University of Tennessee Athletics
Henderson Named Lombardi Semifinalist
October 31, 2001 | Football
Oct. 30, 2001
Tennessee senior defensive tackle John Henderson was named one of 12 semifinalists today for the 2001 Rotary Lombardi Award given to the outstanding college lineman of the year.
Henderson, a 6-7, 290-pounder from Nashville, was Tennessee's 33rd consensus All-America selection in 2000 and winner of the Outland Trophy. Through five games played in 2001 -- he missed the Arkansas game because of injury -- Henderson has recorded two sacks and four additional tackles for loss among his 28 total hits. He also is second on the team in big plays with 12. Last season, Henderson produced 12 sacks and nine additional tackles for loss among his 71 total hits.
"Certainly from a scheme and plan standpoint, he takes up a couple of guys each time he goes out there," said Vols coach Phillip Fulmer. "So he's allowed other people to have success and has meant an awful lot to our team with his leadership. He has played really well the last couple of games since he's gotten healthy. No question he's a force to be reckoned with, and everybody's doing their best to reckon with him."
Joining Henderson on the semifinal list: offensive tackles Bryant McKinnie and Joaquin Gonzalez of Miami (Florida), guard Toniu Fonoti of Nebraska, linebackers Rocky Calmus of Oklahoma and Robert Thomas of UCLA, defensive ends Alex Brown of Florida, Kalimba Edwards of South Carolina, Dwight Freeney of Syracuse and Julius Peppers of North Carolina, and defensive tackles Wendell Bryant of Wisconsin and Larry Triplett of Washington.
Four finalists for the 2001 award will be announced the week of Nov. 11, following a second round of voting. Those finalists and their head coaches will travel to Houston for the Dec. 5 announcement ceremony.
