TEMPE, Ariz. -- Arizona State football senior linebacker Salamo Fiso was selected to the 2016 Watch List for the Rotary Lombardi Award, announced award committee. The annual award, which began in 1970, is presented to the most outstanding lineman in college football.
Fiso, who was also named to the watch list for the Bednarik, Nagurski and Butkus Awards, returns for his final season as the most experienced starter for the Sun Devil defense. He has started 36 games in his career, leading the Sun Devil seniors, and needs 12 starts to match Evan Finkenberg's career record of 48. With 11 starts this season, he would tie Dexter Davis for most starts by a defensive player at ASU. Fiso has made 32 consecutive starts for the Sun Devils, six more than tight end Kody Kohl for the team lead.
In 2016, he ranked 12th in the country in solo tackles (78) and 8th in tackles for loss (20). With 36.5 tackles for loss in his career, Fiso is just 6.5 shy of cracking ASU's all-time top-10 list in the category while his 178 solo tackles put him in a prime spot to challenge Brett Wallerstedt's long-standing career record of 238 from 1989-92.
The players gained a position on the preliminary watch list by earning All-American honors, being named to their respective all-conference teams, or by receiving 2016 pre-season honors.
The 47th Annual Rotary Lombardi Award continues the evolvement of the Lombardi legacy by now expanding the eligibility of the award to all player positions that are outstanding performers and exhibit great leadership attributes. Following the preliminary watch list, a nomination period will open to the internal selection committee to add additional players who meet the skill and leadership standards set forth for the Rotary Lombardi Award.
The award ceremony date will be announced later in the football season along with updated lists of award candidates. Visit www.rotarylombardiaward.org for more information and continued updates.
2016 Sun Devil Award Watch Lists
Maxwell Award (America's College Player of the Year) – Demario Richard
Chuck Bednarik Award (College Defensive Player of the Year) – Salamo Fiso
John Mackey Award (Most Outstanding Tight End) – Kody Kohl
Ray Guy Award (Nation's Best Collegiate Punter) – Matt Haack
Lou Groza Award (Nation's Top Placekicker) – Zane Gonzalez
Bronko Nagurski Award (Nation's Defensive Player of the Year) – Salamo Fiso
Outland Trophy (Nation's Most Outstanding Interior Lineman) – Tashon Smallwood
Butkus Award (Nation's Best Linebacker) – Salamo Fiso
Wuerffel Trophy (Exemplary Community Service) – Viliami Moeakiola
Allstate AFCA Good Hands Award (Commitment to Service) – Viliami Moeakiola
Polynesian CFB Player of the Year -- Salamo Fiso, Viliami Moeakiola
Rotary Lombardi Award Watch List – Salamo Fiso
New Season Tickets for the 2016 Season
Secure your spot in Sun Devil Stadium. Season ticket deposits for the 2016 Sun Devil Football season are available now at www.sundeviltickets.com or by calling 480-965-5812. Deposits are applied to the cost of the season ticket and current season ticket holders do not have to place a deposit. Sun Devil Football's 2016 campaign begins with back-to-back games at the new and improved Sun Devil Stadium on Sept. 3 against Northern Arizona and Sept. 10 against Big 12 foe Texas Tech. ASU's six-game home schedule also includes defending Pac-12 South Co-Champion Utah and fellow conference opponents UCLA, Cal and Washington State.
Join the conversation all season
Twitter: @FootballASU | Facebook: Sun Devil Football | Instagram: sundevilathletics
Fiso, who was also named to the watch list for the Bednarik, Nagurski and Butkus Awards, returns for his final season as the most experienced starter for the Sun Devil defense. He has started 36 games in his career, leading the Sun Devil seniors, and needs 12 starts to match Evan Finkenberg's career record of 48. With 11 starts this season, he would tie Dexter Davis for most starts by a defensive player at ASU. Fiso has made 32 consecutive starts for the Sun Devils, six more than tight end Kody Kohl for the team lead.
In 2016, he ranked 12th in the country in solo tackles (78) and 8th in tackles for loss (20). With 36.5 tackles for loss in his career, Fiso is just 6.5 shy of cracking ASU's all-time top-10 list in the category while his 178 solo tackles put him in a prime spot to challenge Brett Wallerstedt's long-standing career record of 238 from 1989-92.
The players gained a position on the preliminary watch list by earning All-American honors, being named to their respective all-conference teams, or by receiving 2016 pre-season honors.
The 47th Annual Rotary Lombardi Award continues the evolvement of the Lombardi legacy by now expanding the eligibility of the award to all player positions that are outstanding performers and exhibit great leadership attributes. Following the preliminary watch list, a nomination period will open to the internal selection committee to add additional players who meet the skill and leadership standards set forth for the Rotary Lombardi Award.
The award ceremony date will be announced later in the football season along with updated lists of award candidates. Visit www.rotarylombardiaward.org for more information and continued updates.
2016 Sun Devil Award Watch Lists
Maxwell Award (America's College Player of the Year) – Demario Richard
Chuck Bednarik Award (College Defensive Player of the Year) – Salamo Fiso
John Mackey Award (Most Outstanding Tight End) – Kody Kohl
Ray Guy Award (Nation's Best Collegiate Punter) – Matt Haack
Lou Groza Award (Nation's Top Placekicker) – Zane Gonzalez
Bronko Nagurski Award (Nation's Defensive Player of the Year) – Salamo Fiso
Outland Trophy (Nation's Most Outstanding Interior Lineman) – Tashon Smallwood
Butkus Award (Nation's Best Linebacker) – Salamo Fiso
Wuerffel Trophy (Exemplary Community Service) – Viliami Moeakiola
Allstate AFCA Good Hands Award (Commitment to Service) – Viliami Moeakiola
Polynesian CFB Player of the Year -- Salamo Fiso, Viliami Moeakiola
Rotary Lombardi Award Watch List – Salamo Fiso
New Season Tickets for the 2016 Season
Secure your spot in Sun Devil Stadium. Season ticket deposits for the 2016 Sun Devil Football season are available now at www.sundeviltickets.com or by calling 480-965-5812. Deposits are applied to the cost of the season ticket and current season ticket holders do not have to place a deposit. Sun Devil Football's 2016 campaign begins with back-to-back games at the new and improved Sun Devil Stadium on Sept. 3 against Northern Arizona and Sept. 10 against Big 12 foe Texas Tech. ASU's six-game home schedule also includes defending Pac-12 South Co-Champion Utah and fellow conference opponents UCLA, Cal and Washington State.
Join the conversation all season
Twitter: @FootballASU | Facebook: Sun Devil Football | Instagram: sundevilathletics