Trophy announcement will be on Dec. 6 in Orlando, Fla., on the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show. The Outland Trophy presentation banquet, sponsored by the Greater Omaha Sports Committee, will be in January 2008 in Omaha, Neb.
The Outland Trophy has been awarded annually by the FWAA since 1946. It is named after the late John Outland, a lineman at Pennsylvania at the turn of the century. Wisconsin offensive tackle Joe Thomas won the 2006 Outland Trophy.
The Cougars begin their defense of their 2006 Conference USA title on September 1, traveling to Oregon to face the Ducks.
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