DALLAS (FWAA) – Utah's Jordan Gross, Washington State's Rien Long, and Miami's Brett Romberg have been named finalists for the 2002 Outland Trophy, the third oldest award in college football.

Gross

Long

Romberg

A panel of writers from the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) selected the three finalists and the 2002 Outland Trophy winner to be announced Dec. 12 on the ESPN College Football Awards Show from Orlando, Fla. The winner will also be presented his Outland Trophy at a banquet on Jan. 9 which is hosted by the Omaha Sports Committee and First Data Corp.

The FWAA has presented the Outland Trophy since 1946 to the best interior linemen in college football. Tackles, guards and centers are eligible for the award, which is named after the late John Outland, an All-American lineman at the University of Pennsylvania.

Gross, a 6-5, 306-pound senior from Fruitland, Idaho, has been a full-time starter for the Utes the last three seasons and started three games as a freshman. He had 11.72 pancake blocks a game this past season and has not allowed a sack the last two seasons.

Long, a 6-6, 286-pound junior from Anacortes, Wash., ranked third nationally in sacks and fourth in tackles for loss during the 2002 season. He has made 27 career starts for the Cougars. In a showdown game against Southern California, he had four tackles for losses.

Romberg, a 6-3, 297-pound senior from Windsor, Ontario, has anchored a line which has four new starters, but still blocks for an offense which ranks among the best in college football. Romberg has not allowed a sack all season. He has never graded under 88 percent during a game this season.

Related links:
• Outland Trophy
• First Data Corporation (banquet sponsor)