Bowling Green State University Athletics
Anders Named to the Lombardi Award Preseason Watch List
August 01, 2022 | Football
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – Bowling Green State University inside linebacker Darren Anders been named to the 2022 Rotary Lombardi Award Preseason Watch List, announced the Rotary Club of Houston on Monday (Aug. 1). He is one of two players from the MAC on the list of 77 college football players.
The Lombardi Award goes annually to the college football offensive or defensive lineman, who in addition to outstanding performance and ability, best exemplifies the character and discipline of NFL Hall of Fame Head Coach Vince Lombardi.
Anders, who has also been named to the Butkus Award, Bednarik Award and Nagurski Trophy watch lists, leads all Mid-American Conference players in total watch lists named to with four. He is the first Bowling Green player to be named to four different watch lists.
Anders (North Olmsted, Ohio) was a 2021 first-team All-MAC linebacker, finishing last season No. 1 in the MAC and No. 8 in the nation with 10.3 tackles per game. Anders was one of three players in all of FBS over the last two seasons to rank in the top-15 nationally in tackles and is the only one who returns to CFB in 2022. He was also one of three FBS players in 2021 with 120+ tackles, 3.0+ sacks, 1+ fumbles recovered and 1+ interceptions (one of two through the regular season) and the only one returning to CFB in 2022. Anders has been named a preseason first-team All-MAC honoree by Athlon Sports and Phil Steele.
Anders is the first Falcon since Alex Huettel in 2015 to be named to the Lombardi Watch List. Jamal Hines (Toledo) is the other MAC player that join Anders on the preseason watch list.
To be considered for the Rotary Lombardi Award®, players must be a NCAA FBS College Football team member and meet the following qualifications:
- Be a down Lineman, end to end, either on offense or defense, setting up no further than ten (10) yards to the left or right of the ball at the time of the snap.
- Be a Linebacker on defense, setting up no further than five (5) yards deep from the line of scrimmage.
- Must not come out of the offensive backfield and set up on the line of scrimmage as a Blocker or a Receiver or listed in the program as an Offensive Back or Receiver.
- Be eligible to participate in the current season.
Bowling Green, who returns 50 letterwinners and 18 starters, opens the 2022 season against UCLA on Saturday, Sept. 3 at the Rose Bowl. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. ET on the Pac-12 Network.
Fans can secure single-game or season tickets by visiting BGSUFalcons.com/tickets, or by calling the BGSU Athletic Ticket Office at 1-(877) 247-8842.
