DALLAS (FWAA) – As part of its 75th Anniversary celebration this season, the Football Writers Association of America has formed a unique partnership with the University of Alabama Graduate School of Education Sport Management program to expand the reach of the association’s prestigious Outland Trophy.

The Outland Trophy, presented to the nation’s best interior lineman since 1946, is the third-oldest award in college football and has a legacy of distinguished winners that include College and Pro Football Hall of Famers, All-Americans and first-round NFL draft choices and current NFL standouts.

The FWAA has initiated this first-of-its-kind marketing and branding program in the hopes of highlighting some of college football’s best and perhaps underappreciated players. This season the FWAA will present the Outland Trophy for the 70th time. The winner will be announced on December 10 during The Home Depot College Football Awards at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta and live on ESPN. Leading up to the announcement, seven semifinalists will be named before the three finalists are announced the week of Nov. 23. On July 10, the FWAA released a 59-player preseason watch list.

"We are extremely excited to be working with the Outland Trophy and the Football Writers Association of America on this project. This is the exact type of hands-on, practical experience that helps prepare our students for a career in the sports industry," said Dr. John Vincent, Professor and Director of the College of Education Sport Management program. "With the rich tradition of the Outland Trophy at the University of Alabama, it is the perfect project and we are looking forward to building the digital and social media efforts of this prestigious award."

Dr. John Vincent and the Outland Trophy marketing team in Tuscaloosa

"The FWAA continues to set the pace with its membership and award programs," said FWAA Executive Director Steve Richardson. "Between the nation’s on-campus resources and those of our national membership, the FWAA is poised to bring the Outland Trophy new levels of exposure and, with that, more exposure for all of the outstanding interior linemen throughout the country."

The initiative will incorporate original content, shared content and social media messaging (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram). The team of graduate students will get to share a passion for college football while creating an all-encompassing campaign that should provide building blocks for all FWAA properties in the years to come.

Founded in 1941, the Football Writers Association of America consists of 1,400 men and women who cover college football. 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 game-day 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.

The Outland Trophy is a member of the National College Football Awards Association, which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. The 22 awards boast more than 700 years of tradition-selection excellence. Visit ncfaa.org to learn more about the association.