Tennessee free safety Jonathan Hefney has been named a quarterfinalist for the annual Lott Trophy, the Tennessee sports information office announced in a release..
The Lott Trophy, named after Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott, goes to the outstanding college defensive player of the year who has had the biggest “IMPACT” on his team both on and off the field. IMPACT stands for Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community and Tenacity.
Hefney, a senior from Rock Hill, S.C., is on course to graduate in December with a degree in political science. The Vols highly regarded cover man has 36 tackles so far this season to go with an interception and four passes defensed. Hefney’s most important role this year has been guiding the Vols’ young secondary that starts two freshmen and a sophomore.
The award’s previous winners have been David Pollack of Georgia in 2004, DeMeco Ryans of Alabama in 2005 and Daymeion Hughes of California in 2006.
Voters for The Lott Trophy are college offensive and defensive coordinators, former head coaches who make up the Master Coaches, the board of directors of The Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation, the Lott Trophy Board of Advisors and selected members of the national media, according to a press release.
The other Lott Trophy quarterfinalists are Antoine Cason, DB, Arizona; Jordon Dizon, LB, Colorado; Glenn Dorsey, DT, LSU; Sedrick Ellis, DT, Southern California; Nic Harris, DB, Oklahoma; Derrick Harvey, DE, Florida; Cody Kase, LB, New Mexico; Nick Larkin, DL, Boston College; James Laurinaitis, LB, Ohio State; J Leman, LB, Illinois; Chris Long, DE, Virginia; Dwight Lowery, DB, San Jose State; Ben Moffitt, LB, South Florida; Keith Rivers, LB, Southern California; Wesley Woodyard, LB, Kentucky; Tom Zbikowski, DB, Notre Dame.
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Comments » 38
jmatt62 writes:
Uhh, I'm sorry, but Hefney is not playing well enough to win the best DB on UT's team, much less in the country. Get real. It just shows these awards are based alot on reputation.
utvols1 writes:
you must be kidding? His attitude sucks, he is always mouthing off, frequently out of position and should be benched. I'm shocked!
jdcvols#230433 writes:
Let's be careful and not bash the student athletes. Slade is the problem not Hefney.
w_guz#277879 writes:
Jonathan Hefney? There must be a mistake!
Ironcity writes:
I think even Hefney would admit he is shocked.
juicetke#226846 writes:
For what? A LOTT of hype and no production. Or maybe it is for grabbing your crotch in a classless manner.
newtonrail writes:
People, read the story. What he does on the field is supposed to be only a small part of the award.
CoverOrange writes:
He must be a good student a visit the children's ward at the hospital a lot.
Coach_Joe writes:
It's not Hefney's fault he sucks this year!
It's all Bob's fault! He sucks calling the games and he's dragging the program down with him.
BOOT BOB! BOOT BOB! BOOT BOB!
VOLnATL writes:
Hefney receiving this award is about as likely as Fulmer getting coach of the year award!
CrankE writes:
The biggest IMPACT on his team? Yeah, I guess I could see that. I saw no requirement to have a positive impact.
As a leader on the defense, he would logically be responsible for the example by which he is leading. And that indeed could have a big impact.
Hard to imagine that they would consider an individual from a defense as bad as this one is though. Could this be like Paul Hornung-the only Heisman winner from a losing team? If he scores really low in the performance category, he might have the biggest IM_ACT.
jdcvols#230433 writes:
i_love, Hefney really has his hands full this year. Every play he has to make a quick decision on which side to cover. With two inexperienced corners, he has been guilty of hesitating of where to go and therefore gets out of position himself. If we had just one cover guy that he could depend on, you would see a better run supporter and cover 2 guy. What is surprising me is that he has missed some wide open tackles...that can get corrected by coaching.
jdcvols#230433 writes:
sorry, one more comment. Last year Wade was a decent corner and Stewart was the problem. Hefney got a Lott (no pun intended) of opportunities to hit people covering for Stewart.
daytonabadboy writes:
Ronnie Lott..Didn't he lose a finger in one game.. as he tattooed a reciever, causing his opponent to experience snot bubbles????...or was that Heffney?
bigbluevol writes:
I'm glad someone on here has realized that most of Hef's problems are the result of the lack of experience around him. It's really tough to cover all of the other team's receivers. Johnson, Berry and Vinson are all first year starters. Vinson is only playing his third year of organized football and has only been playing corner for 3 weeks. They're getting burned now but this will make them better in the long run. Until then, we're going to be remarkably susceptible to the pass. I do agree that Hef has struggled with his tackling, but who hasn't? We really need to get over this whole "if I hit you with my shoulder you're supposed to fall down" mentality. Those things hanging on your sides are your arms and it is legal to use them to wrap up.
jdcvols#230433 writes:
bigblue, I guess CPF will have another "back to basics" practice. I believe that is third time this year. Maybe, he (someone) will take the spring practice session more serious.
bigbluevol writes:
Honestly, of all the things, that one probably frustrates me the most. We continually go for the "big hit" but we hardly ever wrap up. That's one big reason I want to see more of Nevin McKenzie. That guy will scrap and fight to get you down. Even though it wasn't a really impressive play, earlier this year (against Arkansas St, I believe) he grabbed a guy by the jersey and pulled him down. I was really happy to see that. These big collisions don't substitute for tackling and it's been a consistent problem for about a decade.
jdcvols#230433 writes:
If you remember, Al Wilson had the same problem, except he got away with it because he hit HARD. He got better and certainly would not have made the NFL if he did not learn how to tackle properly. The other issue that we have not addressed is the total lack of PASS RUSH!!!! When you have younger guys and a good pass rush, you can afford to jam the WR's at the line all they have to do is keep up for 2 seconds and the play is dead! With no pass rush, it can be an eternity for a DB. It takes a team effort on Defense.
bigbluevol writes:
You're right, but who's going to rush the passer? Bolden is our only remotely consistent DT. Reynolds doesn't seem to contribute strength or speed at d-end. Mitchell isn't having the type of year many thought he would. Mapu hasn't returned to form. If you don't have to double any d linemen, blitzing's not really going to help because if you leave a back in there, you've got six blockers (back plus 5 o line). I just don't know what they're going to do to generate the rush.
bigbluevol writes:
I think one thing that might help though would be playing mckenzie more. He's got more speed than Karl and he showed earlier in the year that he knows how to get to the qb when it's his time to blitz.
jdcvols#230433 writes:
remember the hype about running a 3-4? Have the 3 down guys jam the line and send 1 or 2 LB's or guys like mckenzie who can play a lb in a 3-4. Got to try something!!
Williams could play nose tackle and would tie up the center and guard.
bigbluevol writes:
Maybe we can just blitz the house. We leave Berry and Hefney in the middle of the field, send everyone else, and hope that they can get there before the qb gets the pass off.
wyomingvol writes:
There must be some really bad and low brow DB's in college football this year.
phi0129 writes:
This just proves that TN football has become so dormant that people don't even watch us play anymore. Because if they did then there is no way that Hefney would be considered for this award right now. They must have picked his name from the preseason All-SEC list...
SmokeDog72 writes:
Evidently sound tackling is not a requirement for the award. Or maybe he is in the running for the "Whiff a Lott" trophy.
jdcvols#230433 writes:
Don't forget phi0129, Jason Allen got drafted really high and he was on that 2005 perfect storm team and going back to 1988, Keith Delong was really one of the best LB's and he was on a horrible defensive team.
jdcvols#230433 writes:
amen!!Leadership would help.
invisiblekid writes:
Hefney will be a fine pro in the same vein as Gibril Wilson and Jabari Greer, all it takes is a little coaching.
DenmarkVol_aka_Mbumburu writes:
jdcvols, totally agree with you -- problem is Slade, not Hef.
volfanjustin writes:
Hefney is a joke, he has not tackled anyone all year. He will not win this award and if he does it is an insult to anyone who has ever won it.
murrayvol writes:
Well, that's interesting. What are the odds he makes it to the semis?
invisiblekid writes:
I don't disagree with you either TDTN. I generally don't like to slam players but his play has been less than stellar this season, shocking to think he is nominated for anything considering he probably won't even be all SEC. My comment was a dig at Slade as much as anything. Secondary has been a weak spot on this team for years.
scvols writes:
I don't think so.
GoVols88 writes:
Sorry to say but Hefney is not deserving of this nomination. I've noticed that he is not a good tackler. He tackles with his arms. I learned in high school that, when tackling you always put your head on the inside of the runner. That puts your body in front of the runner. I've noticed that Rico does this, and he's a good tackler. Everyone else (for the most part) tackles with their arms.
snafu14u#241639 writes:
Must have been an open bar at the meeting.bonzaivol
ibvolman writes:
invisiblekid: "all it takes is a little coaching."
the key word there being "little," which is exactly how much coaching is going on in this football program.
letshave1more writes:
JH will be coaching JV Football with Teddy Gaines next year at D.B. He did not even catch a punt against Bama and should have been replaced after the CA game. Give Rogan a chance!! Its Time for a change at TN!!
gmccown007#392764 writes:
What if I were to GUARANTEE you that I can give all of you the name of the ONE and ONLY coach in the whole of America that can return Tennessee to ALL of its heartbreakingly long lost days of glory? Now, if I could "do" such a miraculous, seemingly impossible thing, would you immediately "sign up" and --- with all of your heart --- "get on board"? Or would you --- with the NEGATIVITY that has now engulfed the VOL NATION --- and indeed, is now threatening to DESTROY it --- INSTEAD join --- GLEEFULLY, no doubt --- in the FLOOD OF NEGATIVITY that would almost certainly follow an idea so "wild" and, no doubt, certain to be PERFECT? Perfect, that is, once all EMOTION is completely wiped away.
I have --- literally --- been sitting in that once hallowed stadium for OVER 55 YEARS!!! NO ONE'S blood runs any more orange than mine! NO ONE'S!!! Consequently, there is NO PRICE (other than my immortal soul) that I would not pay for a return to those once halcyon days of glory.
Want to return to such days of triumphant joy? Admittedly, now, only for a mere handful of remaining years? Or do all of you prefer to merely continue to endlessly, fruitlessly bicker? There is only the tiniest window of opportunity now left. But that window DOES exist. With no blasphemy whatsoever intended, there is a "savior" available to us. Incredibly, he is even a native son. Tennessee born and bred. Further, he is, regardless of one’s prejudices, the GREATEST football "genius" alive. WITHOUT QUESTION!
Now, mind you, we do not always see eye-to-eye. Collectively, or otherwise. But who cares? Particularly, for such a magnificent ultimate "prize"? I have sat around a hundred tables and heard it repeated a thousand times.
"Native son or not he would never take the job. Besides, there is no one alive who hates Tennessee any more than he does”.
I promise you, folks. Neither statement is true. Now, it IS true that out of high school, he “refused” our recruitment. But only because he was determined to remain a quarterback.(Tennessee still ran exclusively single wing and not being a Tim Tebow “type” (of that day or any other), he knew his running skills simply were not adaptable to U-T's offensive sets. And, mind you, he was more than "right".
Once he became a coach, though, he has been ready --- more than once --- to come back to Tennessee. Justifiably, though, he has never judged it "right" or "proper" to do the asking. And, indeed, why should he have?
Of whom are we speaking? Well, the one and only one man who can save the "train-wreck" that is now Tennessee football. Steve Spurrier.
By the way, time is running out. Like Lou Pinella with the Cubs, this would, guaranteed, be Spurrier’s last hurrah.
At this stage, it would probably call for one dollar more than Lou Saban. In case you have forgotten, the man who just handed us our a$$.
I don’t know about you but I will never forget that pain. Never.
I’m good for the first $100,000.00. Anybody got a dollar?
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