The Rotary Lombardi Award goes annually to the college football lineman -- offense or defense -- who, in addition to outstanding performance and ability, best exemplifies the discipline of Vince Lombardi.
Eligibility for the Rotary Lombardi Award is limited to down linemen and those defenders who line up within five yards of the football.
Warren Sapp, 1994
Miami defensive tackle Warren Sapp became the first Hurricane to win the Lombardi Award in 1994 at the annual banquet held in Houston, Texas. The keynote speaker at that award dinner was the legendary coach's son, Vince Lombardi, Jr.
Sapp
originally arrived at Miami as a tight end before emerging at the defensive tackle
position. His three-year Hurricane totals included 176 tackles, 19.5 sacks, four
forced fumbles, four fumbles recovered and five passes deflected.Sapp was an All-American his junior season. He won the Bronko Nagurski Award and was a finalist for the Outland Trophy in addition to winning UM's first Lombardi Award.
Two other Hurricanes, Russell Maryland in 1990 and Jerome Brown in 1986, finished among the top four finalists for the award.
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