COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State linebacker and team captain Tommy Eichenberg was announced as one of the four finalists for the Lott IMPACT Trophy.
The award is presented annually to the college football defensive player who best exemplifies the acronym for: Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community, and Tenacity. The award is named after Ronnie Lott, a two-time All-American at USC and member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The university of the winner will receive $25,000 for the school’s general scholarship fund with each of the other finalists getting $5,000.
Eichenberg enters the final regular season game as the third-leading tackler in the Big Ten with 105 total tackles. His 67 solo stops rank first and are 11 more than the next-closest player.
So far this season, the Cleveland native has four games of 10 or more tackles, including a season-high 15 at Penn State on Oct. 29. He’s added a team-high 12.0 tackles for loss (minus 30 yards), an interception (which was returned for a touchdown), two pass breakups and five quarterback hurries.
Eichenberg, who is an Ohio State Scholar-Athlete and a two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree, is majoring in business.
The other finalists are Will Anderson Jr. (Alabama), Felix Anudike-Uzomah (Kansas State) and Tuli Tuipulotu (USC).
The awards banquet will be held Sunday, Dec. 11 at the Pacific Club in Newport Beach, Calif.
James Laurinaitis won the award in 2008 and Joshua Perry and Jordan Fuller were finalists for the Buckeyes in 2015 and 2019.