Huskers' Ndamukong Suh Left Off Lombardi Preseason Watch List

Although, it's still six months from the beginning of the 2009 college football season, the Rotary Lombardi Award's preliminary watch list was released and notably absent from the list is Nebraska's Ndamukong Suh.

When I read this, I thought to myself, "Oh my god!, this is crazy, I can't believe it!" Then I read the small print that describes how a player is put on the preliminary list.

To make it short and simple, it goes back to the fact that the Big 12 coaches—the same coaches that never could devise a scheme to keep him blocked—voted him to second team All Big 12.

I know, I know. When the Big 12 coaches did that last fall I had a moment of..kind of makes you go..HMM?

To be on the preliminary list, a player needs to have been an All-American the previous year or to have been voted first team all conference by his conference's coaches.

It doesn't mean that he can't be put on the list. Just means as the season progresses others will have to drop and he will need to continue his stellar play.

A short review of the damage that Suh caused opposing offenses in 2008.

Suh lead all Big 12 defensive lineman in tackles with 68, the next closest was over 20 tackles short of Suh.  Suh also collected 5.5 sacks, 15 tackles for loss, and two interceptions, both returned for touchdowns.

The picture above is of Suh stomping on Colorado quarterback Cody Hawkins as Hawkins tries in vane to keep Suh out of the end zone after he had intercepted a tipped ball and ran it back 30 yards for the game deciding score.

Oh, let us not forget the single handed demolition of the Clemson offensive line in the Gator Bowl that saw Suh collect eight tackles, four tackles for loss, two more sacks, and an early field goal block that ended up being a deciding factor in the game.

It's something for Husker fans to keep an eye on and maybe just maybe more motivation for Suh to work even harder in 09!