FSU's Rodney Hudson and Ryan McMahon Named To 2010 Outland Trophy Watch List

Congratulations to Florida State's senior left guard Rodney Hudson and RS senior center Ryan McMahon, who were named on the 2010 Outland Trophy Watch List of 63 players, which is awarded annually by the Football Writers Association of America to the best interior lineman in college football.

The prestigious list gives football fans the first glimpse at a great crop of college offensive and defensive tackles, offensive guards and centers.

The FWAA will consider other players for the 2010 Outland Trophy Watch List and will also delete players as the season progresses. The FWAA All-America Committee will select three finalists in late November and eventually the overall winner.

The Outland Trophy, presented annually since 1946, is the third oldest award in major college football. The Outland Trophy is named after the late John Outland, an All-America lineman at Penn and Kansas at the turn of the century. The 2010 winner will be announced on The Home Depot ESPNU College Football Awards Show on Dec. 9.

The Outland Trophy presentation banquet, sponsored by the Greater Omaha Sports Committee, will be on Jan. 13 in Omaha, Neb.

Hudson, who has also been named to the 2010 Rotary Lombardi Award Watch List*, earned multiple All-American honors in 2009 (and multiple 1st-team Freshmen All-American honors in 2007), despite missing the last two games of the 2009 season with a sprained MCL in his right knee and a nagging toe problem before that, but then bounced back in time for the Gator Bowl victory over WVU. 

(*Eligibility for the Rotary Lombardi Award is limited to down linemen, end-to-end, either on offense or defense, who set up no farther than 10 yards to the left or right of the ball, or linebackers who set up no farther than five yards deep from the line of scrimmage. The candidates earned a place on the preliminary watch list by earning All-American honors or by being named to their respective all-conference first team as selected by the conference's head coaches.)

Rodney's relentlessness also earned him the FSU's offensive line top cumulative grade last season from Coach Rick Trickett, grading out with a season average of 88, while not allowing a sack, with only 2 penalties, and only 4 missed assignments in 10 games.

Hudson also won the ACC's Jacobs Blocking Trophy in 2009, which is awarded annually to the player voted the most outstanding blocker in the ACC by the league's head coaches and defensive coordinators, and is on pace to be the ACC's first linemen to ever win  All-ACC honors for four consecutive years.

Ryan McMahon, in addition to being named to the 2010 Outland Trophy watch list, is also one of the 37 players named to the 2010 Rimington Trophy Watch List, which is presented annually to the Most Outstanding Center in NCAA Div 1-A College Football. McMahon, a two-time Rimington Award candidate, known for his toughness and reliability while anchoring the middle of the offensive line, is the most experienced lineman with 39 consecutive starts over the past three seasons, since transitioning from the defensive line prior to the 2007 season.

Interestingly enough, 14 of the 63 players named on the Outland Watch List play for team's that FSU will face this season.

For those of you still not believing Oklahoma's pre-season #1 ranking from Phil Steele is justified, the Sooners have three of those 14 on the watch list.  They are Cory Brandon OT, Ben Habern C, and Adrian Taylor DT.

The despicable GaTurds from Hogsville also have three players being watched. They are Mike Pouncey C, Carl Johnson OG, and Omar Hunter DT.

The scUM's from Coral Gables placed Orlando Franklin OT and Marcus Forston DT.

The Mormons from BYU placed Matt Reynolds OT.

The ne'er-do-well's from Boston College include Anthony Castonzo OT and Thomas Claiborne OG.

The Baby Blues from North Carolina placed Alan Pelc OG and Marvin Austin DT.

Congratulation are in order once again to our reliable and dependable fixtures on the offensive line, Rodney Hudson and Ryan McMahon, for their inclusion on the prestigious 2010 Outland Trophy Watch List.

To see the full list, click here.