DALLAS (FWAA) – Stanford offensive guard David DeCastro, Alabama offensive tackle Barrett Jones and Penn State defensive tackle Devon Still have been named finalists for the 66th Outland Trophy, which is awarded to the best interior lineman in college football by the Football Writers Association of America.

The winner of the Outland Trophy, which will be decided by the FWAA All-America Committee, will be announced on the evening of Dec. 8 during "The Home Depot College Football Awards" at the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The show, hosted by Chris Fowler, Lee Corso, Kirk Herbstreit and Desmond Howard, airs from 9-11 p.m. ET on ESPN.

DeCastro, a 6-5, 310-pound junior from Bellevue, Wash., is one of the top run blockers in college football for Stanford (10-1), which ranks 22nd in the country in rushing offense (209.0 yards per game), 24th in passing (276.6 yards per game) and 10th in total offense (485.6 yards per game). Considered the vocal leader of the offensive line, DeCastro, a three-year starter, is able to dominate the line and get to linebackers as well as protect standout quarterback Andrew Luck. In matchup with Washington's mammoth defensive tackle Alameda Ta'amu, Castro dominated in a 65-21 Stanford victory. 

Jones, a 6-5, 311-pound junior from Memphis, Tenn., switched from right guard to left tackle this season and is the lead blocker for standout Crimson Tide running back Trent Richardson. The versatile Jones, a three-year starter, has also seen action this season at left guard, center and right tackle for second-ranked Alabama (10-1), which ranks 16th in rushing offense (220.4 yards per game). He was the SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week after Alabama throttled once-beaten Arkansas, 38-14. In the 9-6 overtime loss to LSU, Jones helped Richardson run for 169 yards. 

Still, a 6-5, 310-pound senior from Wilmington, Del., has led a Penn State defense that ranks third nationally in points against (13.0 per game), trailing only Alabama and LSU. The Nittany Lions' defense is eighth nationally in yards allowed per game (287.3). Still has been Penn State's defensive leader and is tied for 11th in the country in tackles for loss (16.5 for 75 yards), of which four of those are sacks for 34 yards in losses. He has one pass breakup and one forced fumble. He has 53 total tackles (25 assisted) for a 9-2 team that is playing for a berth in the Big Ten Championship Game this weekend. He's is a two-year starter who has overcome injuries that hampered him early in his college career.

The Outland Trophy, which has been awarded annually by the FWAA since 1946, is named after the late John Outland, an All-America lineman at Pennsylvania at the turn of the century. The Outland Trophy is the third-oldest award in major college football behind the Heisman Trophy and Maxwell Award.

The official 2011 award presentation will be Jan. 12, 2012, in Omaha, Neb., at a banquet sponsored by the Greater Omaha Sports Committee. Minnesota's Bobby Bell, the 1962 Outland Trophy winner, will be presented with the current edition of the Outland Trophy at the event.

The Football Writers Association of America, a non-profit organization founded in 1941, consists of more than 1,200 men and women who cover college football for a living. The membership includes journalists, broadcasters and publicists, as well as key executives in all the areas that involve the game. The FWAA works to govern areas that include gameday operations, major awards and its annual All-America team. For more information about the FWAA and its award programs, contact Steve Richardson at tiger@fwaa.com or 972-713-6198.

The Outland Trophy is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA). The NCFAA was founded in 1997 as a coalition of the major collegiate football awards to protect, preserve and enhance the integrity, influence and prestige of the game's predominant awards. The NCFAA encourages professionalism and the highest standards for the administration of its member awards and the selection of their candidates and recipients. For more information, visit the association's official Web site, ncfaa.org.

"The Home Depot College Football Awards" airs live on Thursday, Dec. 8, at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN. The show, hosted by ESPN's Chris Fowler, Lee Corso, Kirk Herbstreit and Desmond Howard, will feature the live presentation of nine player awards, along with the recipients of Disney's Spirit Award; The Home Depot Coach of the Year Award; the NCFAA (National College Football Awards Association) Contributions to College Football Award; and student-athletes selected to the Walter Camp All-America Team. Fans can visit the show's dedicated website at espncollegefootballawards.com to find the latest college football awards news, including show details, previous winners, fan voting, a photo gallery and video highlights.

For more information on the Outland Trophy, go to the official website, www.outlandtrophy.com, or contact FWAA executive director Steve Richardson (972-713-6198 or tiger@fwaa.com).

Related links:
• Official site (outlandtrophy.com) | All-time Outland winners
• National College Football Awards Association (ncfaa.org)
• collegepressbox.com (for logo/photo downloads)